Project A: Ground Floor Redesign
The Brief
The client was a married female, with a ten-year-old girl and a twelve-year-old boy and wanted to modernise her home.
She loved to cook but didn’t want to feel isolated in the kitchen. She rarely entertains in a formal setting and she prefers family-oriented occasions. The bedrooms are upstairs; however, she only wanted to renovate the entire ground floor of her home.
A structural engineer conducted an analysis of the home and advised that the perimeter walls and the walls supporting the upper staircase are load-bearing and cannot be removed.
The client wanted the plan to include open plan living area with a laundry, study and guest bathroom.
The Plan
The design direction for this renovation is bright and open with light running from the front of the house all the way through to the back.
- The main living areas have been positioned to take advantage of the north-facing aspect during the cooler winter period of the southern hemisphere, thereby maximizing the amount of sunlight during that time
- Bypass sliding glass doors from the dining area open to invite outdoor/indoor entertaining
- Placing the kitchen in the centre of the open plan space maximises the homeowner’s involvement in entertainment activity
- A mono string steel staircase paired with a frameless glass balustrade further opens the space increasing light penetration
- The entertaining areas have been located on the east side of the area keeping them separate from the more private rooms e.g. study and laundry on the west side
- The inclusion of an enclosed media room provides the opportunity for child-friendly space with doors that can be closed off to eliminate/reduce noise from the entertaining areas
- A bench seat at the front door enables the homeowner to deposit shoes and coats and other items before entering.
Project B: Level 1 Kitchen, Living and Bathroom
The Brief
The clients have lived in their current property for around 2 years and they do not see this property as their forever home, but as a stepping-stone.
They would like to make intelligent improvements that take into consideration future property values, while making it a comfortable and attractive place to live.
They have already taken on a number of improvements themselves but are now finding they would like advice on improving the flow and layout of their main living dining and kitchen area as well as enlarging their bathroom.
The Plan
As there is extensive work required they will be tackling renovations in a couple of phases:
Phase 1: Combine the Sitting and Living rooms.
- Close off the door from the hallway to the kitchen and remove the partial wall between the kitchen and the living area
- Source and arrange delivery of furniture and accessories.
- Design the living area and placement of furniture.
Phase 2: Combine the Meals and Kitchen and enlarge the bathroom.
- Close off the kitchen window and convert to a sliding door to maximise airflow through the open plan living area to the balcony at the front of the house.
- Close off the kitchen door to maximise kitchen space.
- Source and arrange delivery of kitchen cabinets, materials and hardware.
- Design the kitchen and lighting.
- Extend and redesign the bathroom.
- Source and arrange delivery of bathroom fixtures, tiles, lighting and accessories.
