Rawlinson House

a renovation that prioritises efficient planning and outdoor connection

Overview

Designed for a couple who describe themselves as homebodies, this project focuses on creating spaces for cooking and relaxing, allowing them to enjoy downtime at home.

In its current state, this raised 1952 housing commission house does not have a direct connection with the garden or liveable downstairs space. Our renovation moves the kitchen and living areas to the ground level, and introduces a staged entry to mediate the journey from inside to outside. The entry is an indoor/outdoor room designed to capture light and garden views. From the entry, open-plan living areas also provide an outlook to the garden and offer new spaces for leisure.

To optimise the site’s aspect, a new courtyard was introduced at the front of the home. This not only makes the most of the best sunlight, but also connects more directly to the new living spaces. And finally, the upstairs floorplan has been reworked to provide a larger bathroom, second living space, study and larger master bedroom – all of which were designed with the client’s hopes to start a family in mind.

Throughout, a warm material palette reflects the client’s preference for natural materials and provides a neutral background for their collections of oil paintings and ceramics.