Our client’s had bought an early 1960s house in Rosanna that was way too small and poky for their family. A typical 60s house where the kitchen was tiny, laundry almost non-existent and bathrooms built for midgets.
They approached us with the brief to keep as much of the existing house and it’s redeeming features as possible, but design a layout that would allow for a growing family. They didn’t want a big house and they certainly wanted to preserve the look, feel and features of the existing house without it becoming a simple homage to mid-century architecture and interior design.
Two bedrooms were located upstairs in a new black metal clad form with undulating aluminium screens on the external façade. Downstairs was re-planned to allow for a central core featuring a kitchen, laundry, and staircase and storage room. Around the perimeter of the central core are a living, dining and study area, a main bedroom and two generous bathrooms.
The last element on the perimeter of the core is a multi purpose room, which could be a rumpus, a guest bedroom or a second living room. Sliding doors on either side of this room allow it to become a private space or an open space to the rest of the house. It’s proximity to the second bathroom means that it can act a guest room or a semi-permanent bedroom for visiting parents or returning children.