Renovation Rescue: 9 Terrace Design Challenges and How to Solve Them
Bring your elegant Victorian Terrace into the here and now and you'll see it through another generation or two
As I drive around inner-Melbourne, I often admire the grand, old double-storey Victorian terrace houses and ponder what delights may be inside. Most terrace houses are found in prime locations within close proximity to the city and are considered very desirable places to live in. Terrace houses come in many forms, from a single-storey worker’s cottage with limited detail, to refined, multi-storey terraces dating from the golden eras of our cities.
Modifications to many terrace houses are strictly controlled by heritage overlays. There are restrictions to paint colours, materials and treatment of the street elevation. Additionally, terrace houses are typically built from boundary to boundary, often sharing walls with neighbours, and their long, narrow forms make accessing daylight more difficult. Renovating these gems can be well worth it, though, so come and discover some fabulous ways to overcome the challenges they can present.
Modifications to many terrace houses are strictly controlled by heritage overlays. There are restrictions to paint colours, materials and treatment of the street elevation. Additionally, terrace houses are typically built from boundary to boundary, often sharing walls with neighbours, and their long, narrow forms make accessing daylight more difficult. Renovating these gems can be well worth it, though, so come and discover some fabulous ways to overcome the challenges they can present.
2. Narrow layout
A terrace renovation often retains the front two or three rooms of the original dwelling for heritage and structural integrity. The entry passage is usually long, narrow and dark. This has been overcome by cutting a large opening into the front room. Borrowed daylight has enlarged the sense of space to the entry as well as the living area.
Here we see the beauty of the original Baltic pine floorboards stripped back, the soaring white ceilings and the beautiful Victorian arch detailing retained. A new stairwell and balustrade has been inserted into the dwelling to meet current building codes, and continuation of the Baltic pine timber is a lovely link to the traditional house.
Step inside this Sydney terrace
A terrace renovation often retains the front two or three rooms of the original dwelling for heritage and structural integrity. The entry passage is usually long, narrow and dark. This has been overcome by cutting a large opening into the front room. Borrowed daylight has enlarged the sense of space to the entry as well as the living area.
Here we see the beauty of the original Baltic pine floorboards stripped back, the soaring white ceilings and the beautiful Victorian arch detailing retained. A new stairwell and balustrade has been inserted into the dwelling to meet current building codes, and continuation of the Baltic pine timber is a lovely link to the traditional house.
Step inside this Sydney terrace
3. Lack of natural light
Providing daylight to a dwelling built from one boundary to the other and often over two floor levels, is a great challenge of the terrace house. In this dwelling, the linking elements between old and new are the internal courtyard and light well, and the walk-through kitchen. The light well provides an opportunity to flood light into the kitchen, original dwelling and the new living room. It also provides fresh air to all rooms and allows gentle breezes to flow through the house.
Providing daylight to a dwelling built from one boundary to the other and often over two floor levels, is a great challenge of the terrace house. In this dwelling, the linking elements between old and new are the internal courtyard and light well, and the walk-through kitchen. The light well provides an opportunity to flood light into the kitchen, original dwelling and the new living room. It also provides fresh air to all rooms and allows gentle breezes to flow through the house.
The hero of this room is the coffered, pressed-metal ceiling, creating height for the clerestory windows that have been inserted to three sides of the rectangle and flood the inner sanctum of the home with natural light. This is a great solution when your northern aspect is to the side boundary of your terrace.
The double-storey terrace to the front of this dwelling is retained, with many of the heritage details intact. The side passage leads to a modern, yet rustic-style extension. This single storey contains the country-style C-shaped kitchen hugging the walls with a central informal meals area and a cosy all-in-one living space.
The double-storey terrace to the front of this dwelling is retained, with many of the heritage details intact. The side passage leads to a modern, yet rustic-style extension. This single storey contains the country-style C-shaped kitchen hugging the walls with a central informal meals area and a cosy all-in-one living space.
