A Tiny Home's Extension Makes an "Impossible" Brief Possible
A serious lack of space and strict heritage requirements called for a creative solution in this extension
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking renovation or extension each week. Here, Kate McMahon and Rob Nerlich, co-directors at architectural firm Mcmahon and Nerlich, reveal how they turned a dark and awkwardly arranged two-bedroom, one-bathroom heritage home into a three-bedroom, two-bathroom abode with lashings of light and both quiet and social spaces to enjoy… all while respecting the Melbourne property’s rigid heritage overlay regulations.
The timber wall (far left) in the new rear courtyard conceals a bike storage area
Gained:
Gained:
- A new first-floor addition housing a master bedroom, walk-in wardrobe and ensuite; plus a mezzanine study and terrace.
- A large open-plan kitchen/living/dining room.
- A bigger main bathroom.
- A new laundry concealed inside a cupboard in the main bathroom.
- New sliding doors to the rear courtyard.
- Concealed bike storage in the courtyard.
What was the house like originally?
A single-storey Edwardian home with two bedrooms and one bathroom. As the house is located in a heritage overlay, there are strict planning constraints related to any new works.
A single-storey Edwardian home with two bedrooms and one bathroom. As the house is located in a heritage overlay, there are strict planning constraints related to any new works.
The original rear courtyard
What was your brief?
It was a straightforward but almost impossible brief – to turn a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house into a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a study and walk-in wardrobe… all in a 96-square-metre dwelling that needed to remain largely intact due to strict heritage requirements.
What was your brief?
It was a straightforward but almost impossible brief – to turn a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house into a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a study and walk-in wardrobe… all in a 96-square-metre dwelling that needed to remain largely intact due to strict heritage requirements.
The original kitchen
What were the clients’ must-haves?
What were the clients’ must-haves?
- An extra bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite.
- A new study.
- An indoor-outdoor connection.
The original living room
What problem or constraint did this project address?
This renovation turned a modest two-bedroom house with cramped service areas (the kitchen, bathroom and laundry) into a more spacious and contemporary two-level home. The new design ‘borrows’ light and space from external areas to make the internal space feel bigger.
Strict heritage restrictions meant the dwelling had to remain largely intact after works; setbacks were required on three sides of the new upper level to comply with siting requirements.
Pro Panel: 10 Kitchen-Layout Blunders and How to Avoid Them
What problem or constraint did this project address?
This renovation turned a modest two-bedroom house with cramped service areas (the kitchen, bathroom and laundry) into a more spacious and contemporary two-level home. The new design ‘borrows’ light and space from external areas to make the internal space feel bigger.
Strict heritage restrictions meant the dwelling had to remain largely intact after works; setbacks were required on three sides of the new upper level to comply with siting requirements.
Pro Panel: 10 Kitchen-Layout Blunders and How to Avoid Them
The original living room
What exactly did you do?
What exactly did you do?
- Added a new upper level housing a master bedroom, walk-in wardrobe and ensuite (with a skylight); plus a new mezzanine study and terrace.
- Moved the existing downstairs bathroom and laundry to the centre of the floor plan, which allowed us to relocate the kitchen and open up the living and dining spaces.
- Created a large, new open-plan kitchen/living/dining area.
- Added two new skylights along the internal boundary wall to draw natural light into the ground floor.
- Lowered the rear part of the building to natural-ground level so that it’s level with the courtyard.
- Installed large, new north-facing sliding doors to the courtyard, bringing more natural light into the home and improving indoor-outdoor flow.
- Moved the laundry to a concealed cupboard within the main bathroom.
- Added concealed bike storage off the courtyard.
New ground-floor plan
Where did most of the budget go?
Most of it went on the elements you can’t see, such as the structure and services.
The structural design aimed to keep the heritage roof intact, build into the attic roof spaces and span across the ground floor spaces discreetly, all of which is fairly costly. Asthma-friendly hydronic heating, discreet air conditioning, and a thermally efficient brick and concrete structure added further to the build cost, but dramatically improved the indoor air quality and the feeling of light and space in the home.
Premium joinery to the walk-in wardrobe, kitchen and bedroom was prioritised, and more modest joinery was chosen elsewhere in order to stay within budget.
