Spotlighting craftsmanship and contemporary detailing to elevate the heritage character, Darlinghurst Worker's Cottage emanates a harmonious and serene home. Darlinghurst Worker’s Cottage spotlights craftsmanship and contemporary detailing to elevate the heritage character, creating a harmonious and serene home. Natural light over the painted, original brickwork and the colour-blocked minimalist timber stair are the central elements used to synergise each room in the house, offering an openness and consistency throughout the quaint footprint. The first stair tread, made with reclaimed wharf timber, speaks directly to the brief drawing on the site’s rich history, fused with its contemporary future. Scandinavian and Japanese styling accents are an ode to craftsmanship and tactility, gestures of warmth and familiarity within minimalism.

Built c1848, constraints imposed by the heritage status were primary considerations in the design process, whilst looking to foster the client’s affinity for minimalism and modern design. This character home is transformed with the addition of skylights, bathing the once dark rooms in natural light and green painted steel-framed glazing offer a seamless indoor to outdoor connection. Textured rendered walls and natural stone used in the kitchen and bathroom are intrinsically the marriage of history and modernity with a refinement that heroes craft and materials.