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When interior designer Leah Hudson-Smith and musician Wally Maloney bought their Northcote home, it was a charming albeit simple cottage devoid of much ornate detailing.
It was only 65 square metres internally (smaller than many two-bedroom apartments), but the couple bought the home for its potential and location, having already rented in the area for several years and loving the lifestyle on offer.
“It has everything we need: great food, good people, and beautiful nature surrounds,’ says Leah of Northcote. ‘Whether it’s a weekend kayak from the boathouse on the river, a bike ride, stroll to the cafe, or dinner on High Street, it’s close to everything and we love it!’
It was always the plan to eventually renovate the neglected cottage (a rental property of 30 years) to take better advantage of the north-facing and site proportions. ‘A “renovators’ delight” I think they call them. It was just what we were looking for!’ says Leah.
After several years and two children (Sonny and Luca, now 7 and 3), they engaged Oscar Sainsbury Architects and builders Best Street Projects to make it happen.
An interior designer, Leah was excited to tackle the interiors herself as part of a ‘dream team’ of collaborators. ‘Being both client and designer meant it was an opportunity for testing ideas and taking risks you wouldn’t necessarily do on someone else’s home’ she says.
‘The added benefit was that I got to choose my team. I worked hard to ensure that we had the right builder and architect to work with – people that shared our values who we would enjoy working intensely with for the duration of the project’.
The renovation saw a lean-to kitchen, outdoor toilet, and backyard sheds demolished to make way for a larger and more thoughtful addition. There’s now three bedrooms in the original house, before the extension that includes a new bathroom/laundry, and the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area designed to sit ‘in’ the garden.
Leah explains, ‘Rather than the typical approach of creating a glazed wall to look through to the yard, we wanted to occupy it – thus the split rear elevation of built-in furniture and sheltered back porch space.
The extension has made the house a generous but still relatively compact 130 square metres. ‘We wanted a small, single-level built footprint for cost efficiency and maximum backyard on the small block,’ says Leah.
Conscious not to reference any particular design style, Leah chose materials that celebrate natural beauty, hence the liberal use of blackbutt timber in the extension.
‘When designed with a considered eye and built with care, the results aren’t just visually beautiful, but you “feel” the space,’ she says. ‘The cork floors are brilliant, sustainable and soft underfoot, and I think every new home should use them!’
It took many years of ‘marinating’ and research but the entire build was completed in seven months, in time for the family of four to celebrate Christmas in the home. Some DIY work helped speed up the process and keep costs down including painting, landscaping, and supplying all the fixtures and fittings. ‘We used a lot of recycled materials and hunted for things on Marketplace – like our kitchen!’
The renovation has improved every element of the home, down to its energy and cost efficiency, achieved through passive solar design principles, recycled materials, and all-electric appliances.
The family appreciate the home most at dusk, when sitting in the big built-in sofa window and watching the flying foxes migrate overhead from Yarra Bend.
