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The kitchen island and cabinets at this Melbourne renovation are made of recycled timber, taking cue from the wooden bookcase that designer Kim Kneipp installed during the home’s first restyling.

The staircase presents a sculptural moment and leads fluidly into the open living spaces.

A new window above the bed, as well as new drywall and paint, make for a light and bright space.

A playful mixture of antiques and mid-century furnishings adds personality to the white-box interior of a cottage.

The screened-in porch leads into an open great one on one half of the structure.

The built-in bench that borders the cantilevered bed features two storage drawers and a hatch that accesses an additional storage compartment.

Modern Windsor chairs by Hay surround an oak extension table by Ethnicraft. “You flip a lever and it gets larger,” Lachapelle says. The original plan called for a center island, but the owners wanted the flexibility of a table they could also use as a prep surface. The oak cabinet behind the sofa is on casters for additional utility. “We can even use it outside,” the husband says.

Folding doors separate the two sleeping areas upstairs, and each has its own access to the hallway. The doors were given the same custom indigo cerused treatment as the kitchen cabinetry downstairs.

The family share a love for the color teal, which was already featured in the home. So, when selecting a backsplash tile, teal was the obvious choice. The tiles are locally sourced from Yeomans Bagno & Ceramiche in Eltham.

Now, even the entry can appreciate the sight lines.

The architects also removed a wall and replaced it with low casework and built-in shelves slotted between the posts. This allows light to flow through the entry and gives the owners an opportunity to display their ceramics collection.

"Most of the carpentry built-ins were done out of plywood with birch veneer, chosen for its very raw finish and inexpensiveness," says Amanda. "For more structural items like the adaptable bed platform, we used Baltic birch instead for its superior structure and planarity."

The handrail continues onto the mezzanine as a slanted balustrade that follows the upper level’s triangulated plan. "It looks like a complicated system, but on closer look, most of the surfaces are planar," says Amanda. "We did this to ensure that the project could be constructed as accurately as possible."

The sculptural new staircase, fronted with a faceted, Baltic birch handrail, features storage underneath that reduces clutter.