Beneath The Skin

In the case of this double-fronted family home in Thornbury, Melbourne, the story was practically written off. Various renovations since construction during the 1930s had resulted in a lean-to upon a lean-to in the backyard, ceilings that began higher but were gradually lowered, and dirt and other muck lurking beneath the floors.

Working tightly within planning guidelines, architect Emlyn Olaver, director of Olaver Architecture, changed all of that. Collaborating with the owners, a family of four comprising Natasha, Paul, Lois, aged three, and Oberon, ten months, he created a renovation honouring the “box on the back” tradition, elevating the best bits of the existing house and designing a new rear addition in line with the brief: low-maintenance, cost effective, sustainable, and maximising the north-facing backyard.

“I was excited by the challenge of building a box,” Olaver says. “For me, it’s about function over everything else, but also feeling and what it means for the user experience.”

On first impression, the rear addition presents as a minimalist timber and cement sheet-clad structure, incorporating a new kitchen, living and dining zone, and laundry, plus an upstairs master bedroom containing a utilitarian ensuite, walk-in robe and flexible study nook.

But inside, casual family living thrives. Natasha and Paul have space to chat and relax in the double-height living area, which soars to 5.2 metres, while the concrete floors allow Lois to tootle about on her ladybug ride-on. There’s also time for play within a hardworking wall, which showcases a piano nook and a timber sliding screen revealing a television and cushioned reading zone with a protruding window seat.

During construction, Olaver noticed that the new window under the roofline projected a perfect frame of light onto the opposite wall, tracking around the room with the sun.

“The window sundial was an unexpected feature, and it can also be pushed open or pulled shut for passive airflow,” he says.

Other gestures soften the box, too. Beyond the side entry, a new porch – with a clever bench and concealed cupboard for pram storage – opens to a cushioned seat beneath the staircase, which gently curves like a hand gesture welcoming a visitor.

The curve continues through to the adjacent kitchen and dining area, in the island bench raised slightly above ground height. It’s wide and deep for family interaction, and faces an angled dining space cleverly oriented towards the neighbour’s leafy garden. Although generous in size, this space is intimate, featuring a low, timberstrapped ceiling and touches including open shelving for Paul to display his collection of homegrown herbs.

Sustainability is a strong focus in this large space. The burnished concrete floors hold winter sun to warm the house during the colder months, while a folded line of north-facing glazing provides functional eaves to moderate light and frame views.

The aim was to eliminate the need for air conditioning during summer, which was happily achieved. Other materials include an extensive use of Victorian ash timber, and pops of cork adding a sense of tactility.

To the front of the house, the structure remains largely unchanged. It accommodates the rest of the family with two bedrooms, a flexible rumpus/study/guest room, plus a new guest powder-room and bathroom. Again, another happy accident was revealed during demolition.

“We opened up the roof and realised it was a dropped ceiling, so we could extend it up by another 1.2 metres,” Olaver says. The discovery enabled raised ceilings for the entire front of the house, which along with new timber floors and doorframes, joinery, windows and lick of paint, create light and space where there was previously darkness. There was also an opportunity to have some fun in the bathroom, where Olaver chose large, black hexagonal tiling to match the kitchen splash back.

“I actually wanted to paint the extra ceiling height black, but I couldn’t get it across the line,” Olaver laughs.

Outside, the box’s timber cladding at ground level is already greying with a textured, natural feel, and complements the low maintenance, pre-sealed cement sheeting above it. In fact, Paul and his father were so enamoured with the cladding pattern they applied it when reworking the outdoor shed. A pergola structure to shade the deck may be added later.

For Natasha, Olaver’s thoughtful flourishes have made a significant difference. Family and friends now have a place to stay that will grow with them, and the best surprise is that their backyard is bigger than they had before.

“It feels really tranquil,” Natasha says. “Emlyn was really focused on including things we hadn’t even thought of.” The stage is now set for a new volume of stories to unfurl.