A Tiny Terrace Transformed With Space, Light and Luxe Detailing
A bright, two-storey extension with sumptuous finishes gave the owners of this heritage home the lifestyle they craved
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation or extension each week. Here, Anthony Karlovic, director at boutique building firm First Avenue Homes, shares the journey of transforming a dark and cramped, two-bed, one-bath Victorian terrace into a bright, three-bedroom, two-bathroom family home with exquisite detailing.
Gained: A new, double-storey extension at the rear of the property. The ground floor houses a new open-plan kitchen, living/dining area, laundry, study nook, internal courtyard and an outdoor entertaining area. At the front of the ground floor, a new ensuite (that doubles as a powder room) was added to the main bedroom. The upper level houses two new bedrooms, a compact living area and a second study nook.
The original facade
What was the house like originally?
A single-storey, single-fronted Victorian terrace with two bedrooms and one bathroom.
What was the house like originally?
A single-storey, single-fronted Victorian terrace with two bedrooms and one bathroom.
The original kitchen
The original master bedroom
What was your brief?
To increase the footprint of the tiny original heritage home and make it work for a modern family by creating open, contemporary spaces and adding a new second storey. The clients also wanted high-end, contemporary finishes throughout.
What was your brief?
To increase the footprint of the tiny original heritage home and make it work for a modern family by creating open, contemporary spaces and adding a new second storey. The clients also wanted high-end, contemporary finishes throughout.
The original living room
Read about the modest cottage on a narrow site that received a clever addition
Read about the modest cottage on a narrow site that received a clever addition
What were the clients’ must-haves?
- Steel-framed windows.
- Polished-concrete flooring.
- Natural finishes such Carrara marble and concrete.
- A statement cantilevered staircase with a steel balustrade.
- Plenty of storage.
The new ground-floor plan
What problem or constraint did this project address?
The purpose of this extension and renovation was to increase the size of a century-old, five-room house and make it a comfortable and modern family home. The new open-plan extension completely changed the way this home functions and made it work for entertaining and functional family living.
What problem or constraint did this project address?
The purpose of this extension and renovation was to increase the size of a century-old, five-room house and make it a comfortable and modern family home. The new open-plan extension completely changed the way this home functions and made it work for entertaining and functional family living.
What exactly did you do?
- Restored the facade.
- Renovated the original master bedroom and hallway on the ground floor.
- Turned the original second bedroom on the ground floor into a new master ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and laundry.
- Demolished the rest of the original house.
- Added a new double-storey extension housing an open-plan kitchen with a butler’s pantry, a living and dining area, an internal courtyard and lightwell, a study nook, and outdoor entertaining space on the ground floor.
- Added two new bedrooms (one with an ensuite and walk-in wardrobe), a small living area and a second study nook to the upper level of the new extension.
- Installed a new cantilevered staircase connecting the two levels.
- Incorporated underfloor hydronic heating beneath the structural slab.
What challenges did you work around?
- Difficult site access – the only access point was the home’s 100-year-old front door.
- Heritage overlay restrictions meant that we could only restore the facade and had to demolish the rear of the property by hand, then remove the rubble – again by hand – through the front door.
- The site itself and its dense, inner-city location provided many challenges during the build, from navigating safe distances from the overhead power lines to sharing both boundaries with neighbouring homes.
- The original home was out of alignment by more than 150 millimetres, which our skilled carpenters had to navigate around.
Tell us about the new lightwell and interior courtyard
Single-fronted Victorian terrace homes often share boundaries with both of their neighbouring properties, making their interiors feel dark and tight. Adding a lightwell with the interior courtyard allowed us to draw in natural light, add stunning feature windows and create a usable outdoor space in what would have otherwise been a flat, brick wall.
We took the lightwell design right through to the second storey, which allowed us to add stunning floor-to-ceiling feature windows to the upstairs bathroom and fill the space with natural light.
Single-fronted Victorian terrace homes often share boundaries with both of their neighbouring properties, making their interiors feel dark and tight. Adding a lightwell with the interior courtyard allowed us to draw in natural light, add stunning feature windows and create a usable outdoor space in what would have otherwise been a flat, brick wall.
