The streets in Australia’s capital cities are dotted with homes that sport charming heritage facades, and often — hidden from view — clever extensions that totally transform the home.
This year we saw a bunch of homes that did just this! See our favourite heritage renovations below.
Painting by VIP Painters. Landscape design by Miniscape Projects. Brickwork by RCK Bricklaying. Wrought iron fence by Samson’s Wrought Iron. Photo – Eve Wilson.
Arch Dining Chairs by ELLISON Studios. Paddle Pop Dining Table by Fenton & Fenton. Jolly Double Rod Pendant by Coco Flip. Curtains by Europa Blinds. ‘Lukarrara Jukurrpa (Desert Fringe-Rush-Seed Dreaming)’ artwork by Pauline Napangardi Gallagher. Valse Candle Holders by Ferm Living. Evenex Sincro in Deep Grain Oak laminate by Elton Group, installed by Tres Architectural Joinery. Porcelain benchtop, installed by Slimtop. Windows by Aspect Windows. Photo – Eve Wilson.
Palissade outdoor setting by HAY. Photo – Eve Wilson.
Stephanie and Matthew love hosting people around the deck and pool area, equipped with its own outdoor kitchen, shower, sauna, and bathroom in part of the converted garage. Photo – Eve Wilson.
Stephanie and Matthew Crosara love to entertain, so every inch of their Brunswick West home has been designed with hosting guests in mind.
In just 10 months, they turned their California bungalow (previously untouched for several decades) into a calming family haven, full of gentle curves and sunshine.
See inside the completed home, built to nurture family life well lived!
The rear view of Jane Kilpatrick’s Northcote family home. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
No.811 Hoffmann chairs by Thonet. Table ceramics by Anna Skermer of Pipkorn Kilpatrick. Vintage Semi Pendant by Gubi. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
The facade has been restored to highlight original Victorian features. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
The living room appreciates natural light from both sides. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
Interior designer Jane Kilpatrick, co-founder of Pipkorn Kilpatrick, lives in this Northcote home with her husband and three sons.
When the family purchased the property in 2016, its original Victorian features were almost completely disguised by exterior metal columns, paired internally with a kaleidoscope of wallpapers, shag pile carpets, and closed off living areas.
With the assistance of Ancher Architecture Office, Jane returned the original home to a calming palette, and added an earthy, optimally oriented extension with outdoor space on three sides.
Jane shares a look inside the beautifully appointed home.
Utzon Stool by Eco Outdoor. Concrete island bench. Photo – Tim Salisbury.
Vessel by Lucy Anderson (Saint Cloche). Photo – Tim Salisbury.
Custom dining table by Cranbrook Workshop. Photo – Tim Salisbury.
The classic facade in all its glory. Photo – Tim Salisbury.
The rear courtyard with the addition clad in custom fluting. HAY Palissade Table and Palissade Dining Armchair from Cult. Photo – Tim Salisbury.
Amongst rows of Sydney’s inner-city terraces, this house stands out from the moment you step inside.
Rather than pursuing a full restoration to revive the home’s character, Akin Atelier used its fragmented state to inspire a new narrative, using warm materials and unexpected details across the soulful interiors.
The classic facade. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
The glass balustrade for the staircase is reminiscent of shoji screens. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
The kitchen looks out into a light-filled courtyard. New Volumes Cove Chair and Echo table by Artedomus. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
Baskets from Pan After. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
The owners behind this heritage-listed terrace in Brunswick East, Melbourne, have a soft spot for terraces.
Having originally met in a similar three-storey sharehouse back in their twenties, the couple were delighted to find a Victorian residence to call home once again — this time, as a sanctuary for their young family.
Renovated with help from Kim Kneipp, the 1890s terrace house now features Japanese-inspired flair and light-filled spaces inside.
The unassuming facade doesn’t show much of the surprisingly large backyard hidden at the rear. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
The kitchen features a Ceppo di gres marble island bench framed in blackbutt timber. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
The brick curves and flat roof details bring a touch of California modernism to the Melbourne home. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
Northcote house no.4 is a renovated Edwardian by Pipkorn Kilpatrick. Photo – Martina Gemmola.
Located in Melbourne’s inner north, this charming Edwardian is a warm, welcoming and well-designed family home.
It’s all thanks to a considered renovation by Pipkorn Kilpatrick. The design studio drew inspiration from Californian modernism to make the most of the wedge-shaped block, creating an updated family home defined by sweeping brick curves and plenty of natural sunlight.
Soft green cabinetry, travertine floors, verde oceania marble, and a stainless steel island bench in the kitchen. Photo – Jody D’Arcy.
The couple spent over two years restoring the front rooms and adding a glamorous Italian-inspired extension connected to the garden and sky. Photo – Jody D’Arcy.
The charm of the original facade has been maintained. Photo – Jody D’Arcy.
‘We wanted a surface where we could make pizzas directly or have drinks with friends without worrying about damage,’ says Zac of the stainless steel island. Photo – Jody D’Arcy.
Architect and director of Zarq Studio Zac Evangelisti and his wife Megan Garden purchased a 1920s Perth home in fair condition, albeit with several ‘bizarre’ and inconsistent modifications.
Its weatherboard addition needed to go, and the original rooms called for a lot of love, but Zac and Megan were attracted to the area and its ‘blank slate’ appeal.
They spent over two years restoring the front rooms and adding a glamorous Italian-inspired extension connected to the garden and sky.
There’s something in every room designed to draw the eye, from textured limewash walls, to swirling marble, and greenery outside cascading from newly established roof gardens.
The clients have transformed the backyard by growing most of the plants from seedlings. Photo – Jack Carlin.
The barn-style ceiling is lined in timber. Dining table designed by Laura McCusker. Photo – Jack Carlin.
Photo – Jack Carlin.
The Victorian facade. Photo – Jack Carlin.
Sliding doors embrace the home’s north-facing backyard. Photo – Jack Carlin.
When SAY Architecture’s clients moved from Tasmania to Melbourne, they wanted to bring their love of the outdoors into their new inner-city weatherboard cottage.
In a considered renovation of their Collingwood home, the period residence has been reinvented with a bold, barn-like extension featuring raw, honest materials — strictly no plasterboard was allowed.
Exposed brick and timber-lined interiors give the house a warm mid-century inspired character, while the small floorplan dedicates more space to the newly planted backyard.
