A home for a family to grow into for years to come
A new block in an old town, surrounded by historic gems.
This project started when we were approached by a young couple who had bought a new block in old Bungendore. While the houses on one side of the street are all new, and the other side are all older, all of the existing homes had a very country feel about them. They were in love with this style, however, wanted to add a sense of themselves, a modern twist of traditional Australian living.
Instead of forfeiting one love for the other, they merged their love of their town and their modern style; this idea became the seed that grew into the home we now see, Introducing modern living elements into this old town.
Making the project all the more lively and engaging, the clients managed to happily combine some of life’s most significant milestones into the two-year design and build period. Welcoming their first child and getting married all during the build was undoubtedly ambitious, but kept the true meaning of the project at the forefront for the whole duration. The project was to be a beautiful, warm, and welcoming family home for the young couple to grow into for years to come.
The first requirement of the home, lead the direction of the entire design. On a slim block, the clients needed a house which included vehicle access from the front and rear entrances of the home. To ensure maximum benefit could be gained from the small northern outlook, a garage was done away with in preference for a lightweight carport, part of which can be driven through to gain access to the rear yard.
A pavilion style home rose up next to the carport whereby the living areas were housed within the widest part of the home, and large clerestory windows were installed to allow light to bounce around the main rooms, despite the carports north presence.
The central pavilion would then become a welcoming bridge between the front public gardens and the private rear yards. From the moment you move beyond the entry room, your eyes are immediately drawn to the generous rear deck and yard beyond.
Mixing traditional design with a modern style this welcoming family home included features regularly seen in older houses, however, were essential to the client.
The mudroom is the main feature, while the home enjoys a generous sun filled formal entry for guests, with space to sit and remove shoes and coats, the family enter through a more relaxed mudroom. Allowing them the freedom to drop the remnants of their day (bags, shoes, and jackets) and enter their home relaxed.
A quiet nook was introduced into the north facing master bedroom, overlooking the garden and quiet country street and beyond. The modern take of the window seat features Clad in COR-TEN steel, explicitly designed to rust and age with time, the solid boxlike structure belies the soft, custom upholstered seat within. The result is a wonderfully quiet, sunny spot, to read in the sun, to watch the life of the street beyond the house, to hide away.
The central living pavilion of the house has a beautiful raked ceiling with clerestory windows that ensure sunlight reaches the most southern corners of the space. The high ceiling was raised to allow space for the clerestory windows which also adds a beautiful sense of drama and visual interest to space.
As the windows allow for your eye to move around the room following the light, the kitchen stops you and is the modern touch the family wanted to introduce into their Bungendore gem.
An ultra matt black finish meets the edges of concrete and timber for an incredible result and a kitchen that juxtaposes the traditional elements. This home is a hidden gem, a mix of the old and the new, a home for a couple to grow into for years to come.
Photography by Adam McGrath - HCreations