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Home extensions: they should be more than extra space

By Jen Bishop •

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An estimated $2.2bn was spent on alterations and additions to residential buildings in the first quarter of this year, showing the popularity of upscaling and improving existing homes.

Increasing the size of your home has never been easier with the invention of strong, durable and lightweight modern materials, however, it’s important to make the most of the opportunity by adding not just room, but life to your home.

“While increasing square feet is an obvious benefit of any home addition, it should also be an opportunity to consider your block and how you live, to define the new space and redefine the entire home,” says architect Joe Snell.

Here, Joe provides his tips on how to question your home addition plans to make your new space greater than the sum of its parts:

Know your needs, now and in the future
From getting up, to getting to bed, we do a lot in our homes and it can be hard to understand all of our needs of a house. Focus down on your most important times of day and build back from there. For example, if you’re a great entertainer or enjoy family meals you might consider an extension to create a dining alfresco space that can be used year-round. Conversely, if ensuring the whole family enjoys a silent night is a must, you may choose a to build a well-insulated second floor addition. You may also be able to combine these two goals by creating a cantilevered second floor over a ground floor deck.

Know your home
The basics of home design rely on five key concepts (light, sound, space, view and air). Creating an addition offers the opportunity to harness these concepts to improve the experience of living in the home.

A tried and tested way to do this is to create a modern addition, as the style lends itself to large expanses of glazing improving daylight into the home as well as framing the views you want to capture. In addition to naturally improving light levels these windows can be used to encourage cross ventilation, raising air quality. An extension toward the back of the home will generally create a quieter space away from the street and if placed on the ground floor can open up long lines of sight, giving a feeling of additional space.

Make more room
Despite huge advancements in building materials, including Australia’s own Premium Fibre Cement products, many of us go straight to brick when thinking of home additions. Compared to brick, products like Matrix panels, Axon Cladding, Linea Weatherboard and Stria Cladding all provide subtle benefits to floor space.

Using these products can add up to 100-to-130mm additional depth at each external wall, as they have a thinner profile at approximately 130mm, with double brick and brick-veneer walls generally being 230-to- 270mm thick in comparison.

Due its lightweight formulation compared to masonry, Premium Fibre Cement cladding is naturally lighter which means it is generally less expensive to create cantilevered upper levels. This gives your designs the opportunity to establish more cost-effective floor space upstairs at the same time as creating dynamic and shaded areas downstairs. The win-win is that this type of lightweight design can add to your inside-outside alfresco lifestyle.

Create contrast and continuity
A good addition doesn’t have to meld seamlessly into an existing building, in fact there is a trend toward making modern a statement that departs from traditional facades. The trick here is making the two work together and not against each other.

While an addition creates an opportunity for a contemporary transformation, it has to work with the existing building by creating common ground while observing the basic tenants of the chosen modern look. From Mid Century to minimalist, these will generally include a bold, simple profile, large format glazing, a well-considered choice of cladding and colour, and a lack of ornamentation.

Whether you’re making room for a growing family or to get more out of your home, it’s important to think about adding more life to your home, not just more space.

–Joe Snell is an architect and an ambassador for James Hardie. James Hardie’s range of cladding can be mixed and matched to a specific look or to create a personal style. Most come primed and ready to paint to any desired hue and resist flaking, warping or swelling, meaning they require less maintenance to keep the look.

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April 8, 2020

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Victorians, are you still allowed to have gas in y Victorians, are you still allowed to have gas in your home? We share the ins and outs on what you need to know about the new rule in Victoria when it comes to your energy.

The good news is, for most people nothing will change, however if you are planning a new build/renovation that requires a planning permit – you will need to speak to your builder to get your permit lodged before 1 January 2024!

 We’re here to answer all your questions with the help of @australiangasnetworks! Read more via link in bio now.

 #cookingongas #gaspower #gasconnection #australiangasnetworks #australiangas #australiangasnetworks #gasappliances #gascooker #gasfireplace #gasbarbecue #gasfire #gasstove #gashotwater #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #realrenos
Our ever popular top places to buy Australian bed Our ever popular top places to buy Australian bed linen online post has been updated for 2023! Head to the blog now via link in bio to get some bedroom inspiration!

Whether you liked classic stripes, fun florals, moody linen or cotton covers, we have something for you!