Where did most of the budget go?
Most of it went on the elements you can’t see, such as the structure and services.
The structural design aimed to keep the heritage roof intact, build into the attic roof spaces and span across the ground floor spaces discreetly, all of which is fairly costly. Asthma-friendly hydronic heating, discreet air conditioning, and a thermally efficient brick and concrete structure added further to the build cost, but dramatically improved the indoor air quality and the feeling of light and space in the home.
Premium joinery to the walk-in wardrobe, kitchen and bedroom was prioritised, and more modest joinery was chosen elsewhere in order to stay within budget.
New first-floor plan
What was your thinking behind the design?
The combination of the constrained size of the site, heritage considerations and contested neighbourly amenity generated the driving idea for the house. Space was tight and there was none to waste.
Finding the solution was a bit like solving a puzzle; to make spaces the right size it was necessary to rob the adjacent areas of any surplus space. The staircase (spiral in order to minimise its footprint) cuts into the adjacent bedroom; the family bathroom downstairs pushes into the front bedroom; and the new study and terrace upstairs cut into the bedroom below and crouch in under the existing roof.
What was your thinking behind the design?
The combination of the constrained size of the site, heritage considerations and contested neighbourly amenity generated the driving idea for the house. Space was tight and there was none to waste.
Finding the solution was a bit like solving a puzzle; to make spaces the right size it was necessary to rob the adjacent areas of any surplus space. The staircase (spiral in order to minimise its footprint) cuts into the adjacent bedroom; the family bathroom downstairs pushes into the front bedroom; and the new study and terrace upstairs cut into the bedroom below and crouch in under the existing roof.
Sections of the house after works
Meanwhile, the new master bedroom has a raked ceiling and walls that maximise the usable floor space, and it cantilevers over the courtyard to provide a generous space that would have otherwise been impossible.
To make the interior spaces feel brighter, light was directed through the first floor to the ground level below.
What you need to know about working with an architect
Meanwhile, the new master bedroom has a raked ceiling and walls that maximise the usable floor space, and it cantilevers over the courtyard to provide a generous space that would have otherwise been impossible.
To make the interior spaces feel brighter, light was directed through the first floor to the ground level below.
What you need to know about working with an architect
What challenges did you have to work around?
Working on such a small, cramped site was a challenge for all concerned, but it was overcome through the skill and patience of the builder and excellent communication between the client, builder and ourselves as architects.
Working on such a small, cramped site was a challenge for all concerned, but it was overcome through the skill and patience of the builder and excellent communication between the client, builder and ourselves as architects.
How do the new works coexist with the original home?
The original house was so old and poorly planned and maintained that it had already lost most of its internal heritage fabric when we came on board. This was partly a blessing as it allowed us to rework the home and give it a spacious, contemporary and open-plan feel.
The contemporary addition is recessed from the heritage streetscape, concealing it from the street. The dark steel cladding can be seen from the rear courtyard, setting the new addition apart from the heritage part of the home, while at the same time complementing it.
The original house was so old and poorly planned and maintained that it had already lost most of its internal heritage fabric when we came on board. This was partly a blessing as it allowed us to rework the home and give it a spacious, contemporary and open-plan feel.
The contemporary addition is recessed from the heritage streetscape, concealing it from the street. The dark steel cladding can be seen from the rear courtyard, setting the new addition apart from the heritage part of the home, while at the same time complementing it.
How important was sustainability?
It was integral to the design. We chose FSC-certified timber for the exterior and interior, and materials with recyclable components and carpets made with natural dyes. We specified low-VOC paints and floor finishes.
A water tank was installed under the ground and the paving areas drain to rain gardens.
We took every opportunity to bring natural light into the home, be it through skylights and the three north-facing sliding doors to the courtyard.
It was integral to the design. We chose FSC-certified timber for the exterior and interior, and materials with recyclable components and carpets made with natural dyes. We specified low-VOC paints and floor finishes.
A water tank was installed under the ground and the paving areas drain to rain gardens.
We took every opportunity to bring natural light into the home, be it through skylights and the three north-facing sliding doors to the courtyard.
