Playing for Keeps—Cute but Cramped Arts & Crafts House Transformed

Architect Anna Black of Kuzman Architecture had known marriage celebrant Hester Brown and her partner, AFL footballer Ben Brown, for quite a while before taking on the renovation of their two-bedroom duplex in Moonee Ponds four-ish years back. It helped. Like the young couple, she saw huge potential in their dark, disconnected cottage with doorways and rangehood that Ben – “two metres, plus hair” – had to duck to use. Not simply to open up the entire cottage to light and space at the north-facing rear, but to imbue a simple, sustainable renovation with some of the character that made both the house and its owners fun to be around. “We definitely took a cue from Ben’s and Hester’s personalities,” Anna says. “They were willing to be playful with a lot of practical elements, and it was fun to introduce that to the build.

At the time Hester was pregnant with daughter Isla (the family has since welcomed little Esme to the team). The brief was to retain as much as possible of the cottage they loved and create flexible functionality for their growing crew. That meant client space for Hester, an extra bedroom with a retreat-style ensuite, enclosed outdoor space for cats Pepper and Luna, a rear living, dining and kitchen space, a backyard for old-school fun and games including trampoline and basketball court, concealed storage throughout, and the kind of roomy doorway, ceiling and bench heights and custom bath a tall couple craves.

“We were definitely very open about how to achieve that,” Ben recalls. “We’d never renovated before and were both pretty clueless about the whole process. But we knew we had this beautiful space out the back and wanted to turn this into a family home we could live in for a long time.” Practicality was paramount. “No bells or whistles. We definitely didn’t want designer this and that. Kids are going to spew on all this stuff,” he says with a laugh.

Anna and colleague Sandi Kuzman’s design response was to lightly refresh the original front rooms, demolish the central kitchen, and open up the core to a light-filled, double-storey rear addition of simple forms clad in white orb metal. Its side courtyards and extensive glazing opens the house in all directions to natural light, ventilation and the spacious garden-cum-playground.

At the front entry, a lick of pink paint, high-level insulation, double glazing and a playful arched door with oversized doorknob allow the former sitting room to be used as a client space for Hester that closes off discretely from the buzz of family life beyond. To the left, a new retreat-style master bedroom wing annexes the arched cavity of the old kitchen to accommodate a tiled, sun-drenched ensuite with arched mirrors and views through to the fern-filled courtyard beyond.

Down one step is a glazed wet room with screenless shower and gloriously oversized freestanding bath. It’s an oasis of restorative calm for active, hands-on parents of young kids, and no surprise when Ben nominates a night-time soak here as one of the renovation’s unexpected highlights. “Hester really wanted an escape bathroom, where she could get away from the kids and feel like she was in a garden,” Sandi says. “Even though they wanted not to overdo the budget or finishes, there was a desire for some whimsy.”

Beside the courtyard, in the now sun-filled core of the house, an open tread stair of Tasmanian oak leads up to Isla and Esme’s lofty little bedrooms, with raked ceilings and playhouse feel. Their bathroom features the home’s original blue bath and basin. A long, in-built bench seat (with deep, kick-out storage drawer below) makes for comfortable bath times for adults and kids alike. It’s the kind of considered detailing that abounds in a reno oozing relaxation and ease.

Downstairs, beyond three terracotta-tiled steps that subtly demarcate old and new, is the undeniable star of this show: an expansive living, dining and kitchen area with full-height glazing on three sides admitting light, breezes and views in all directions. Sliders open up the dining space to a recessed section of garden that feels courtyard-esque, and elongated brick plinth seating provides more concealed storage. Timber veneer and white dowel joinery used throughout is a real feature here, including a kitchen island bench with a table-style top that’ll also work well with tall stools when the girls grow a bit. “We worked a lot with textures on this place and little pops of colour,” Sandi says. “Ben and Hester didn’t want dark colours,” Anna adds, “but they also didn’t want a completely white house. We achieved that with textures like joinery, tiles, and the fluting on the stair battens.”

All involved are clearly delighted with the results. The unfussy, relaxed vibe is nowhere more evident than in the beloved backyard, where a repurposed car space will ultimately be transformed into a basketball court. “Both Hester and I love basketball,” Ben says. “We really love being able to go out and shoot hoops while the kids are bouncing on the trampoline.” For now, a freestanding ring does the trick. No rush, right?

Inside issue 94 — Grab the issue here.