4. No connection with the outdoors
The traditional terrace contained the service zone at the rear, including the kitchen, laundry and WC. It was typically poorly lit and lacked connection to the outside. In most cases today, renovators demolish to make way for a new extension, as shown here.
This row house uses minimalist materials and colours – in the concrete floors and crisp white walls and ceiling – to expand the space and create a beautiful sense of transparency through to the rear yard. The glazed, stacking sliding doors open up two thirds of the living zone to the courtyard, extending the outdoor living. The uncluttered decor and square-set cornice enhance the streamlined look. The internal light well floods sun into the interior of the dwelling. See the bike suspended, within the void, as a piece of art? This design fully uses the limited space and provides dual function for bike storage and daylight. And it looks fabulous, too.
Find out more ways to connect your indoor and outdoor areas
The traditional terrace contained the service zone at the rear, including the kitchen, laundry and WC. It was typically poorly lit and lacked connection to the outside. In most cases today, renovators demolish to make way for a new extension, as shown here.
This row house uses minimalist materials and colours – in the concrete floors and crisp white walls and ceiling – to expand the space and create a beautiful sense of transparency through to the rear yard. The glazed, stacking sliding doors open up two thirds of the living zone to the courtyard, extending the outdoor living. The uncluttered decor and square-set cornice enhance the streamlined look. The internal light well floods sun into the interior of the dwelling. See the bike suspended, within the void, as a piece of art? This design fully uses the limited space and provides dual function for bike storage and daylight. And it looks fabulous, too.
Find out more ways to connect your indoor and outdoor areas
5. Unattractive extension
The rear of the terrace can present the best opportunity to renovate and set your own design style, free from heritage restrictions. If you peer deeply into this dwelling you can see all the way through to the steel pickets of the original front fence of the terrace. Internally, the dwelling has been gutted and all Victorian detailing removed to make way for a simplified and transparent building. The rear facade is covered in a lightweight trellis and it will be magic to see this place once the flowering vines take hold.
The rear of the terrace can present the best opportunity to renovate and set your own design style, free from heritage restrictions. If you peer deeply into this dwelling you can see all the way through to the steel pickets of the original front fence of the terrace. Internally, the dwelling has been gutted and all Victorian detailing removed to make way for a simplified and transparent building. The rear facade is covered in a lightweight trellis and it will be magic to see this place once the flowering vines take hold.
6. Limited outdoor space
When making the most of small lot sizes, all spaces – inside and out – have to be considered carefully. Here, an intimate outdoor dining space has been created with the built-in seating and table. An eclectic mix of colour, texture and materials create warmth and draw you in. The deck wraps around the timber table and forms outdoor seating using the change in levels. The operable metal ceiling allows the sun to penetrate into the living room and outdoor meals area, and can be closed off if it starts to rain; it’s an all-weather space.
In the foreground the bluestone pavers and low-level vegetation combine to provide both an overflow entertainment space and the all-important car space.
When making the most of small lot sizes, all spaces – inside and out – have to be considered carefully. Here, an intimate outdoor dining space has been created with the built-in seating and table. An eclectic mix of colour, texture and materials create warmth and draw you in. The deck wraps around the timber table and forms outdoor seating using the change in levels. The operable metal ceiling allows the sun to penetrate into the living room and outdoor meals area, and can be closed off if it starts to rain; it’s an all-weather space.
In the foreground the bluestone pavers and low-level vegetation combine to provide both an overflow entertainment space and the all-important car space.
7. Lack of circulation
In long, narrow spaces, tight circulation and furniture placement is often difficult. Created over three levels, this sinuous void opens up visually and gives volume to the narrow, longitudinal space. Simplified joinery, furnishings and the galley kitchen allow for ample circulation space.
By stepping the extension off the side boundary, a long, thin landscape buffer has been created. This building plan is similar to the traditional footprint of a terrace house. The large expanse of floor-to-ceiling glazing to the side is far from conventional, but provides a spacious outlook from the kitchen to the sculptured landscape and lets copious amounts of daylight inside.
