Living the Design: An Architect’s Own Family Home

This renovation is a thoughtful reimagining of a 1920s Californian Bungalow in Hughesdale, Melbourne – and a personal one for me. As both the architect and the client, I had the rare opportunity to design a home not only to look great, but to genuinely support how our family lives every day.

Designed by DE.ARCH Architecture + Interiors, the project involved restoring the character of the original home and extending it with a carefully considered contemporary single story addition. The inspiration for the design of the renovation was a blend of Japanese and Australian Mid-Century influences – creating a warm, pared-back and timeless aesthetic. Natural materials, thoughtful detailing and investing in premium materials, fixtures and craftsmanship, predominantly sourced from Australian and New Zealand brands – cemented a “less but better” approach.

At a time when family homes seem to grow ever larger, we chose to do the opposite. We added just 64m², bringing the house to a considered 196m² with four well-planned bedrooms. It gives us exactly what we need as a young family – without the excess space to clean, heat, cool or maintain plus no whopping great mortgage. Keeping the footprint modest also meant we could preserve our park-like backyard and include well used outdoor entertainment, living and play spaces.

Comfort, air quality and energy efficiency were a major focus. We upgraded the whole-of-house thermal performance: insulation to ceilings, walls and underfloor, Low-E glass to the original sash windows, and double glazing to all new windows and doors. North and west windows are protected with external shading screens, so the home stays bright and comfortable year-round without relying on heating or cooling. The lived experience is an average indoor “resting” temperature of 18°C, making it naturally pleasant to live in.

Before the renovation, the house was valued at $1.4M. We invested $700K into the transformation and, 12 months after completion, it was re-valued at $2.55M – an 82% increase on the original value. A reassuring reminder that thoughtful design doesn’t just enhance day-to-day living — it delivers long-term financial value too.

Designing my own home meant I could challenge the assumption that a “family home” has to be a bigger one. Instead, we focused on spaces that work harder, adapt as our family grows, and support a more sustainable way of living – flexibly, environmentally and financially.

Architect: DE.ARCH Architecture & Interiors

Instagram @de.arch 

Email [email protected]

Builder: Brown Building & Co 

Photographer: Tatjana Plitt 

Stylist: Tobi Dikstein