Heritage Revival
It started as an idea for a new kitchen and ended up at the Master Builders Association’s prestigious Excellence in Housing Awards! There are no compromises in this story
Before
Ground Floor - three bedrooms, formal lounge, dining, kitchen, living area, bathroom and laundry.
After
Ground Floor - three bedrooms, living area, family room, kitchen, dining, bathroom, laundry/WC and outdoor entertaining area.
First Floor - two bedrooms (study), rumpus room, walk-in storage and bathroom.
This Victorian home is over 100 years old with a Heritage Overlay. An extension completed by previous owners left the rear of the home closed in with separate rooms for kitchen, dining and living. The home has a large backyard which the homeowners wanted to preserve for the children, so the decision was made to incorporate a first floor into the design.
The desired high ceilings in the proposed first floor did pose some issues with planning approval. Extra time was committed to overcome these issues. Hille’s Home Extensions was engaged to undertake the extension.
“HIlle’s Home Extensions is local and visible in the area, reputable, reasonably priced and the designer was on same level as us,” says Belinda, the homeowner.
So this home extension storey started when Belinda found a magazine photograph of her dream kitchen... as the initial vision grew into substantial renovation plans, Belinda says she “wanted the kitchen to be the main focal point. The style is French Provincial/ American.” And so it is.
With the bench tops in the kitchen extending into a purpose-built bay window and a breakfast bar providing multi-purpose functions, Belinda happily reports that “We entertain a lot and when we have parties everyone stands around the breakfast bar”.
Kitchen, dining and living areas are now combined in a magnificent open space with neutral tones and warm timber floorboards soaked in natural light from the generous windows, French doors and Hi-Lites. It’s incredible what natural light can do in a home. It can turn a dark and closed-in house into something bright, open and cheerful.
“We’re not cramped anymore in the living areas and I love the bigger kitchen with more natural light coming in.”
The laundry, bathroom and WC were repositioned on the ground floor to accommodate the new layout. Move outside through the French doors and you find yourself on a superb verandah with a cathedral ceiling. This entertainment and relaxation area with an open view of the backyard is a family favourite. Upstairs has seen the addition of two extra bedrooms, a rumpus room, bathroom and a storage room. No compromises on materials, fittings and fixtures here. The period style has been meticulously maintained throughout - and the children now have a dedicated play area.
With the homeowner’s permission, their home was entered in the Master Builders Association’s 2008 Excellence in Housing Awards. Hille’s Home Extensions received a Special Commendation for this project.
Andrew and Belinda attended the formal awards night,
“It was very exciting winning the special commendation - and it was a fun night. We were very proud of our home.”
“I would thoroughly recommend Hille’s Home Extensions to anyone. Everyone was fabulous!”