Credits
From Lisa Breeze Architect
What happens when the architect is also the client? Northcote House is a transformation of a charming and habitable – yet somewhat inefficient and squishy – Victorian inner-city cottage. The brief (from my husband and I) was to create a slightly larger and more comfortable home for a growing family that consisted of two adults, one dog, one cat, and one baby on the way. It’s a very sweet little house on a very tiny site in a very built-up commercial area. Maximising space drove the design, pushing the existing envelope to add a bedroom, re-arrange the other spaces and embed a strong connection with the small rear yard. Through careful planning, every new space now feels bigger than it is. While the entry was renewed with dark and moody tones, the heart of the home beyond now opens up to a bright area with high sloped ceilings and large glazing to the garden. Everything has its place as, for me, organisation equals calm.