#bedroomstyle #bedlinens #bedroomrefresh #bedlinen #bedroomgoals😍 #bedroomstyling #bedsheet #bedsheetonline #bedsheetlovers #duvetcover #doona #freshsheets #freshsheet #newbedroom #bedroomstyle #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
The owner of Noosa homewares and furniture mecca @ The owner of Noosa homewares and furniture mecca @coastalvintage, Sally Oulton travels the globe looking for amazing interior finds. And now you can join her on one of her bespoke interior sourcing tours to Bali where you’ll be taken far from the crowds to discover the best homewares and furniture that the Indonesian paradise has to offer. Read all about it via link in bio.

#baliindonesia #balishopping #balishop #balisourcing #balihomewares #balihomedecor #balitrip #balistyle #baliinteriors #baliinterior #baliinteriordesign
Just capturing Mr 5 here before he stops going to Just capturing Mr 5 here before he stops going to daycare and preschool next month and becomes a school boy. All the feels 😭❤️🙏🏻
Need a great housewarming gift under $200? Bonus, Need a great housewarming gift under $200?

Bonus, you can use these as inspiration for Christmas gifts too, for the interiors Addict in your life.

Trust us, they'd be delighted to receive any of these and there are even more ideas with links on the blog too, via link in bio now.

You're welcome!

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At home with interior stylist @emma.blomfield Sw At home with interior stylist @emma.blomfield 

Swipe for a sneak peek of the before and afters and head to the blog now via link in bio to see how Emma transformed her Art Deco apartment on Sydney's lower north shore.

#artdecoapartment #artdecointerior #artdecointeriors #sydneyapartments #sydneyapartment #apartmenttherapy #apartmenttour #apartmentkitchen #apartmentbathroom #artdecokitchen #artdecobathroom #artdecobuilding #artdecorenovation #emmablomfield #interiordesignerhome #interiordesignersathome #australianinteriordesigner #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop

Photos by @joe_cheng
Christmas scents are an integral part of festive d Christmas scents are an integral part of festive decorating for me!

It's time for our annual Christmas candle roundup and I swear what's on offer gets better by the year! The packaging too! All of these would make wonderful gifts (hint hint 😉).

I always treat myself to a Christmas candle and buy a few as gifts. You can't go wrong!

Whether you like a more traditional fir kind of fragrance or something more reminiscent of Aussie summertime, we've got you covered. There's even a fragrance free beeswax option.

Head to the blog via link in bio to find all these with pricing and links to buy.

Do you treat yourself to a Christmas candle each year? If not, we really think you should start!

#christmascandle #christmascandles #christmascandlelight
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Enjoy!
This giveaway has now closed. The winner is @jenny This giveaway has now closed. The winner is @jennymccown 🥳

Win a year's supply of laundry AND dishwashing detergent sheets!🚨

@lucentglobe is the Aussie startup run by Queensland twins Brodie and Roger Cook. Designed for both people and planet, their detergent sheets have no nasty chemicals, no plastic packaging and no water, which is often wasted in liquid based detergents. 

And they work! In fact their new dishwashing sheet formula is 3 times more powerful using protease enzymes (made from coconuts)!

One lucky follower can win a year's worth of laundry and dishwashing sheets worth almost $650! Wouldn't that be a great help with the old cost of living?!

For your chance, simply tag 2 friends below by midnight AEST on Monday 27 November 2023. 

One entry per person. Australian residents only. This giveaway is not endorsed by or affiliated with Meta. 

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#singleuseplastic #lowtoxswaps #lowtox  #lowtoxlifestyle #lowtoxliving #lowtoxlife #ecofriendlyhome #ecofriendlyhouse #ecofriendly #sustainablelivingtips #lowtoxlaundry #dishwashertablets #dishwashercleaning #laundrysheets #laundrydetergent #laundrysoap #laundryhacks #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome  #aussiestartup #startupbusinessess
Give your bathroom a makeover without a full reno. Give your bathroom a makeover without a full reno.

Great ideas from @missapriltowels on the blog today via link in bio.

Do you consider your bathroom a room where you can style and accessorise like you do elsewhere in your home? What are some of your favourite brands and products for zjooshing your bathroom or powder room?

You can also search on the website for our top hand soap pump finds!

#handtowel #handtowels #handsoaps #handwash #bathroomstyling
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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 10 years. She is mum to two young boys and lives in Sydney.

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