Views

To create a serene sanctuary for effortless living and discrete entertaining, and build underneath without raising the house, avoiding the need for town planning and heritage permissions.

Previously a holiday home for a Brisbane lord mayor, few Art Nouveau details remained following this 1940s conversion into four poky flats. The original house rested on a water table and termites had rotted the timber from underneath. Inside, cracked aluminium windows obscured panoramic views of Moreton Bay to the east and western views to Taylor Range were lost in the oppressive heat generated by a corrugated iron roof. Add to all that the presence of very close neighbours.

Pare everything back and get out of the way. Frame beautiful views and turn ugly ones into light. Reduce visual clutter to create more flow and space. Transform semi-underground bedrooms into a light, airy garden rooms.

An old-style, relaxed country homestead where they could develop their boutique distillery, care for rescued horses, entertain and host friends and family for extended stays.

This grey 1980s project home had scant connection to its extraordinary location – the ridge of Terranora over paddocks to the north, and the blue hills of northern NSW, over the Tweed River and across canefields, to the south. The house lacked presence. Entry was along a side path, past bathroom windows and through a poorly positioned sliding door. Only a good size floor area and OK bedrooms precluded demolition and starting all over again.

Leave both ends of the existing structure as is for bedrooms and garage. Add on three elements common to traditional homesteads: a ‘stables wing’ to house a garage, office and loft; a ‘side verandah’ as entry; and a ‘great room’ with raked ceiling on a north-south cross axis. What resulted was a calm balanced interior that immediately increased the home’s scale and presence in the landscape.

At one end, the great room roof extended into a north terrace down to paddocks. At the other, a river terrace with a truncated gable framed a sunset silhouette of Mt Warning. Sandstone walls marked the main entry. Inside, a range of large and small spaces to sit, dine and relax were detailed with neutral colours, natural textures and heritage features. Independent living was made possible with a self-contained flat on one side of the house, separated from the family’s three bedrooms, including a master suite with outlook in both directions.

To retire to a large comfortable home, beside a pool and garden where family and friends would be welcome.

This three-roomed narrow Queensland cottage sat on a high ridge and featured enclosed verandahs on both sides with views to the Taylor Range, Mt Cotton and the city that couldn’t be seen from inside the house. Previously in the hands of an elderly owner for 40 years, what remained of its charming cottage garden had become dilapidated.

Lift the house to create three bedrooms upstairs. Build in open-plan living rooms underneath and extend the guest area and garages down the hill. Gut the original house and re-create in traditional style, with a country kitchen as the hub of the house. Traditional and crafted detailing throughout.