Matthew and Andrea Arendsen

The Arendsen family home is a large red brick 1920’s California Bungalow in East Malvern, impressively renovated and extended by the clever folk at Architects EAT.

Written

Lucy Feagins

Supported by Dulux

The original façade of the house, with a new splash of paint. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Black powder coated perforated steel staircase leading from the living area to the upstairs rooms. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living room, looking out to the back garden. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining room details. This open space leads to the living and kitchen areas. The existing fireplace was covered and wrapped in wallpaper. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Open living space. The central hallway runs through the center of the house, leading to the upstairs kids’ retreat, and acting as a thoroughfare granting access to all areas of the home. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living room, looking out to the back garden. ‘The swing window allows plenty of fresh air and warmth into this part of the house,’ says Andrea. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Dining room. The couple sympathetically restored the original home upon moving in, and kept many of the home’s original features, including this sweet lead light window. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Front hallway leading into the home office. ‘We love our Black Cocky print in the hallway, it’s one of our favourite pieces,’ says Andrea. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Side courtyard, looking into the home office. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Andrea Arendsen at home. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The East Malvern home of the Arendsen family. Above – Kitchen area. Domus Edward Lamp, vintage poster and Tolix stools. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Main bedroom. Vintage poster and old cinema chairs. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Ensuite. This space was converted from an existing bedroom in the century old home. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Back door, leading out the backyard and pool area. Photo – Eve Wilson. Production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Writer

Lucy Feagins

8th of November 2016

Andrea and Matthew Arendsen purchased their home in East Malvern 3 years ago. Previously, the house had not been touched in over 40 years, and was in need of a little love. It still had an outdoor laundry with an original trough for handwashing, and rusted old plumbing which struggled to keep up with the demands of a busy family and two almost-teenage boys! (Alexander is now 15, and Christian is 10). ‘Suffice to say it was time to renovate’ recalls Andrea!

When the time came to redesign their home, Andrea and Matthew approached Albert Mo from Architects EAT. ‘We had worked with Albert on our previous home, and he had a great understanding of the type of home we were trying to create for our family’ Andrea says. Albert and project architect Sarah Magennis came up with a design that retained the original façade of the house, whilst adding an incredible contemporary addition to the rear.

The front four rooms in the older part of the house were retained, with two bedrooms converted into generous bathrooms, whilst the rear of the house was significantly extended, and a second level added, giving the Arendsens’ teenage boys their own space.

Renovating can be stressful, and not everyone is lucky enough to have a great relationship with their architect and tradespeople, but the Arendsens couldn’t be more complimentary about both their architect and their builder. The entire renovation took 12 months to complete, and Andrea says their builder was an absolute star. ‘We were so fortunate to have an amazing builder in Joel McKerlie from McKerlie Builders‘ she says.

One of Andrea and Matthew’s favourite features of their home is the 6.5 metre high hallway that connects the old and new parts of the house. ’This hallway allows so much light into the house, and creates amazing shadows along the black perforated steel staircase leading to the boy’s rooms upstairs’ Andrea says. Indeed, we met Albert Mo from Architects EAT during our shoot, and he was particularly chuffed with that perforated steel staircase too!