In long, narrow spaces, tight circulation and furniture placement is often difficult. Created over three levels, this sinuous void opens up visually and gives volume to the narrow, longitudinal space. Simplified joinery, furnishings and the galley kitchen allow for ample circulation space.
By stepping the extension off the side boundary, a long, thin landscape buffer has been created. This building plan is similar to the traditional footprint of a terrace house. The large expanse of floor-to-ceiling glazing to the side is far from conventional, but provides a spacious outlook from the kitchen to the sculptured landscape and lets copious amounts of daylight inside.
8. Lack of space
Creating a strong, visual connection with the landscape via large glass openings from the living hub, as done here, will make your space will feel much larger. Your eye is immediately drawn to the splash of yellow canvas forming the retractable awning. This allows for shade and sun control but can be neatly folded away to allow the sunshine to penetrate deeply into the terrace in the cooler months. The timber-lined external wall softens the boundary wall and forms a backdrop to the outdoor kitchen and bench seat. The lush foliage offset by the white planters and turquoise blue of the pool also draws your eye beyond the living zone, enlarging the space.
Creating a strong, visual connection with the landscape via large glass openings from the living hub, as done here, will make your space will feel much larger. Your eye is immediately drawn to the splash of yellow canvas forming the retractable awning. This allows for shade and sun control but can be neatly folded away to allow the sunshine to penetrate deeply into the terrace in the cooler months. The timber-lined external wall softens the boundary wall and forms a backdrop to the outdoor kitchen and bench seat. The lush foliage offset by the white planters and turquoise blue of the pool also draws your eye beyond the living zone, enlarging the space.
9. Building setbacks
Here, you can identify the repetition of the traditional double-storey row houses; they step off the side boundary and allow light across the two levels but create narrow spaces within each room. They also create a dead space to the side of the dwelling – the proportion is too narrow to be useful entertaining space. In this design, the double-storey boundary wall and wasted side nook has been fully taken advantage of. A full-length glazed ceiling encloses the space between the side boundary and the dwelling. The ground floor captures the full width of this space and has been converted into a sun-filled galley kitchen. The joinery extends outside to form the outdoor barbecue zone. The function of the glazed ceiling is two-fold: it allows the ground-floor footprint to be larger, and the secondary light spreads across the two levels to provide a bright, light-filled space.
Your turn
Have you renovated a terrace? How did you overcome the challenges a terrace can present? Share your experiences in the Comments section below.
More
5 City Terrace Houses That Surprise Inside and Out
Houzz Tour: A Victorian Sydney Terrace Gets an Eclectic Modern Update
Aussie Rules: 10 Key Australian Looks We Know and Love
Here, you can identify the repetition of the traditional double-storey row houses; they step off the side boundary and allow light across the two levels but create narrow spaces within each room. They also create a dead space to the side of the dwelling – the proportion is too narrow to be useful entertaining space. In this design, the double-storey boundary wall and wasted side nook has been fully taken advantage of. A full-length glazed ceiling encloses the space between the side boundary and the dwelling. The ground floor captures the full width of this space and has been converted into a sun-filled galley kitchen. The joinery extends outside to form the outdoor barbecue zone. The function of the glazed ceiling is two-fold: it allows the ground-floor footprint to be larger, and the secondary light spreads across the two levels to provide a bright, light-filled space.
Your turn
Have you renovated a terrace? How did you overcome the challenges a terrace can present? Share your experiences in the Comments section below.
More
5 City Terrace Houses That Surprise Inside and Out
Houzz Tour: A Victorian Sydney Terrace Gets an Eclectic Modern Update
Aussie Rules: 10 Key Australian Looks We Know and Love
Set on a sloping site, a terrace like this is typically found in the undulating topography of Sydney. Stepping the building so it follows the slope of the site is the best design solution, reducing cost of construction and overall height of the terrace, too.
This approach is a little kinder on your neighbours and will be deemed more favourable by the local planning department. This row house spans three floors, with a partial basement below street level. The iron fretwork contrasts beautifully with the subdued neutral tones of the facade.
Find an architect near you on Houzz to solve your terrace design dilemmas