Light Floods This Dazzling Renovated Victorian in Australia
Templeton Architecture integrates steel-framed apertures throughout an 1890 home in Victoria to stunning effect.
A light touch was needed for the renovation of this 1890 home, called Delatite Station and located in Mansfield Shire in Victoria, Australia. The fifth-generation owners desired to eke more function out of the floor plan but did not want to compromise the building's storied character, important as it was to the family's history.
The home is thought to be one of the first brick structures in the area.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
Templeton Architecture tackled the brief with a focus on "warmth, light, and integration," says the firm. The homeowners, a family of five, needed more bedrooms. Deep verandas also surrounded the house and blocked natural light into the interiors.
By enclosing one side of a U-shaped veranda and converting it to a glazed corridor, the firm was able to connect the original servant quarters to the main house and subtly expand the overall floor plan, while also bringing in light.
By enclosing a veranda with steel-framed glass, the Templeton Architects created a light-flooded hallway.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
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Additionally, the architects installed new steel windows in strategic locations throughout the home to encourage light to flow undisturbed. Original Victorian details were retained and restored to foster a balance between old and new.
Steel-framed openings create new views into the historic garden.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
This view shows how the steel-framed glass was elegantly melded with historic architectural details like the arched hallway opening.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
The architects repeated the use of glass and steel on internal openings as well, such as in the pocket door for this hidden nook, so as to produce visual consistency throughout the home.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
An eating area and window seat are washed with light.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
The revamped kitchen is now surrounded by retractable walls of glass. The architects carefully balanced old and new in all of the finishes, here combining classic Shaker cabinet fronts with a more streamlined, modern island.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
In a bathroom, the original wood floors sync nicely with a bespoke wood vanity, while glossy subway tile lends an aged quality that contrasts with the frameless mirror and modern, glass-mounted faucet.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
In another bathroom, white penny rounds cover the walls. The original window and casework give off historic gravitas and provide a thoughtful counterpoint to the modern tile treatment.
Photo: Sharyn Cairns
Project Credits:
Architect: Emma Templeton of Templeton Architecture / @templetonarchitecture
Builder: Jim Basham Mansfield
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