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.

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.

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.

Project Credits:

Architect: Emma Templeton of Templeton Architecture / @templetonarchitecture

Builder: Jim Basham Mansfield