The new master bedroom
Tell us about the new upstairs bedroom
The new master bedroom suite is a symphony of golden tones, from the rich timber of the walk-in wardrobe (just seen on the left of the image above) and the mid-tone timber of the bedhead and beside tables, to the golden mosaic tiles in the ensuite that can be seen through the doorway.
Tell us about the new upstairs bedroom
The new master bedroom suite is a symphony of golden tones, from the rich timber of the walk-in wardrobe (just seen on the left of the image above) and the mid-tone timber of the bedhead and beside tables, to the golden mosaic tiles in the ensuite that can be seen through the doorway.
The new ensuite
What special touches have you added to the new bathroom?
The ensuite is generous in size and has windows that provide views to the trees beyond while boosting natural ventilation.
A large clear-glazed skylight adds a sense of luxury to the bathing experience in the new ensuite – you feel as though you’re showering under the stars.
The ensuite is generous in size and has windows that provide views to the trees beyond while boosting natural ventilation.
A large clear-glazed skylight adds a sense of luxury to the bathing experience in the new ensuite – you feel as though you’re showering under the stars.
Why do you think this renovation and addition works so well?
By tweaking all the new areas to conform to the height requirements and allowing them to impact on adjacent spaces, we have created a house on a tiny site that would normally require a much larger footprint.
The design of the spaces in this house looks effortless, but the rooms were designed and built with precision and accuracy; nothing is too big or small and the resultant areas are finely scaled and generous. We were able to achieve this feeling of generosity by getting the structure and services right first.
Carefully chosen materials – such as the stone and timber of the kitchen island, the Australian-hardwood timber floor and the beautiful tiles in the ensuite – work hard against more modest background materials to create a home that feels quietly luxurious.
The new skylights also add to the feeling of light and space.
By tweaking all the new areas to conform to the height requirements and allowing them to impact on adjacent spaces, we have created a house on a tiny site that would normally require a much larger footprint.
The design of the spaces in this house looks effortless, but the rooms were designed and built with precision and accuracy; nothing is too big or small and the resultant areas are finely scaled and generous. We were able to achieve this feeling of generosity by getting the structure and services right first.
Carefully chosen materials – such as the stone and timber of the kitchen island, the Australian-hardwood timber floor and the beautiful tiles in the ensuite – work hard against more modest background materials to create a home that feels quietly luxurious.
The new skylights also add to the feeling of light and space.
Built-in wardrobe in the second bedroom
Key features
Key features
- A private couple’s retreat upstairs.
- A spacious and light-filled open-plan kitchen/living/dining room.
- A statement spiral staircase.
- Improved indoor-outdoor flow thanks to a lowered ground level and new sliding exterior doors.
- An interior filled with natural light.
Interior materials palette
- G-Lux stone kitchen benchtops.
- Oak veneer to kitchen island.
- Two-pack polyurethane kitchen cabinets.
- Rimex Metals stainless-steel kitchen splashback with a black-mirror finish.
- Enzie Classic Series staircase powder-coated in Dulux Black Ace.
- Prestige Carpets Oakford Elegance wool carpet in Ellesmere.
- G-Lux mosaic feature wall tiles in ensuite.
- G-Lux matt-white ceramic tiles on ensuite walls.
- G-Lux Elapse tiles in matt Oyster on ensuite floor.
- Custom oak veneer to ensuite vanity and master bedroom’s bedhead and side tables.
Exterior materials palette
- Lysaght Longline external metal cladding in Woodland Grey to first-floor addition.
- Eco Outdoor bluestone pavers to courtyard.
- Blackbutt cladding to courtyard.
Tell us
What’s your favourite feature in this renovation? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
More
Planning to renovate this year? Find an architect near you who can bring your ideas to life
What’s your favourite feature in this renovation? Tell us in the Comments below. And remember to like this story, save your favourite images, and join the conversation.
More
Planning to renovate this year? Find an architect near you who can bring your ideas to life
Answers by Kate McMahon and Rob Nerlich, co-directors at Melbourne-based architectural firm Mcmahon and Nerlich
Who lives here: A young couple
Location: St Kilda West, Victoria
Original size: 96 square metres on a 170-square-metre site
Size after extension: 152 square metres
Architect: Mcmahon and Nerlich
Builder: Built by Guild
Structural Engineer: Rianna Turner at Meyer Consulting