Houzz Tour: An Old Worker’s Cottage Lovingly Brought Up to Date
A fresh, clean palette and environmentally friendly design have brought this 100-year-old house into the 21st century
Rebecca Gross
9 February 2019
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design, and I study cultural history through the lens of architecture, design and visual culture. I have a Masters in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from Parsons The New School for Design, New York. My latest book is called "Ornament is not a crime: Contemporary Interiors with a postmodern twist."
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design,... More
Leanne and Scott Thompson are passionate about sustainability, and set out to show how it’s possible to live well without damaging the planet. They engaged Altereco Design to renovate their 100-year-old worker’s cottage in Yarraville, Melbourne, and created a sustainable home and education space for those who want to learn about leading an environmentally conscious life.
“For years we did our part to live sustainably,” Leanne says. “There was satisfaction in doing the right thing, but [also] ongoing compromise and guilt. You can shop sustainably but have fewer food options. You can live in a smaller house, turn off the lights, run the heating less, drive less and buy less clothing. We saw a similar trend in sustainable housing. Many green homes were focused on efficiency and environmental impact, while ignoring many aspects that have the potential to make a sustainable home desirable to the mainstream.”
“For years we did our part to live sustainably,” Leanne says. “There was satisfaction in doing the right thing, but [also] ongoing compromise and guilt. You can shop sustainably but have fewer food options. You can live in a smaller house, turn off the lights, run the heating less, drive less and buy less clothing. We saw a similar trend in sustainable housing. Many green homes were focused on efficiency and environmental impact, while ignoring many aspects that have the potential to make a sustainable home desirable to the mainstream.”
House at a Glance
Who lives here? Leanne and Scott Thompson, a business consultant and school teacher, and their 10-month-old daughter, Georgie
Location Melbourne, Australia
Size Two bedrooms and two bathrooms; 100 sq m
Architects Altereco Design
Photos by Nikole Ramsay
The Thompsons wanted to maximise the existing footprint of their century-old worker’s cottage. “They preferred to make use of the existing house to meet their needs, rather than have the biggest house they could fit on the block,” James Goodlet of Altereco Design says.
Once planning got underway, Altereco discovered the original house was built more than a metre onto neighbouring properties, so they could only upgrade the house up to the boundary. “For anything ‘over the boundary’, we could only be seen to do repairs and restoration,” James says.
The original frontage has been restored to retain the charm of the streetscape, and the original bluestone foundations and paving were reused for all front paving.
Who lives here? Leanne and Scott Thompson, a business consultant and school teacher, and their 10-month-old daughter, Georgie
Location Melbourne, Australia
Size Two bedrooms and two bathrooms; 100 sq m
Architects Altereco Design
Photos by Nikole Ramsay
The Thompsons wanted to maximise the existing footprint of their century-old worker’s cottage. “They preferred to make use of the existing house to meet their needs, rather than have the biggest house they could fit on the block,” James Goodlet of Altereco Design says.
Once planning got underway, Altereco discovered the original house was built more than a metre onto neighbouring properties, so they could only upgrade the house up to the boundary. “For anything ‘over the boundary’, we could only be seen to do repairs and restoration,” James says.
The original frontage has been restored to retain the charm of the streetscape, and the original bluestone foundations and paving were reused for all front paving.
The 100 sq m house is configured with south-facing (shady) bedrooms at the front and north-facing (sunny) living spaces to the rear. The renovation included the addition of the open-plan kitchen, dining and living areas – which have a green roof – as well as the master bedroom en suite.
Inspired by green technology and design, the couple are promoting a new understanding of environmentally friendly living that showcases how a sustainable home can excel in style, performance and technology.
“It’s a good example of how comfortable and liveable a compact space can be,” James says. “We enjoyed getting our teeth stuck into a truly green, sustainable design.”
Inspired by green technology and design, the couple are promoting a new understanding of environmentally friendly living that showcases how a sustainable home can excel in style, performance and technology.
“It’s a good example of how comfortable and liveable a compact space can be,” James says. “We enjoyed getting our teeth stuck into a truly green, sustainable design.”
