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Sustainable design underpins Melbourne cottage reno

March 11, 2020 Leave a Comment

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Sitting on a diminutive 195 square metre block in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick, this weatherboard workersโ€™ cottage was renovated recently, with Gardiner Architects at the helm. The front section of the house encompassed two bedrooms, a hall and a lounge, while the rear was home to your typical weary lean-to.

โ€œIt was small, dark and pokey with low ceilings and no insulation. Along with being hot in summer and freezing in winter, the house, as it was, had no connection to the outside,โ€ says architect Paul Gardiner who set about amending all of those things.

Front of the home
The home’s heritage front was restored; a 1970โ€™s concrete porch was removed, and a bullnose added.

Restoration works were completed on the front heritage section, of the home, while a modern, open-plan extension was added at the back. The home was also opened up to the outdoors at the rear, and with the addition of a courtyard.

โ€œOur approach is to find ways to allow for internal spaces to have adequate light, protection from hot afternoon sun and a visual connection to green spaces and the sky,โ€ says Paul. So, while the home is nestled in a dense, urban area, it feels private and protected with the garden key to this feel.

Backyard
Backyard
Bedroom
The modest home has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a European style laundry and a separate study.

Of the decision to restore the front of the home, Paul sees value in celebrating and preserving heritage buildings regardless of whether regulations require it or not. The practice, rather conveniently, also happens to be sustainable too.

โ€œKeeping construction materials already in use has to be one of the most effective and sustainable things to do. Unfortunately, in Australia we donโ€™t have adequate systems that see demolished materials sorted and sufficiently reused and recycled. So, we say, don’t knock it all down,โ€ says Paul who retained as much as he could from the existing home.

Kitchen
Kitchen
A European laundry is a space saving technique
Situated in the hallway, a European laundry is one of the home’s space saving techniques

And while the architect is keen to restore heritage features, he sees no value in creating a new home that is trying to look like an old one. โ€œRather than extending the same roofline or using the same materials for the new area of the house, we like to find a way to relate to the old without replicating a period aesthetic,โ€ says Paul.

Bathroom
Bathroom
Bathroom
Bathroom

Sustainable practices underpin the homeโ€™s entire design; an aspect that was client driven. And while the owner didnโ€™t fully understand what sustainable building practices were, she was keen for them to be incorporated in the home. Firstly, keeping the house on the small side was a sustainable choice, and the home was designed with passive solar design principles including a northern orientation that allowed for protection from the hot afternoon sun.

โ€œWe also chose to incorporate a concrete slab for thermal mass that helps maintain a temperate climate inside. Solar panels and water tanks assist to reduce the usage of mains electricity and water, which in turn reduces the homeโ€™s running costs,โ€ says Paul.

Lounge
Lounge

The homeโ€™s aesthetic choices were driven by the ownerโ€™s existing collection of old furniture and art; a mix of family heirlooms and pieces collected while travelling. โ€œThe pieces have a very warm and rich aesthetic,โ€ says Paul. Timber flooring and joinery, as well as white paint, was used to complement to the collection.

โ€œWe werenโ€™t seeking a minimalist approach, just a backdrop for all her beautiful belongings to sit within. The spaces have a comfortable feel while being open and full of natural light.โ€

Photography: Tess Kelly

For more on Gardiner Architects | Self-taught owner builder transforms Melbourne home

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While we featured a gloriously colourful home on M While we featured a gloriously colourful home on Monday, this one is a masterclass in serene neutrals! And how good is this bunk room?!

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Washable rugs, eco-friendly play mats, reversible Washable rugs, eco-friendly play mats, reversible linen, gorgeous wallpaper and the chance to win a beautiful bouclรฉ recliner chair!

Today's kids room roundup is full of loveliness if we don't say ourselves!

Via link in bio now.

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A glass shower screen is not the only option! In A glass shower screen is not the only option!

In this 80s villa reno, @trentinidesign took inspiration from an archway typical of the era and used it throughout the home.

The bathroom was transformed from a classic three-piece set up that included a shower, bath and vanity. Kathryn removed the bath and split the room in half and designed an arch to sit between the two zones. 

โ€œI wanted something spectacular. Rather than having a vanity with a piece of glass like you would typically see, I was really trying to push myself as a designer. It was costly but it worked out well and the feedback has been great."

Swipe for the before and follow the link in bio to see the rest of this home.

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One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavet One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavetimeforthis, turns out former Neighbours actor @gemma_peanut is even more multi-talented than we thought! Will you check out the joyful and colourful reno of her holiday home (and airbnb) @yo_caba_caba?!

Head over to the blog via link in bio to read all about why she went bold and full of pattern in this project, which is a stark contrast to her zen and neutral Northern Beaches abode.

There's also plenty of details about where things are from etc.

"Iโ€™m not an interior designer so I just chose what I liked and followed my gut. Ultimately this home has been an opportunity to explore my alter ego โ€“ it allowed me to do things that I wouldnโ€™t normally do.โ€

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Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

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Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’— Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’—
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner ๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ˜
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
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Amy Collins Walker

About Amy Collins Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

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