The listing photos for this century-old cottage in Melbourne didn’t exactly convey the hard truths about it. “They did a great job of hiding the ugly parts,” says architect Kurt Crisp of Sydney-based firm Buck & Simple. “It was a real rabbit warren.” What had once been a light and airy layout, says Crisp, had been muddled by a clunky addition and strangely proportioned rooms.

But the Federation-style weatherboard cottage had some definite positives, like the central hall arrangement and high ceilings. The owners, a couple about to have their first child, and during lockdown no less, “loved the location and were happy with the size, but knew it could perform so much better if they gave it a chance,” says Crisp.

Before: Front Exterior

After: Front Exterior

The ensuing remodel reconfigured the home’s layout within the same 1,740 square feet and magnified window and door openings for airiness and a better connection with the yard. While there were many rooms, including four bedrooms and a study, their sizes didn’t correlate with what the owners needed. “Some rooms, like the main bathroom, were excessively big, and others, like the lounge room, were compromised because of it,” says Crisp.

Before: Living, Dining, and Kitchen

Walls were pulled down to combine the living room, dining room, and kitchen, and the bathroom was relocated to enlarge those living spaces, creating a destination at the rear of the house. Another bathroom was installed to create a private main suite. Now the plan includes three comfortable bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a study.

The new material palette started with a custom bed that already belonged to the client. “The bed was made from Australian spotted gum, and we decided that this tactile finish with intense grain should be replicated throughout the house as our base material,” says Crisp. “Other materials were chosen for their suitability for purpose and to be complementary to the tone of the timber.”

After: Living, Dining, and Kitchen

The clients also worked with Inge Jabra Landscapes to ensure that the new house fit well within its setting, a residential lot just over 4,000 square feet. The brief there was to “see green” out every door and window, from the 19-foot-wide glass doors that open to the backyard to a steel-and-glass set at the end of the hallway, which acts as a visual and acoustic divider between the public and private areas of the house.

“The doors are nice, heavy, and well-built,” says Crisp of the latter. “You can feel the workmanship.” Durability was a key consideration to ensure the 100-year-old house would live long into the future for the young couple, whose baby arrived just as the renovation wrapped this year. “The terrazzo flooring, porcelain benchtops, and concrete fireplace plinth are all hard as nails and will be able to withstand the test of time of an active family,” says Crisp.

Before: Backyard Connection

After: Backyard Connection

Before: Hall Bathroom

After: Hall Bathroom

After: Main Suite

More Before & After:

A Pavilion-Like Addition Opens Up a São Paulo Home for Three Generations

A Country Home Blossoms in the Ruins of an Old Stone Barn

Project Credits:

Architecture: Buck & Simple / @buckandsimple

Builder: Momentum Building

Structural Engineer: Divitaris Consulting Group

Landscape Design: Inge Jabara Landscapes

Lighting Design: Buck & Simple

Interior Design: Buck & Simple

Cabinetry: Phelan Interiors

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Before & After: A Century-Old Cottage in Melbourne Is No Longer a “Rabbit Warren” of Rooms