Houzz Tour: The Unbelievable Outcome of a Cosmetic Makeover
Using the same footprint, a dated 1980s brick house has been totally transformed into a light, bright, open family home
Some renovations make it hard to believe it’s really the same house, before and after. This is certainly one of those. Ben Johnson of Benedict Design transformed a poorly orientated brick house with small openings into a light and spacious home that connects to the garden.
“Constructed in the early 1980s in a typical project-home style, the house was badly in need of a contemporary refresh,” Ben says. “Good bones and great views laid the foundation for an amazing transformation, but looking back at old photos, it’s hard to imagine you’re in the same house.”
“Constructed in the early 1980s in a typical project-home style, the house was badly in need of a contemporary refresh,” Ben says. “Good bones and great views laid the foundation for an amazing transformation, but looking back at old photos, it’s hard to imagine you’re in the same house.”
“The overarching idea was to utilise as much of the existing building as possible and work within that envelope to reinvent the home to suit the young family and their lifestyle,” Ben says.
“This was both a cost and sustainability consideration,” he says. “The existing footprint was therefore kept and the spaces within had to better connect with their surrounds.”
Front door painted in Golden Marguerite gloss, Dulux. Shadowclad Natural Groove exterior cladding, Carter Holt Harvey.
“This was both a cost and sustainability consideration,” he says. “The existing footprint was therefore kept and the spaces within had to better connect with their surrounds.”
Front door painted in Golden Marguerite gloss, Dulux. Shadowclad Natural Groove exterior cladding, Carter Holt Harvey.
Ben retained the structure and footprint of the house, and opened up the internal and external connections for light, space and views. The general layout of the house has been retained with the kitchen, living and dining areas in the centre of the house opening to a rear balcony.
The existing attached garage was repurposed into a master bedroom suite and home office. Located on one side of the living area, it’s separated from the children’s bedrooms and guest bedroom at the other end of the house. A boot room, entered via the deck, is also included to provide a functional entry after farm work and garden play.
The existing attached garage was repurposed into a master bedroom suite and home office. Located on one side of the living area, it’s separated from the children’s bedrooms and guest bedroom at the other end of the house. A boot room, entered via the deck, is also included to provide a functional entry after farm work and garden play.
The original entrance was concealed under a low-slung porch roof and felt lost in the long façade of the building.
Ben created a clear entry point with a bright yellow door that also reflects the design approach throughout. Dark-coloured vertical cladding contrasts with the yellow and conceals much of the brickwork. The owners didn’t want to hide all of the home’s past, so exposed sections of brick were retained around the front door and rear porch.
The dark cladding wraps into the entrance and extends through the interior of the house out to the rear deck. “This has the effect of drawing you in and adds some drama to the experience,” Ben says.
Tempted to get going on your own renovation? Find the experts you need in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Ben created a clear entry point with a bright yellow door that also reflects the design approach throughout. Dark-coloured vertical cladding contrasts with the yellow and conceals much of the brickwork. The owners didn’t want to hide all of the home’s past, so exposed sections of brick were retained around the front door and rear porch.
The dark cladding wraps into the entrance and extends through the interior of the house out to the rear deck. “This has the effect of drawing you in and adds some drama to the experience,” Ben says.
Tempted to get going on your own renovation? Find the experts you need in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The original façade before the renovation.
The original entrance before the renovation.
The existing house had brown-brick interior walls with arches for doorways and internal windows.
Ben swapped the arches and multiple shades of brown for clean lines and a fresh palette of neutral tones, blonde timber and yellow accents.
“Existing spaces were given new life to better reflect the young family’s needs and lifestyle,” Ben says. “This, in combination with new [external] windows, roofing and the porch structure, dramatically altered the building’s appearance into a modern and welcoming family home.”
“Existing spaces were given new life to better reflect the young family’s needs and lifestyle,” Ben says. “This, in combination with new [external] windows, roofing and the porch structure, dramatically altered the building’s appearance into a modern and welcoming family home.”
Painting the brick lightened and brightened the interior, while providing texture and character and maintaining the benefits of thermal mass.
The existing house didn’t have insulation in the walls, which was remedied during construction. Sarking, or roof insulation, was also added under the new roof sheeting, and the owners say they’ve noticed a huge difference in the quality of the indoor environment and their ability to control the temperature.
The existing house didn’t have insulation in the walls, which was remedied during construction. Sarking, or roof insulation, was also added under the new roof sheeting, and the owners say they’ve noticed a huge difference in the quality of the indoor environment and their ability to control the temperature.
