Houzz Tour: Past and Present Owners’ Care Shows Here
The sunshine that streams through a thoughtful new addition highlights the original beauty of a 1940s Australian house
Two sisters previously owned this 1940s house in the southeastern Australian city of Ballarat, living in it for 60 years. They looked after it extremely well, even keeping a maintenance record, but although it had historic character in spades, it lacked natural light and openness. “It was very dark and underwhelming,” says Nathan Porter of Porter Architects.
The new owners wanted a light-filled family home and engaged Porter to create a contemporary addition. “We kept as much original as possible, but the clients wanted glimpses of naturally lit spaces as soon as you enter the building, and there were some areas that needed a good tidy-up,” he says.
The new owners wanted a light-filled family home and engaged Porter to create a contemporary addition. “We kept as much original as possible, but the clients wanted glimpses of naturally lit spaces as soon as you enter the building, and there were some areas that needed a good tidy-up,” he says.
Porter designed the living area to achieve a sense of volume and to maximize natural light. The folding glass doors open up, and the pitched roof allows for clerestory windows to capture eastern and northern light. The lofty ceiling contributes to the sense of spaciousness inside.
“The glass opened the living area up to vistas of other beautiful details in houses around the neighborhood,” Porter says. “I enjoy the way the glass frames views of the surrounding heritage chimneys, sky and trees.”
“The glass opened the living area up to vistas of other beautiful details in houses around the neighborhood,” Porter says. “I enjoy the way the glass frames views of the surrounding heritage chimneys, sky and trees.”
The “before” floor plan is on the left, and the “after” floor plan is on the right.
“Our basic concept was to develop a finely crafted, sculptured contemporary volume that embraced the sun and referenced the original materials,” Porter says. His plan created two architecturally delineated zones, with the bedrooms, bathrooms and study contained in the front existing house, and the contemporary, naturally lit addition accommodating the new living spaces at the rear.
Find a pro to design your addition
“Our basic concept was to develop a finely crafted, sculptured contemporary volume that embraced the sun and referenced the original materials,” Porter says. His plan created two architecturally delineated zones, with the bedrooms, bathrooms and study contained in the front existing house, and the contemporary, naturally lit addition accommodating the new living spaces at the rear.
Find a pro to design your addition
Before. The 1940s brick bungalow is in the Lake Wendouree neighborhood and protected by a Heritage Overlay, which means that any development must be in a manner appropriate to the significance, character and appearance of the heritage area. Porter maintained the appearance of the front of the house.
Before. The rear of the house faced north but was poorly utilized and closed off from the backyard. “It made sense to reinvent the rear of the house in a contemporary way so that it didn’t affect the streetscape but maximized solar access to the house,” Porter says.
The hallway, which serves as the central spine of the house, unifies old and new. It leads to a small north-facing courtyard at the rear, and the glass doors allow natural light to filter through to the front of the house.
The hardwood floors and wood paneling had been maintained by the previous owners. Period embellishments like the sconces, leaded glass and brass decoration add to the character of the house.
Recycled floorboards in the new addition match the existing floorboards in the front. “It creates a common thread and binds the internal contrast between old and new,” Porter says.
Recycled Tasmanian oak: Lal Lal Demolitions
The hardwood floors and wood paneling had been maintained by the previous owners. Period embellishments like the sconces, leaded glass and brass decoration add to the character of the house.
Recycled floorboards in the new addition match the existing floorboards in the front. “It creates a common thread and binds the internal contrast between old and new,” Porter says.
Recycled Tasmanian oak: Lal Lal Demolitions
The ornate plasterwork on the ceiling was also in pristine condition.
The bedrooms are imbued with light and warmth. The dark wood window frames and baseboards stand out against the white walls and blue carpet. The pendant lights with copper-colored trim and interior tie the darker and lighter colors together.
Pendant lights: Beacon Lighting
Pendant lights: Beacon Lighting
The master bedroom has a contemporary en suite with black faucets to contrast with the honed marble tiles and Corian countertops. Wood cabinetry and mirror trim add warmth to the space.
Black faucets: Phoenix; browse black bathroom faucets
Black faucets: Phoenix; browse black bathroom faucets
A study at the rear of the existing house has period detail but engages with the contemporary living space. The McInerneys found the patterned wallpaper.
The kitchen, like the bathrooms, features natural materials: white honed marble countertops and backsplash, and wood veneer cabinetry.
The white wall cabinets maintain the lightness of the space.
An integrated refrigerator hides behind wood cabinet fronts.
Refrigerator: The Good Guys; oven and stovetop: Miele
Refrigerator: The Good Guys; oven and stovetop: Miele
There are views from the kitchen across the dining table and into the courtyard, playroom and garden. The dining area receives sun from the east and north.
The playroom is designed as a transparent space adjacent to, but separated from, the living area, so the children can play independently but be easily seen. It can be closed off when needed and has the flexibility to be turned into a second living area at a later stage.
Porter used reclaimed 1940s bricks on the exterior of the addition to continue the union between old and new.
“There was some detailing in the existing house brickwork, so we implemented brick detailing in the new volume but presented it in a contemporary way. The brick project also brings three-dimensionality to the facade via shadows at different times of the day,” Porter says.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
Who lives here: Tom and Meeghan McInerney and their two young daughters
Location: Ballarat, Australia
Size: 3,143 square feet (292 square meters); four bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Architect: Porter Architects
The clients wanted to build a light-filled, contemporary addition at the rear of the house and bring natural light into the existing house. They wanted to future-proof it for a growing family and needed to be able to accommodate guests.
The addition has an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area on one side and a playroom on the other. “The small courtyard between the volumes provides clear sightlines of the backyard and allows Tom and Meeghan to supervise their young daughters without hovering over them,” Porter says.