Changing Times A former vicarage in Melbourne is now blessed with space, functionality and style.

Having spotted the potential of this Federation vicarage, one Melbourne couple decided to transform it into a home for all ages.

Seven years ago, the owners of this innerMelbourne property were seeking a new home that could grow with their family. With five children under the age of 14, space was top of the wish list. Set on a 1200-square-metre site, this house seemed ideal. The Federation home was built in 1907 as a vicarage for the nearby church and still offers hints of its heritage, including a crucifix embedded in the timber surrounding the front door. “There were still little maid’s bells in one of the smaller rooms and beautiful tessellated floor tiles in the foyer,” says the owner.

While the home’s heritage features and the amount of space appealed, some work was needed to bring it into the 21st century. The couple called on architect Clare Cousins, briefing her and her team to create a home that was robust and not at all precious, with areas for both adults and children to separately entertain their friends. It was important to retain a sense of the home’s history too.

Clare says they were fortunate that the original part of the house was in reasonably good condition, so the project mainly involved refreshing the existing structure and extending at the rear to give the family space to sprawl. As a bonus, the extension would improve the home’s indoor-outdoor connection too.

The first step was to slightly reconfigure the floor plan to better suit 21st-century family living. The home now has two entryways. The original, via a portico, acts as a formal entrance; the second, a glazed ‘link’ between old and new, bypasses private rooms at the front to lead familiar visitors directly to the living spaces at the rear of the house. Down the hall from the formal entrance, a small room adjacent to the existing main bedroom was transformed into a dressing room and luxe ensuite, creating a much-needed parents’ sanctuary. The front part of the house also accommodates an additional bedroom, plus a sitting room, library and study, ensuring there’s always somewhere quiet to retreat to. The owners also desired a super-practical laundry on the scale needed for a family of seven. To make it so, Clare combined the existing laundry with a neighbouring bedroom.

As well as the main house, the property included a freestanding brick guesthouse and a garage that blocked natural light from entering the home. In place of the now-demolished outbuildings is a two-storey tower-like extension with contemporary open-plan kitchen/dining/ living area at ground level and four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a family room on the first floor.

In the kitchen, a monolithic island finished in cloudlike Colonial White granite acts as a pivot point between zones. Measuring 2x3 metres, the island offers plenty of room at the bench for the children to enjoy a snack, do homework or simply sit and chat to the cook. When friends or extended family visit, the adjacent dining zone gets a real workout. A beautifully tactile timber setting by Australian furniture designer Adam Goodrum is the star in this space.

While the original portion of the home had smaller windows and tended to look in on itself, the kitchen, diningandlivingareasweredeliberatelyplacedtoconnect the interior with the garden. The alfresco dining area, for example, is thoughtfully framed by a low brick wall that doubles as extra seating when entertaining.

The owners say they absolutely love the natural patina of recycled brick, so using this material for the addition was a given. They had seen and admired a number of Clare’s previous projects, many of which feature recycled bricks.Whilesomeofthebrickscamefromthedemolition of the existing guesthouse and garage, many more were sourced from salvage yards. “Recycled bricks were the perfect choice here: they tie in with the heritage of the century-old house plus deliver lovely texture and a feeling of warmth overall,” says Clare.

Arches, another unifying thread, appear throughout. “Curves are visually softer than rectangles,” says Clare. “Here, the archways act as a counterpoint to the angular extension and are very useful for framing key vistas. The open sightlines add to the feeling of light and space and enhance the connection to the garden.”

The whole family adores the dramatic heritage-meetsmodern home. “We are thrilled with the way it has turned out, both in terms of looks and liveability,” says the owner. “We will definitely be here for years to come.” Clare Cousins Architects, North Melbourne,

Victoria; (03) 9329 2888 or clarecousins.com.au. Eckersley Garden Architecture, Richmond, Victoria; (03) 9981 9585 or e-ga.com.au.

| PHOTOGRAPHY Derek Swalwell

KITCHEN Two of the owners’ children enjoy the sophisticated yet family-friendly space. Kitchen island in Colonial White granite from Gladstones Granite & Marble. Icon mixer tap, Astra Walker. Muuto ‘Fiber’ stools, In Good Company. Wall-side benchtop in Caesarstone Fresh Concrete. The bricks (rear wall) are sandbagged in a custom render. American oak joinery by E&M Creative Cabinets. Bertazzoni X122 upright cooker. Argyle Albany rangehood, Qasair.

LIVING 107 Vintage Spanish chair, Angelucci 20th Century. Nook modular sofa, Jardan. Ivy coffee table, Grazia & Co. Gubi ‘Cobra’ wall light, In Good Company. Wood fireplace, Cheminées Philippe. Custom firewood holder. Rug, Saffars Fine Rug Collection. Sliding doors, Whetstone Windows & Doors.

LIBRARY This page and opposite right Vintage armchair and sofa. Lambert & Fils ‘Waldorf’ suspension light, Living Edge. Nemo Lighting ‘Lampe de Marseille Mini’ wall light, Cult. Braid Weave rug, Armadillo. Flo small table by Patricia Urquiola. Shutters, Barlow & Hunt. Banquette cushion covered in Sunbrella Heritage Denim. HALLWAY Opposite, top left Original floor tiles. Lambert & Fils ‘Laurent 10’ pendant lights, Living Edge. LIVING Opposite, bottom left Nau ‘Aran’ sofa and &tradition ‘Hoof’ side table, both Cult. Vintage trunk. Original stained glass. Rug, Halcyon Lake Rugs & Carpets. 109

111 MAIN BEDROOM Above left and opposite Lewis bed, Jardan. Compact 04 suspension light, Douglas & Bec. Astep VV Cinquanta wall light, Hub Furniture. Moller #63 bench, Great Dane. Shutters, Barlow & Hunt. Vintage cabinet and mirror. STUDY Custom built-in desk. Lambert & Fils ‘Waldorf’ wall light, Living Edge. Molloy chair by Adam Goodrum for Nau from Cult. MAIN ENSUITE Grigio Orsola tiles and benchtop, all Artedomus. Tapware and basins, all Astra Walker.

BARBECUE AREA Kamado Joe barbecue smoker, available from Barbeques Galore. Molloy dining table and chairs (inside dining zone) by Adam Goodrum for Nau, Cult. ENTRY LINK Below Glazing on both sides of the link draws light into the home and creates a lovely connection to the garden by Eckersley Garden Architecture.

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