The owners and architect wanted to keep as much of the original structure as possible, including the architectural details, such as the arches and mouldings. A sliding pocket door can be closed to separate the living and sleeping areas.
The hallway provides passive cooling and cross ventilation from the southern front door to the northern back door. Transom windows bring natural light to the front of the house and help purge hot air for natural ventilation.
Yellow stringy bark flooring, Urban Salvage.
The hallway provides passive cooling and cross ventilation from the southern front door to the northern back door. Transom windows bring natural light to the front of the house and help purge hot air for natural ventilation.
Yellow stringy bark flooring, Urban Salvage.
The rear of the house has an airy, open kitchen, living space and dining area that extends to the courtyard garden.
It turned out that Leanne and Scott had unknowingly bought the home from Scott’s grandmother’s carer. As they dismantled the house over the course of a year, they discovered traces of the former owners, including the daughters’ names scratched on the wall.
“It made our desire to retain as much as we could even more important,” Leanne says.
“It made our desire to retain as much as we could even more important,” Leanne says.
“The couple painstakingly removed decayed and dilapidated parts of the house and cleverly identified an opportunity to use the original red brick paving from the back garden as an internal feature wall and an external brick wall,” James says.
The red brick wall provides thermal mass and promotes passive heating, and the insulated concrete slab floor optimises passive solar gain for heating and cooling.
The red brick wall provides thermal mass and promotes passive heating, and the insulated concrete slab floor optimises passive solar gain for heating and cooling.
The kitchen has a functional and efficient layout to optimise the small space. Cantilever Interiors made the kitchen using woodwork, white cabinetry and eco-friendly worktops by Cosentino, manufactured with 75% recycled glass, mirror, porcelain and earthenware.
The fridge is intentionally small, as Leanne and Scott buy only what they need in an effort to produce little to no waste.
The fridge is intentionally small, as Leanne and Scott buy only what they need in an effort to produce little to no waste.
The house is fully electric, with no gas connection. Efficient appliances, such as a dishwasher, washing machine and heat pump, are on electronic timers to take advantage of solar energy.
The wood is local, sustainably sourced and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified. Wooden beams are both a structural and aesthetic feature in the kitchen, and wood cabinets provide storage for wine bottles, plants and recipe books.
The wood is local, sustainably sourced and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified. Wooden beams are both a structural and aesthetic feature in the kitchen, and wood cabinets provide storage for wine bottles, plants and recipe books.
The oval dining table is tucked into the corner of the room next to the banquette seating and north- and west-facing windows. Double glazing is argon-filled with low-e films in Victorian ash window frames.
The Thompsons also implemented technology to make the house as efficient as possible, including programmable and voice-controlled solutions for active heating and cooling:
The Thompsons also implemented technology to make the house as efficient as possible, including programmable and voice-controlled solutions for active heating and cooling:
- A Tivok Heat Pump with a 415 litre storage tank supplies hot water and hydronic heating. “It can hold hot water at 60 degrees for 24 hours, so it functions as a battery,” Leanne says. “Timers automatically heat water using solar energy during the day for when we use it at night-time.”
- An EcoBee Smart Thermostat with four room sensors controls heating, cooling and fans. It’s automated using geo-location technology and is voice-enabled through Alexa Echo.
- Wall radiators with Elgato Eve Thermo smart radiator valves are programmable and voice controlled using Apple HomeKit to allow for automated zoning.
- A Daikin 5kW reverse-cycle smart air conditioning unit uses If This Then That (IFTTT), a web service that allows smart devices to work with Alexa Echo.
- Haiku L Series smart ceiling fans are programmable using senseME technology and are voice activated using Alexa Echo.
Interested in retro-fitting some eco features? Find architects and building designers in your neighbourhood.
“The owners wanted to maximise opportunities for personal touches and storage,” James says. The high ceilings and clever carpentry allow for storage in surprising places, such as the bookshelf above the living area.
Clerestory windows above the bookshelf bring in natural light. Brightgreen canister LEDs ensure no gaps in the insulation, and Philips Hue LED smart lighting is used to create ambient evening light.
