A massive gable roof makes this two-story house appear as if it’s laid out on a single level.
Keeping ample green space on the property was a top-tier goal. One of the house's original screened-in porches remains, but, according to Emily, "we dropped the screens so when you're sitting in the dining room, you can look out and see the bamboo." The divide between the new and old sections is marked by a gap in the roof that lets the sun into a small planted area.
The bedroom skylight is new. “We rarely turn on lights in the house all day long because of the natural light,” says Beaulieu.
Beaulieu added a few dormers to gain height upstairs, as seen in the shower here, although they’re not visible from the street.
Beaulieu added another bathroom upstairs, with round penny tile from Cle Tile and a floating vanity from Ikea.
The upstairs hallway now has two bedrooms on one side, and two bathrooms on the other, and ends at the glass door of the study.
An existing hallway runs from the entry, through a “reading room,” to the kitchen. The curved door under the stairs was kept.
Beaulieu found a more period-appropriate front door at a local salvage door and painted it Benjamin Moore “Space Black.” The existing red oak floors were kept throughout the house, except at the entry, which is now laid with Ann Sacks Savoy Classics Hive Mosaic tile in Linen. The umbrella stand is by Umbra.
The swimming pool.
A Parallel Bed in the master bedroom is by Jeffrey Bernett, Nicholas Dodziuk, and Piotr Woronkowicz for Design Within Reach.
The balance of old and new achieved in the project impressed the jury for the Australian Institute of Architects 2020 awards, which commended Bokey-Grant by saying, "JJ House is exemplary as an approach for altering and establishing a sense of individuality in the recognizable housing stock of our suburbs."
This colorful terrazzo makes a bold statement against the all-white cabinetry.
Exterior