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As an architect, seeing ways to bring new life to your own home comes with the job.
CLO Architecture director Caitlin Lonn knows this feeling all too well. When she found herself rethinking her 1960s mid-century Brisbane home, she decided to work within a considered $300k budget to bring her vision for the house to life.
After five years of living here with her partner, Jonathan Quintanar, and their dog, Guzman, Caitlin knew the house had plenty going for it — great bones, lots of character — but it was also showing its age.
The paint and plasterboard were peeling, and the only outdoor space was a fully enclosed asbestos patio on the north-west side that limited airflow and light. The tiny kitchen and dining room also made hosting awkward.
‘We love to entertain, so the brief was to create spaces where we could have friends over and make the most of the Queensland weather,’ Caitlin explains.
‘As an architect designing for myself, the hardest part was sticking to the budget and not getting carried away with ideas. Having a clear scope and a long-term master plan helped – any idea that didn’t fit this stage has a place in a future one.’
Caitlin and Jonathan worked solely on the ground floor in this renovation — leaving the upper level, bedrooms and bathrooms — helping them to stay within their budget constraints.
‘We weren’t trying to do everything at once. This stage was designed so that it will complement the future works, rather than be undone by them,’ she says.
The outcome is a new kitchen and dining area with a light-filled, spacious living extension opening to a new patio and backyard through bi-fold doors.
‘The kitchen has made a huge difference to how we entertain and host; everyone gathers around the island. But what we’re most proud of is that we’ve kept the character of the original home, while making it work for our lifestyle and our growing family.’
The home’s original natural timber floors continue in the extension, and varied ceiling heights create unique atmospheres in each space.
‘The connection to the outdoors has changed the whole feeling of the house. Even though the extension has a small footprint, it has transformed how the entire home feels — the living room feels like it’s part of the garden,’ says Caitlin.
They also took inspiration from modern Mexican architecture.
‘Jonathan is from Mexico City, and over the years we’ve spent a lot of time there together. The warmth of the materials, the richness of colour and the way everyday life spills outdoors have stayed with us, and we wanted this house to bring a little of that feeling home to Brisbane,’ she says.
The terracotta tiles are a personal connection for Jonathan while also paying homage to the home’s orange brickwork exterior.
‘Living through it ourselves, on a tight budget, has given us first-hand insight into what our clients go through — and shown how much a considered, well-scoped design can achieve without having to do everything at once.’
