Cheat sheet

Who lives here Architect Ava Shirley and builder Michael Hilton, director of Beach Houses Australia, with their 18-month-old daughter Una, and cats Django and Gatsby.

Style of home A mid-century-inspired dwelling at the rear of an existing property, nestled under two red gums on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Building the new 60-square-metre home took nine months.

The couple spent $1.4 million on buying the property so their budget of $250,000 for the ‘cabin’ was tight.