We took the lightwell design right through to the second storey, which allowed us to add stunning floor-to-ceiling feature windows to the upstairs bathroom and fill the space with natural light.
What was the budget?
$500,000.
$500,000.
Where did most of the budget go?
- The steel windows.
- Custom joinery.
Why do you think this renovation and addition works well?
It comes down to the clever design strategies implemented by our designer and draftsperson, Steven Markopoulos. No space is wasted; 100 percent of the allotment is occupied by usable living and entertaining space, including the rear deck that has a garden-irrigation system stored underneath. Plus, there is generous built-in storage throughout that improves the functionality of the home.
It comes down to the clever design strategies implemented by our designer and draftsperson, Steven Markopoulos. No space is wasted; 100 percent of the allotment is occupied by usable living and entertaining space, including the rear deck that has a garden-irrigation system stored underneath. Plus, there is generous built-in storage throughout that improves the functionality of the home.
The house now perfectly meets our clients’ living and entertaining requirements. Finally, the luxurious finishes used throughout ensure the design will stand the test of time.
Keen to chat with a draftsperson or building designer about your renovation ideas? Find a local professional here
Keen to chat with a draftsperson or building designer about your renovation ideas? Find a local professional here
The new study nook in the living room
How would you describe the new addition?
Contemporary, luxurious and visually appealing.
How would you describe the new addition?
Contemporary, luxurious and visually appealing.
How does the new design complement or contrast with the original home?
The new extension beautifully complements the original heritage home by restoring and reviving the original front wall and facade. The classic white weatherboards and black front door add to the home’s street appeal and ensure it fits in with the other heritage homes nearby.
The timber-clad second storey is relatively hidden from the front aspect, but ties in beautifully with the contemporary finishes used inside the new extension. Standing inside the new part of the home, you feel that you’re inside a new home that’s filled with all the modern bells and whistles.
The new extension beautifully complements the original heritage home by restoring and reviving the original front wall and facade. The classic white weatherboards and black front door add to the home’s street appeal and ensure it fits in with the other heritage homes nearby.
The timber-clad second storey is relatively hidden from the front aspect, but ties in beautifully with the contemporary finishes used inside the new extension. Standing inside the new part of the home, you feel that you’re inside a new home that’s filled with all the modern bells and whistles.
One of the two new upstairs bedrooms
Key features
Key features
- External cedar cladding.
- A cantilevered feature staircase.
- Full-height steel-framed windows and doors.
- An internal courtyard and lightwell.
- A cohesive design and interior fitout that blends the old and new parts of the home.
Paint colours
- Exterior weatherboard painted in Haymes Paint’s Balance.
- Shiplap wall in master suite painted in Haymes Paint’s Grey Ridge.
Shown here, the new upstairs bathroom
Interior materials palette
Interior materials palette
- Carrara marble in the bathrooms and kitchen island bench.
- Dekton ultracompact-surface kitchen benchtops.
- Two-pack custom cabinetry throughout the house.
- Polished concrete flooring with a burnished finish.
- Matt-black tapware and balustrade.
- Marble mosaic tiles in the upstairs bathroom.
- Royal Oak engineered white-smoked oak timber floors.
- Charcoal-stained internal courtyard and roof cladding.
Exterior materials palette
- Colorbond steel roof.
- Cedar Sales Castelation cedar cladding on the upstairs extension.
- Gyprock Fyrchek commercial-grade plaster used on both of the home’s zero-wall boundaries to provide fire protection and acoustic and thermal insulation.
The new downstairs ensuite
Tell us
Are you as impressed by this clever renovation and addition as we are? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
More
Looking for more entertaining-friendly renovation ideas? Don’t miss this story: A Family’s Heritage House Comes of Age as an Entertainer’s Home
Tell us
Are you as impressed by this clever renovation and addition as we are? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
More
Looking for more entertaining-friendly renovation ideas? Don’t miss this story: A Family’s Heritage House Comes of Age as an Entertainer’s Home
Answers by Anthony Karlovic, director at building firm First Avenue Homes
Who lives here: A couple with a young child
Location: South Melbourne, Victoria
Original size: Approximately 110 square metres
Size after extension: Approximately 180 square metres
Draftsperson: Steven Markopoulos at New Dimension Drafting
Builder: First Avenue Homes