• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australia’s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      We’re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
      • Get Your Free Ebook

        This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesn’t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • after buffet landscapeUpcycling project: buffet gets a glow up with paint and handles
    • KitchenSerial renovators embark on 15th house and this one’s for keeps!
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other people’s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether you’re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • Brolga – James Hardie Shoot-5533Choosing the right builder: Neil Hipwell shares his top tips
    • KitchenSerial renovators embark on 15th house and this one’s for keeps!
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? We’re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • Hali-Rugs-x-Jason-Grant-0374Recycled bottles feel so soft in new rugs by Hali & Jason Grant
    • Screen Shot 2022-04-22 at 3.17.55 pmHow to achieve a sophisticated yet relaxed interior
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jen’s a legitimate interiors addict, she’s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the country’s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • Klopper Davis ArchitectsA unique Perth coastal home on a steep, sloping block
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      We’re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks you’ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Screen Shot 2022-03-15 at 4.05.51 pmFoodie Friday: Pineapple and rosemary gin & tonic
    • Isla-MotelHip new motel renovation on NSW South Coast
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

The sustainable home built in a Sydney flood zone

October 20, 2017 Leave a Comment

FacebookPinEmailTweet

Sharon and Malcolm Auld may have bought land in their dream location – backing onto Manly Lagoon in Sydney’s Northern Beaches – but every rose has its thorn and in the case of the Aulds, well they had a very prickly problem… their block was a prevailing flood zone! So, what to do? Call in the experts!

Enlisting the help of builders Lawson and Lovell and architect Matt Elkan, they started digging. Deep! “The foundation is on loose sand and required 70 screw piles to be driven approximately 17 meters underground to reach stable foundation,” explains builder Phil Lovell. “It was much deeper than expected!” A tough job, but crisis averted.

With a brief to design a contemporary, sustainable home featuring timber and glass, it was important the home felt connected to the immediate environment. “We wanted the home to feel part of the local wetland environment and maximise the outlook onto the lagoon,” says owner Sharon. “We also wanted to maximise the benefits of sunlight and the prevailing north east winds through the use of louvres and breezeways.”

Other sustainable features (which saw it take home the HIA Greensmart 2017 Sustainable Home Award at the weekend) include two 2000-litre rainwater tanks, used for the laundry and irrigation; solar panels on the roof to supply power; as well as minimal air conditioning and heating throughout.

Designed over two levels, the home brings the outdoors in with open and integrated spaces. This is especially apparent on the ground floor, which features the kitchen, living and dining, home office, laundry, guest bedroom and covered back deck. “The downstairs space is my favourite,” explains Sharon. “I love the way the living space can be expanded to include the outdoors, just by using the sliding glass doors. It means we can cater for different occasions and weather.”

Upstairs there is a large sitting room and three generous bedrooms. The main bedroom has an ensuite and walk-in robe; while the children’s rooms and the master are separated via an internal deck that allows light from the windows above to filter through the home.

The end result is a beautiful family home that promises to last the distance. “The house is contemporary, sustainable and allows for easy entertaining and living,” explains Sharon. “It is also designed for our teenagers to live independently in their bedrooms as young adults, as we expect them to live in the home for quite a while. Given the costs of living in Sydney!”

More on Lawson and Lovell Building Services | Other house tours

FacebookPinEmailTweet

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Room reveal: my new lighter, brighter master bedroom + shop it!
  • Palette Cam 15 apps to help you build your dream home
  • Australian kitchen dimensions: standard sizes for every last detail
  • Serial renovators embark on 15th house and this one’s for keeps!
  • Hard to sell house transformed into forever home

Follow us on Instagram

This family home is next level. Literally! A stee This family home is next level. Literally!

A steeply sloping block isn't a typical prerequisite when building a new home. But it was for Perth architect Sam Klopper and his family who desired an elevated balcony (hello roof terrace!) AND a back yard that was accessed from the living area. And wow, they sure made the best of it!

Take the tour on the homepage now. Via link in bio.

#roofterrace #roofgardens #slopingblock #architectshome #perthhome #wahomes 

Project: @klopper_davis_architects
Photos by @dionrobeson
Before & after goodness alert ⚠️ Head on ove Before & after goodness alert ⚠️ 

Head on over to the blog this morning to meet serial flippers @renowayoflife Back in Australia after more than a decade renovating for profit and living debt and mortgage free in the UK and USA, they're onto their 15th house, a Queenslander, and this one they plan to actually keep and live in with their 3 kids!

