Inspired conversion
When two architects buy a renovator’s delight, the result is sure to be awe-inspiring. Some say first impressions are everything. But architect couple Jane and Richard Foster were left underwhelmed when they first wandered through an open house in Peregian Beach. Their response was a fairly straightforward “yuck”. In a state of disrepair, the home’s timber balustrades and external stairs had decayed, the roof was asbestos and the cavity brick interior was dark and dingy. Its prime position overlooking the ocean was also compromised by a low roofline, which meant the view was almost entirely lost.
Despite its flaws, the property did have several redeeming features. “We just kept coming back to look at it because we were really excited by the position,” Jane recalls. “Other people we spoke to about the house said it was only presented to them as a knockdown. Although a lot was unsalvageable, the brick shell was really solid,” Richard adds. Living in a lovely house in Pt Arkwright, the couple agonised over whether they wanted to take on such a huge renovation. But after their third walk-through the pair were sold on its location, just a short walk from the beach and their Foster Designs office in Peregian Square.
Pooling their expertise to transform the split-level property, they set themselves a challenge to keep as many walls as possible and use the existing frame, rather than extend. “One of the main aims of the renovation was to get the horizon back by changing the pitch of the roof and finding an economical way of opening the house up to the east and the north,” Richard explains. Gutting the entire top level, rooms were reconfigured to create an open-plan and light-filled layout. The kitchen, which once boasted the best vantage point in the house, was moved to the north-west to take advantage of winter sun. In its place a new living and dining area was designed with a large picture box window to the north-east.
Although the original veranda ran the length of the house, a new shorter and wider deck was built to create a more functional space, with glass balustrades added to create unimpeded views across the tree tops and out to the ocean. “When we were designing the layout we made a decision that we were really going to live upstairs, outside on the deck,” Richard says of the space, which flows seamlessly out from the inside living areas via stacking glass doors. “We repitched the roof to a shallower pitch to obtain more light on the deck and living/dining area behind, too. The steel beams, which enabled us to raise the window heights out to the deck, also helped in letting in more light and improving our views,” he adds.
With a talented team of builders from Gauld Project Services working on the house, Jane explains great care was taken to preserve the integrity of the original timber floorboards. “Because we removed internal stairs there was a big gap left in the floor where the living area is. So the builders selectively removed boards from our bedroom floor, which we carpeted, and cut them to fit,” she says. Admiring the patina of the hardwood floors, Richard points out the varying shades and shapes reveal the home’s history. “Because the sun has discoloured the timber you can see where the kitchen ended and where the old hallway and walls were,” he says.
Salvaged timber from beams and external fascia boards were also incorporated in the redesign. They were transformed into a bespoke western red cedar vanity in the powder room and feature as hardwood balustrades for the balcony overlooking the entrance void. Downstairs, the old layout — a granny flat, combined bathroom/toilet and makeshift kitchen — resembled a rabbit warren. A new laundry, bathroom and toilet were installed where the previous amenities sat, while a designated living area and studio space were created at either end of the house.
Bedrooms for their children, Ellen and Hugh, and a guest bedroom were positioned along the front of the house to benefit from the easterly aspect. To modernise the dark cavity brick, walls were painted in Dulux White on White, which also helped enhance the feeling of space. The bedrooms were carpeted, while the living areas were finished with large grey tiles. Upstairs, a neutral palette and timeless finishes were chosen to ensure the view and selected artworks remained the central focus.
With a leafy backdrop on the block, windows in the kitchen frame the greenery, while an alcove for art in the living area was painted Resene’s Tapa, with fabric in a similar shade of grey chosen to recover dining chairs. Thrilled with the final result, Jane and Richard could not be happier. “What I love most is waking up and looking out to the water. It makes me so pleased we’re living here. We’re lucky to have the view,” Jane says. “And it is incredibly relaxed. Hugh loves it because he’s close to the skate park and Ellen can walk to her friends’ place and the beach.”
Story: Kylie Jackes, weekender Issue 633, July 1st, 2010.