Clerestory windows above the bookshelf bring in natural light. Brightgreen canister LEDs ensure no gaps in the insulation, and Philips Hue LED smart lighting is used to create ambient evening light.
Sliding glass doors open the living area up to the courtyard, a small and private space where the couple can entertain friends. The step between the house and decking serves as additional seating.
Eaves on the north-facing windows protect the living areas from the summer sun and allow for passive solar gain in winter.
Eaves on the north-facing windows protect the living areas from the summer sun and allow for passive solar gain in winter.
As an extra step in reducing waste, the Thompsons grow some of their own produce.
A small vegetable garden is built at the side of the deck.
The rear exterior of the house is clad in robust and economical Zincalume steel for low-level summer heat absorption. A ladder provides access to the green roof.
The green roof helps to insulate the building and is a private space with drought-tolerant plants. “It affords additional outdoor recreation space, reduces stormwater run-off, provides insulation and cooling, attracts biodiversity and provides opportunities for additional food production,” Scott says.
Rachio Smart Sprinkler controller offers automated water scheduling using pre-set programs and weather forecasting. It’s also voice controlled using Alexa Echo.
Tempted to fit a green roof? Read this expert advice.
Rachio Smart Sprinkler controller offers automated water scheduling using pre-set programs and weather forecasting. It’s also voice controlled using Alexa Echo.
Tempted to fit a green roof? Read this expert advice.
There are 14 solar panels on the roof of the original house, and each is 320-watt to provide 4.5kW of power in total. Five panels face west to take advantage of the afternoon sun.
“The system exports 2.5MW net solar energy to the community per year – enough to power an average two-bedroom home for six months,” Scott says. Their total monthly utilities cost 45 Australian dollars (£24.70) in December during the peak of summer, and 200 Australian dollars (£110) in July, the peak of winter.
“Our total annual estimate is $1,300 [£714] – a saving of approximately $1,500 [£823] to $1,800 [£988] per year compared to comparable-sized gas homes,” Scott says.
“The system exports 2.5MW net solar energy to the community per year – enough to power an average two-bedroom home for six months,” Scott says. Their total monthly utilities cost 45 Australian dollars (£24.70) in December during the peak of summer, and 200 Australian dollars (£110) in July, the peak of winter.
“Our total annual estimate is $1,300 [£714] – a saving of approximately $1,500 [£823] to $1,800 [£988] per year compared to comparable-sized gas homes,” Scott says.
The master bathroom opens onto the garden, with the shower and bath on a lower level. Recycled-timber rafters have been used as a bathroom feature.
The Otis timber and brass shower head by Wood Melbourne conforms to maximum WELS three-star rating at 9 litres per minute. A 3,000-litre Melro Slimline water tank is connected to the green roof, garden, toilet and laundry.
Throughout the house there are more than 40 indoor plants, all chosen for air filtering to improve indoor air quality and absorb VOCs [volatile organic compounds] in the air.
The Otis timber and brass shower head by Wood Melbourne conforms to maximum WELS three-star rating at 9 litres per minute. A 3,000-litre Melro Slimline water tank is connected to the green roof, garden, toilet and laundry.
Throughout the house there are more than 40 indoor plants, all chosen for air filtering to improve indoor air quality and absorb VOCs [volatile organic compounds] in the air.
“We hope this house inspires discussions about the simple but substantial ways that sustainability can improve a home’s liveability, longevity, running costs and architectural value,” Scott says.
He and Leanne run informal Q&A sessions in their home about how to build and live sustainably, and offer workshops and consultations on sustainable design and living through their website, Melbourne Vernacular.
Tell us…
What do you think of this eco-friendly home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
He and Leanne run informal Q&A sessions in their home about how to build and live sustainably, and offer workshops and consultations on sustainable design and living through their website, Melbourne Vernacular.
Tell us…
What do you think of this eco-friendly home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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I’m totally inspired! I love this renovation. Just perfect.
Wouldn’t it have been more sustainable to NOT remodel?
Not necessarily, also the remodel improved ALL aspects of the home.