Modern classic

A SURPRISE NOTE FROM THE PAST CHANGED THE COURSE OF THIS HOME’S FUTURE

When Bec and David Smith started planning their renovation, they wanted an ultra-contemporary design, within the bounds of the area’s heritage requirements. But when a letter from the house’s original builders dating back to 1902 fell out from behind an architrave, David and Bec chose to preserve the original house, adding a modern edge to the rear with a cantilevered ‘cube’.

BRINGING IT TOGETHER

The updated plans imagined a new life for the site, while respecting its history. Bec had been collecting cantilevered building looks from magazines, and David had long been a fan of the vertical groove Axon Cladding. Together with their builder Kane Harrison, the Smiths were able to get precisely the look they wanted; a slick, minimalist, modern addition that was also a family-friendly living area.

NEW BEGINNINGS

Today, when you pass through the house down the original timber hallway with its pretty rosettes and period features, you arrive in a stunning, spacious family area in a modern, vertically clad structure that reminds David of a ‘floating box’.

BEAUTIFUL, INSIDE AND OUT

Carefully placed features link the old and new, such as the Sydney sandstone wall and clever use of fittings. Not just beautiful on the inside, the attention to detail on the exterior has made this build truly exceptional. Axon cladding with 400mm groove spacing was used for the new cantilevered section, painted in Dulux Stepney Grey and featuring a subtle vertical groove that’s reminiscent of vertical joint timber. More than just a pretty facade, the Axon cladding cleverly hides the roofline and solar panels, giving the modern section its clean lines and angles. And because it’s extremely durable and weathers well, the Smiths don’t have to spend their weekends maintaining it. Instead, they enjoy their family home with its attention to detail and craftsmanship that would have made the original builders proud. The new extension is a stunning addition to the original house, with a focus on detail that extends from the style of cladding to the colour scheme, bringing the two together.