When Mark and Sally found and bought this house it had been owned by one family for more than 60 years, and they’d left a living legacy in the backyard for future generations in the form of a giant oak tree. “The previous owner planted an acorn from a tree at her parents’ house down the road, which in turn grew from an acorn they’d brought with them from England when they emigrated,” says Sally
The pitched roof makes this room beautiful in the late-afternoon light. The facade is completely glazed and operable except for one panel, so the space becomes an open garden room. Custom leather sofa, Nordic Design. Nathan + Jac round cushion and Armadillo & Co ‘Paragon’ rug in Shadow, both Terrace Floors + Furnishings. Eadie Lifestyle linen cushions in various colours, Twopairs Homeware. Standing lamp, Freedom. Track lights, Brightgreen. Designer buy: Noguchi coffee table in Walnut, $5265, Living Edge.
Like the slow growth of that tree, this home project took time to reach fruition. The couple bought the double-fronted Victorian villa in Adelaide’s north-western suburbs in 2011 and lived in it for a short time while they developed a masterplan for future renovations, to be staged over several years.
The pitched roof makes this room beautiful in the late-afternoon light. The facade is completely glazed and operable except for one panel, so the space becomes an open garden room. Custom leather sofa, Nordic Design. Nathan + Jac round cushion and Armadillo & Co ‘Paragon’ rug in Shadow, both Terrace Floors + Furnishings. Eadie Lifestyle linen cushions in various colours, Twopairs Homeware. Standing lamp, Freedom. Track lights, Brightgreen. Designer buy: Noguchi coffee table in Walnut, $5265, Living Edge.
Sally, an architect with her own multi-platform practice, was instrumental in all of the three stages. The first phase included installing two new ensuite bathrooms, updating the front rooms, and external works such as a new fence, a new verandah profile and new roof. In stage two, they landscaped the back garden, taking special care to protect the precious oak tree.
This small open area with blackbutt decking sits between the new addition and rear of the original house. “I can see all the way from my office to the yard, which is handy when the children area playing,” says Sally. Metal table and chairs from previous house.
The third stage was the largest. It commenced in May 2015 – coinciding with the birth of son Huxley, now three – and concluded in January 2018, five months before daughter Sienna arrived. In this final stage, they removed the original kitchen and lean-to at the rear to build a new open-plan living space and scullery/laundry.
The home’s exposed brick walls are original. Glazed penny-round tiles, Academy Tiles. Joinery designed by Sally Wilson and made by ABJ Kitchens. Concrete basin, Wood Melbourne. Walnut mirror, sourced through a contact. Hand towel, Eccola. Satelight ‘Flare’ pendant light, Brightgreen.
“We wanted to take the time we needed and use the products and materials we liked without cutting corners, but we still had to be budget conscious,” says Sally. “It was a slow process because I ran it as the project manager. Actually, I wore three hats – client, architect and builder – while Mark played the role of client.
This is what Sally and Mark call the transitional area between the old and new parts of the house. “The passage contracts and compresses your sense of height before it opens into the living area,” Sally explains. The custom day bed is one of Huxley’s favourite places. Quoits game, Flourish Gift and Home.
Mark, who’s a medical scientist with an extensive library at home, was also able to do a lot of the labouring. “He and I cleaned bricks from the existing lean-to and shifted 2000 lineal metres of timber ceiling linings delivered to the driveway by hand,” says Sally. “We wouldn’t change a thing because we can see and feel the value of what we’ve achieved.”
Custom decal through Etsy. “I chose the colours once the cot arrived,” Sally explains. Babyletto ‘Hudson’ 3-in-1 cot from Nordstrom (US). Cot linen and throw, Eccola. Indus Design ‘Lola llama’ baby blanket and ‘Betty Cat’ toy, Flourish Gift and Home. Armadillo & Co rug, Terrace Floors + Furnishings.
The heritage section at the front now comprises three bedrooms and two ensuites, a formal living room with fireplace, and two offices (Mark has a study with book shelves covering an entire wall; Sally’s architecture practice is located opposite and has french doors that open to a small courtyard).
Custom decal through Etsy. “I chose the colours once the cot arrived,” Sally explains. Babyletto ‘Hudson’ 3-in-1 cot from Nordstrom (US). Cot linen and throw, Eccola. ‘Betty Cat’ toy, Flourish Gift and Home. Baby shoes and hobby horse, Twopairs. Armadillo & Co rug, Terrace Floors + Furnishings.
Visitors are welcomed at the front door and enter the new section via a glazed corridor or ‘link’. The family mostly uses the new pivot door beside the garage, which swings open with the nudge of an elbow. Inside is a mudroom-style wall where hats, shoes and bags are stored.
An original cast-iron fireplace adds character. Custom steel mirror by Sally Wilson. Bedhead upholstered in Gastón y Daniela fabric and brass table lamp, Greenfield & Hunter. Bedding, Good Studios. Città throw, Twopairs. Velvet cushion, House of Orange. Connie Augoustinos pottery, JamFactory. Designer buy: Flos ‘KTribe S2’ pendant lamp by Philippe Starck, $850, Euroluce.
Beyond that is the L-shaped extension, wrapping around a timber deck that overlooks the lawn and pool. This huge space is open on both sides, which maximises airflow and brings a big chunk of the garden into view.
“Slightly elevating the deck has allowed us to see over the pool,” says Sally. Blackbutt decking, Boral. Integrated Beefeater barbecue. Outdoor furniture, GlobeWest. Cladding is CarterHoltHarvey ‘Shadowclad’ painted black. Pergola in reclaimed turpentine from a bridge in Coonabarabran.
Sally says working on her own home has been a great experience in many ways. “My clients come here for meetings and this project gives them confidence to engage my practice. In that respect the house has become a showcase.”
Rhodesian ridgeback Cooper at the side door. The red-orange tones of the original brickwork have been picked up by the new wall cladding and timber.
For more go to sw-architects.com.au