When two architects buy a renovator’s delight, the result is sure to be awe-inspiring. Some say first impressions are everything. But architect couple Jane and Richard Foster were left underwhelmed when they first wandered through an open house in Peregian Beach. Their response was a fairly straightforward “yuck”. In a state of disrepair, the home’s timber balustrades and external stairs had decayed, the roof was asbestos and the cavity brick interior was dark and dingy. Its prime position overlooking the ocean was also compromised by a low roofline, which meant the view was almost entirely lost.
Despite its flaws, the property did have several redeeming features. “We just kept coming back to look at it because we were really excited by the position,” Jane recalls. “Other people we spoke to about the house said it was only presented to them as a knockdown. Although a lot was unsalvageable, the brick shell was really solid,” Richard adds. Living in a lovely house in Pt Arkwright, the couple agonised over whether they wanted to take on such a huge renovation. But after their third walk-through the pair were sold on its location, just a short walk from the beach and their Foster Designs office in Peregian Square.
Pooling their expertise to transform the split-level property, they set themselves a challenge to keep as many walls as possible and use the existing frame, rather than extend. “One of the main aims of the renovation was to get the horizon back by changing the pitch of the roof and finding an economical way of opening the house up to the east and the north,” Richard explains. Gutting the entire top level, rooms were reconfigured to create an open-plan and light-filled layout. The kitchen, which once boasted the best vantage point in the house, was moved to the north-west to take advantage of winter sun. In its place a new living and dining area was designed with a large picture box window to the north-east.
Although the original veranda ran the length of the house, a new shorter and wider deck was built to create a more functional space, with glass balustrades added to create unimpeded views across the tree tops and out to the ocean. “When we were designing the layout we made a decision that we were really going to live upstairs, outside on the deck,” Richard says of the space, which flows seamlessly out from the inside living areas via stacking glass doors. “We repitched the roof to a shallower pitch to obtain more light on the deck and living/dining area behind, too. The steel beams, which enabled us to raise the window heights out to the deck, also helped in letting in more light and improving our views,” he adds.
With a talented team of builders from Gauld Project Services working on the house, Jane explains great care was taken to preserve the integrity of the original timber floorboards. “Because we removed internal stairs there was a big gap left in the floor where the living area is. So the builders selectively removed boards from our bedroom floor, which we carpeted, and cut them to fit,” she says. Admiring the patina of the hardwood floors, Richard points out the varying shades and shapes reveal the home’s history. “Because the sun has discoloured the timber you can see where the kitchen ended and where the old hallway and walls were,” he says.
Salvaged timber from beams and external fascia boards were also incorporated in the redesign. They were transformed into a bespoke western red cedar vanity in the powder room and feature as hardwood balustrades for the balcony overlooking the entrance void. Downstairs, the old layout — a granny flat, combined bathroom/toilet and makeshift kitchen — resembled a rabbit warren. A new laundry, bathroom and toilet were installed where the previous amenities sat, while a designated living area and studio space were created at either end of the house.
Bedrooms for their children, Ellen and Hugh, and a guest bedroom were positioned along the front of the house to benefit from the easterly aspect. To modernise the dark cavity brick, walls were painted in Dulux White on White, which also helped enhance the feeling of space. The bedrooms were carpeted, while the living areas were finished with large grey tiles. Upstairs, a neutral palette and timeless finishes were chosen to ensure the view and selected artworks remained the central focus.
With a leafy backdrop on the block, windows in the kitchen frame the greenery, while an alcove for art in the living area was painted Resene’s Tapa, with fabric in a similar shade of grey chosen to recover dining chairs. Thrilled with the final result, Jane and Richard could not be happier. “What I love most is waking up and looking out to the water. It makes me so pleased we’re living here. We’re lucky to have the view,” Jane says. “And it is incredibly relaxed. Hugh loves it because he’s close to the skate park and Ellen can walk to her friends’ place and the beach.”
Story: Kylie Jackes, weekender Issue 633, July 1st, 2010.
