Queens Park House is located in a heritage conservation area in Sydney's East, situated on a tree-lined street in a row of houses with similar facades. Even though the existing house did not have heritage status, Madeleine Blanchfield Architects sought to respect the larger context, which presented an interesting renovation dilemma. Per their website, "The challenge lay in concealing a large and contemporary two-story home behind part of a single-story federation frontage."

Their solution was inspired by the small cottage's roofline. "To respect the existing building, we adopted a folded roof form derived from the angles of the existing slate roof," say the architects. Doing so obscures the addition from the street, and has the added benefit of creating "a dramatic folded stair void" inside.

Now, faceted interior walls complement a simple oak staircase, and the stairwell connects the new addition to the remaining rooms of the old house.

That contemporary approach was continued in the airy main living spaces. There, Belmondo gray marble floors are offset by black-framed glazing and a wall of kitchen cupboards fronted with New Age Veneer in Navurban Ravenswood finish. A Carrara marble counter, backsplash, and integrated shelf temper the dark cabinetry, as does the custom oak island.

The architects further maintained consistency by continuing the kitchen wall treatment and flooring outside, and by repeating the oak and marble accents in other rooms.

Project Credits:

Architecture: Madeleine Blanchfield Architects

Builder: Milestone Building

Structural Engineer: United Consulting Engineers

Lighting Design: Madeleine Blanchfield Architects

Interior Design: Madeleine Blanchfield Architects

Cabinetry Design and Installation: Homestyle Kitchens

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A Sleek, Two-Story Addition Hides Behind a Traditional Cottage in Sydney