Leichhardt House

The typical L-shaped layout of the home has been substantially reimagined, taking advantage of the sloped site to create a cascading arrangement of volumes that steps down from the street level to the rear living area and garden. Skylights flood the interior with natural light, bringing the interior to life. A small 1882 worker’s cottage in Sydney’s inner-west suburb of Leichhardt has been transformed into a stunning family home that maximises the site by Porebski Architects. The typical L-shaped layout of the home has been substantially reimagined, taking advantage of the sloped site to create a cascading arrangement of volumes that steps down from the street level to the rear living area and garden. Skylights flood the interior with natural light, bringing the interior to life. To enhance the feeling of spaciousness throughout the interior, it was essential that the palette appeared seamless. Key materials used to achieve this include a striking Patagonia Alpha granite, terrazzo, quartzite, and off-form concrete, complemented by Tongue & Groove solid engineered European oak floorboards in Hekke. The timber boards have been used as flooring throughout the ground floor, flowing up the stairs and into the first floor hallway. The delicate timber batten screen along the staircase has been stained to match the Hekke colourway of the flooring and the veneer used for joinery throughout is also colour matched. “The Tongue & Groove boards are sympathetic to the rest of the palette and offer a lovely backdrop for the other materials and furniture,” says Victoria. “The colour and tone of Hekke blends perfectly with the other chosen materials and the mid-tone is also a very forgiving colour in that it is easy to keep clean.” Project Type: Residential Designer: Porebski Architects Builder: Pamment Projects Timber Species: European Oak Colour: Hekke Format: Grande Grade: Classic Style: Textured Application: Flooring, Stairs Photographer: Tom Ferguson