It's an inspiring tale and we're sharing before and afters of 3 of their previous projects. Looking forward to sharing the progress of their current house in the coming weeks and months too 🤗

Via link in bio💛

#queenslanderrenovation #houseflippers #serialrenovator #renowayoflife #queenslanderhome
How's that for a pool?! This Noosa riverfront ab How's that for a pool?! 

This Noosa riverfront abode just won Home of the Year in the 2022 HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards. 

Take the tour and find out why. On the homepage now via linknin bio.

#poolsofinstagram #poolhome #swimmingpooldesign #houseoftheyear #riverfronthomes 

@jwconstructions @shaunlockyer @christopherfrederickjones
(WIN!) It's not the weather to have damp washing e (WIN!) It's not the weather to have damp washing everywhere!

Let's make your life easier with this amazing laundry prize from @hillshomeliving 

One lucky winner will get a bamboo concertina, a bamboo sorting centre and 3 bamboo foldable baskets worth almost $250.

For your chance of winning follow us and @hillshomeliving and tag a friend below by midnight Sydney time next Friday 27 May. One entry per person.

The concertina and sorting centre are available at Big W and the baskets at Bunnings.

Open to Australian residents only. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram.

#laundryinspo #laundryideas #laundryday
We've entered an exciting phase in our home: non-s We've entered an exciting phase in our home: non-synthetic rug land!

With two young boys, I've always advocated for the synthetic and easily scrub-cleanable rug! Now they're a bit older and observing the shoes-off and no-food-in-the-living-room rules, I thought it was time! And I'm in love with our bold new @castleryau Lorenzo Wool Rug.

You can't beat the luxurious look and feel of wool and I've also stepped outside my comfort zone with a design that stands out rather than blends in. Get me!

Can someone remind the kids about the keep-the-toys-in-the-playroom rule though?!

Would you be brave enough to go for a cream wool rug in your house?!

This rug is on display at Castlery's popup at Moore Park SupaCenta until October. 

#athomewithcastlery #rug #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #statementrug #gifted
My kmart rattan bedhead hack🤗 And all the othe My kmart rattan bedhead hack🤗

And all the other cost-saving tricks I used as well as everything featured with links, on the blog today.

Our bedroom isn't perfect. A bed under the window isn't ideal. We don't have a walkin robe. It's a slightly awkward shape. But I really feel I've made the best of it and love its fresh new look and feel!

So glad to swap the carpet for laminate too. Are you team carpet or team hard floor in a bedroom? Please comment carpet or hard floor below!

With thanks to the cammellia hedge for fitting the colour palette perfectly 🤗😆

On the homepage now via link in bio.

#kmarthack #kmarthacks #masterbedrooms #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #laminatefloors #aluminiumwindow
This slideshow is just a snapshot 😯 Today's ho This slideshow is just a snapshot 😯

Today's home, a new build duplex in Sydney's Dover Heights, is nothing short of incredible. Bravo 28 year old interior designer Shona McElroy of @smac_studio 

See the rest, including the statement staircase, on the homepage now. Via link in bio.

#brasspendant #statementlighting
#colouredstone #featurestone #venetianplaster #powderroomdecor 

Pix by @smartanson | Styling @clairedelmar
Always dreamed of knocking down an old shack and b Always dreamed of knocking down an old shack and building two luxury town houses but held back by a lack of cash?

It's the reality for many but @emilyosmond
And her fiance Koden teamed up with their good friend Jake to do just that, pooling their finances.

Read how they did it and check out Emily and Koden's gorgeous home, which is currently up for sale (yes, they're going to do it all over again!), on the homepage now. Via link in bio.

#propertydevelopers
#propertydeveloping
#townhouseliving #townhousedesign #melbournetownhouse #knockdownrebuild
Fridays with Charlie 🥰 Tap for where things ar Fridays with Charlie 🥰

Tap for where things are from
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: What Made The Biggest Impact in Jen's Own Reno.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Avatar

About Olivia Shead

When she's not writing for Interiors Addict, Olivia is now a TV and radio news producer. She's a journalism graduate of UTS Sydney.

More from Designers

Klopper Davis Architects

A unique Perth coastal home on a steep, sloping block

Designer creates showstopping duplex with New York hotel vibes

Bar

New Business Chicks HQ dripping in colour and print

Jen Bishop, Anna Spiro, Shaynna Blaze

Decor + Design hits Melbourne this July with fab speaker line-up

Bathroom

Intrim style series: Naomi Findlay’s new ‘Modern Country’ reno

Kitchen

Laminex woodgrains look super sophisticated in latest collab

Hip new motel renovation on NSW South Coast

POOL HOUSE

The most fabulous pool house we have ever seen!

Living room

Inside a creative’s colourful home in the Southern Highlands

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2022 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP · Log in

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!