The owners wanted better-connected living spaces, improved natural light and views of the garden and surrounding landscape. A large wall of glazing brings daylight into the living areas and allows for views towards the front of the property.
A timber-batten screen and double-sided fireplace replace the internal brick wall and allow light and sightlines between the living area and kitchen. The new fireplace, with its tiled-flue enclosure, is the central focus of the living space, with its black-pigmented concrete hearth and plinth, which provide storage and display space.
Double-sided wood fireplace (CDF800L), Chazelles Fireplaces. Rombini by Mutina tiles, Di Lorenzo.
“Working within the budget, we needed to be innovative in our approach to the living areas to maximise connection, light and the feeling of space,” Ben says. “Several design strategies were employed, including larger, 2.4m-high doors, larger internal openings and rationalisation of the circulation through the house.”
Ben removed the low ceiling in the dining and kitchen area to expose the trusses and raked roof. He lined the underside of the roof with v-joint cladding and added three large skylights. The lining and trusses are painted white to enhance the sense of light and volume, having an uplifting effect on the entire living area.
The operable skylights not only provide more natural light, they also improve cross ventilation, allowing hot air to escape when they’re opened.
The operable skylights not only provide more natural light, they also improve cross ventilation, allowing hot air to escape when they’re opened.
Larger expanses of glazing installed along the northern wall open the dining area to the rear veranda and garden, strengthening the interior connection to the landscape. “You can now feel and see the day’s weather, which was important to the owners,” Ben says.
The new doors and windows have semi-commercial frames and are fitted with low-e glazing to keep the house cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
“The area is known for big storms that roll in from the coast, so in addition to improving the views and amenity, the owners wanted a kitchen where they could see and experience the weather,” Ben says.
Demolishing the wall between the dining room and kitchen created one larger open space, and dark joinery provides a counterpoint to the light, bright interior, with yellow accents continuing the vibrant tone established at the front door.
Kitchen joinery; Negro Tebas Silestone worktop with suede finish, all Ocean Kitchens. Units painted in Night Sky, Dulux. Wall light, West Elm.
Kitchen joinery; Negro Tebas Silestone worktop with suede finish, all Ocean Kitchens. Units painted in Night Sky, Dulux. Wall light, West Elm.
The kitchen’s rear wall has been pushed north to create more floor and worktop space. Large, north-facing windows offer more light and views, and glass doors open directly to the veranda.
Outside the kitchen, old concrete troughs have been set on custom-made frames to provide a herb garden within arm’s reach of the kitchen.
The master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe and en suite, and glass doors provide direct access to a more private veranda (separated from the larger deck by the kitchen).
Ceramic hexagonal mosaic tiles in Antique Grey, Tiles Direct.
The children’s bathroom has been consolidated into one space and is designed to be light, simple and robust. “A larger window was installed so that, when the kids aren’t using the bath, the parents can soak and enjoy the view,” Ben says.
The original house had a shallow, north-facing rear veranda that ran the length of the house.
Ben retained the veranda and extended it further north alongside the dining room. A higher roof allows more natural light to filter inside and a retractable sail shade provides sun control and enables the outdoor space to be used year-round.
Custom-made shade sail in Weather Max fabric in Sandstone Heather, Aalta.
Custom-made shade sail in Weather Max fabric in Sandstone Heather, Aalta.
“The fact that we’ve completely changed the look, feel, functionality and connection of the home to its surroundings is fantastic,” Ben says. “When the owners moved back in, they felt as if they were visiting a beautiful holiday house and it took some time to realise this was now their home.”
Tell us…
What do you like most about this renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments, save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
Tell us…
What do you like most about this renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments, save your favourite images, like this story and join the conversation.
Who lives here? A family with two young children
Location Meroo Meadow, NSW, Australia
Size Four bedrooms and two bathrooms; 215 sq m
Budget About AUS$650,000 (£338,000)
Designer Ben Johnson of Benedict Design
The owners spent two years looking to buy a small working farm, wanting to make a lifestyle and career change. Visiting the children’s grandparents one day, they looked at the neighbouring property, a deceased estate. The site, on a small farm on the NSW South Coast, had a great location, productive soil and a spectacular outlook towards Cambewarra Mountain.
The house, however, was dated and poorly designed. It had a low-set veranda and small openings that offered limited views. Nevertheless, the owners purchased the house and engaged Benedict Design to improve it.