When we met our clients Gail and Sean, they had been living in the house for several years. Their suburb Beecroft was a beautiful place with fantastic bush views and native trees, and they loved the location and natural surroundings. However, the house was not comfortable and lacked amenities. 

The house was sitting on a hill, with the main entrance and the garage positioned on the lower ground floor. However, the swimming pool steps and gates were partially blocking access to the garage, making navigation of the driveway tricky. Not only that, the house had two kitchens and three bathrooms, but no laundry and the client had to install a washing machine and a dryer in the garage. As a result, the client often parked his cars on the street and rarely used the main entrance. 

The brief was to create a functional house with good access to the garage, join all three levels and add a visual connection with the swimming pool. They also wanted to improve the existing house sustainability by enhancing the glazing and insulation, replacing the current fireplace with a modern one, and adding ducted air-conditioning.

We looked at a few options and proposed demolishing internal stairs in the centre of the house and relocating the main stair to connect all house levels, including the garage. That allowed to enlarge the living room on the lower floor and relocate the lower ground kitchen to the living space. We repurposed the kitchen space for a spacious laundry and a new shower and a toilet.

Gail and Sean are pleased with the outcome as they realise the full potential of the existing space and create a very comfortable house for the family.

Photographer: Paul Worsley, Live by the Se