Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

The mezzanine level contains the Rumpus/Kids area and home office. At 10m x 3.5m there's plenty of space for everybody.
This is an example of an expansive industrial family room in Sydney with white walls, laminate floors, grey floor, exposed beam and planked wall panelling.

Mid-sized country open concept family room in Austin with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, exposed beam and planked wall panelling.

Photo of a transitional open concept family room in Austin with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, brown floor, exposed beam and vaulted.

Inspiration for an expansive contemporary open concept family room in Houston with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, exposed beam and panelled walls.

Alternative view of custom wall built-in cabinets in a styled family room complete with stone fireplace and wood mantel, beige sofa, fabric accent chair, dark wood coffee table, custom pillows and exposed beams in Charlotte, NC.

Questo immobile d'epoca trasuda storia da ogni parete. Gli attuali proprietari hanno avuto l'abilità di riuscire a rinnovare l'intera casa (la cui costruzione risale alla fine del 1.800) mantenendone inalterata la natura e l'anima. Parliamo di un architetto che (per passione ha fondato un'impresa edile in cui lavora con grande dedizione) e di una brillante artista che, con la sua inseparabile partner, realizza opere d'arti a quattro mani miscelando la pittura su tela a collage tratti da immagini di volti d'epoca. L'introduzione promette bene...

Our Austin studio decided to go bold with this project by ensuring that each space had a unique identity in the Mid-Century Modern styleaOur Austin studio decided to go bold with this project by ensuring that each space had a unique identity in the Mid-Century Modern style bathroom, butler's pantry, and mudroom. We covered the bathroom walls and flooring with stylish beige and yellow tile that was cleverly installed to look like two different patterns. The mint cabinet and pink vanity reflect the mid-century color palette. The stylish knobs and fittings add an extra splash of fun to the bathroom. The butler's pantry is located right behind the kitchen and serves multiple functions like storage, a study area, and a bar. We went with a moody blue color for the cabinets and included a raw wood open shelf to give depth and warmth to the space. We went with some gorgeous artistic tiles that create a bold, intriguing look in the space. In the mudroom, we used siding materials to create a shiplap effect to create warmth and texture – a homage to the classic Mid-Century Modern design. We used the same blue from the butler's pantry to create a cohesive effect. The large mint cabinets add a lighter touch to the space. --- Project designed by the Atomic Ranch featured modern designers at Breathe Design Studio. From their Austin design studio, they serve an eclectic and accomplished nationwide clientele including in Palm Springs, LA, and the San Francisco Bay Area. For more about Breathe Design Studio, see here: https://www.breathedesignstudio.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.breathedesignstudio.com/atomic-ranch bathroom, butler's pantry, and mudroom. We covered the bathroom walls and flooring with stylish beige and yellow tile that was cleverly installed to look like two different patterns. The mint cabinet and pink vanity reflect the mid-century color palette. The stylish knobs and fittings add an extra splash of fun to the bathroom. The butler's pantry is located right behind the kitchen and serves multiple functions like storage, a study area, and a bar. We went with a moody blue color for the cabinets and included a raw wood open shelf to give depth and warmth to the space. We went with some gorgeous artistic tiles that create a bold, intriguing look in the space. In the mudroom, we used siding materials to create a shiplap effect to create warmth and texture – a homage to the classic Mid-Century Modern design. We used the same blue from the butler's pantry to create a cohesive effect. The large mint cabinets add a lighter touch to the space. --- Project designed by the Atomic Ranch featured modern designers at Breathe Design Studio. From their Austin design studio, they serve an eclectic and accomplished nationwide clientele including in Palm Springs, LA, and the San Francisco Bay Area. For more about Breathe Design Studio, see here: https://www.breathedesignstudio.com/ To learn more about this project, see here: https://www.breathedesignstudio.com/-atomic-ranch-1

Great room with exposed oak beams
Large beach style family room in Detroit with medium hardwood floors and exposed beam.

Contemporary family room with tall, exposed wood beam ceilings, built-in open wall cabinetry, ribbon fireplace below wall-mounted television, and decorative metal chandelier (Front)

Detail image of day bed area. heat treated oak wall panels with Trueform concreate support for etched glass(Cesarnyc) cabinetry.
Mid-sized contemporary loft-style family room in New York with a library, brown walls, porcelain floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor, exposed beam and panelled walls.

Inspiration for a large transitional open concept family room in Chicago with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept family room in New York with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

This is an example of an open concept family room in Phoenix with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, exposed beam and vaulted.

Eclectic family room in Miami with white walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and exposed beam.

Design ideas for an expansive transitional open concept family room in Orlando with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

Inspiration for an expansive transitional open concept family room in Orlando with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, exposed beam, vaulted and beige floor.

Living room
Contemporary open concept family room in Chicago with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and wood.

This is an example of a large midcentury open concept family room in Other with blue walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, orange floor, wood and planked wall panelling.