OPENNESS IN THE RIGHT MEASURE
An 1870s Heritage-listed sandstone semi, an unusually angular floor plan and a brief to create the opposite of open-plan living was a breath of fresh air for Dock4 Architects.
DOCK4 ARCHITECTS’ thoughtful renovation of an 1870s Heritage-listed sandstone terrace has filled SAM LEISHMAN’S home with colour and light, while giving it a sense of openness — but not too much.
Sam, a registered nurse, purchased his inner-city Hobart terrace on a whim during a Christmas break in 1999. “I saw the house in a real estate window,” says Sam. “It seemed much better value than the tiny flats I was looking at in Sydney so I put in an offer the same day.”
Sam returned to Hobart, his hometown, after six years of letting the house out, then lived in it for another six before approaching Dock4 Architect’s Richard Loney about demolishing and rebuilding the back of the house.
Ample time in the unrenovated house made Sam very clear about priorities. “If someone asked me for [renovation] advice, I’d tell them not to rush into anything,” he says. “I wanted to fill the house with as much light as possible, and make the new part somehow distinct, or separate, from the old,” says Sam. “And people have always naturally migrated to the kitchen, so I also wanted to continue that feeling.”
Today, Sam shares the terrace with friend, Andrew Christian, and 10-month old spaniel, Gilbert. His workplace is just a few blocks away, and house guests are spoilt for positive first impressions.
The new living room, with a wildly colourful work by pop artist Johnny Romeo at its centre, is small and “battle axe shaped”, according to Sam.
They begin at the front door - a huge piece of timber that glides open on cue. “It’s almost as if the whole wall opens,” says Sam. “Gracefully pivoting doors are Richard’s specialty.”
Behind the door, one finds an interior full of natural light, and kitchen with instant, quirky charm. Not one for convention, Sam painted the walls vibrant French Blue, and the colour’s freshness is matched by shiny copper chairs and light fittings chosen by Richard.
“The kitchen is a lovely amalgamation of the architect’s contribution and the bits and pieces I have collected over the years,” says Sam. Among these “bits and pieces” are two small oils by Sandro Nocentini and Jo Vintiner of a Mudgee cow and fish, respectively, a pop artwork by Nigel Sense, bright Art Deco china toucans above the stove, and a Ned Kelly puppet made from recycled cutlery and an old pewter cup from Paddington market. All quirky, mostly colourful, additions.
The brief was for a better, lighter kitchen, but not a complicated one. “I like cooking, but there’s nothing Masterchef about what I do,” says Sam. “The kitchen has a stove, bench, sink, table, fridge and drawers – that’s it! I have no need for a dishwasher or microwave.”
Brickwork preserved from the original hearth now frames a gloss black, Belling wood-fired stove, which is perfect for the slow cooking and old-style puddings Sam enjoys preparing for friends. An architect-designed, square oak table – with a built-in, removable chopping board and castors for portability – is now the room’s centerpiece.
The new kitchen was always a social magnet, only now daylight pours in through a large vertical window that also frames a hearty flowering laurel tree. “Yesterday ten of us were sitting around the table planning our next walk to Frenchman’s Cap over breakfast,” says Sam. “It was lovely.”
The relocated entrance, with its impressive pivoting door, stands between the terrace’s new and old sections, and a dilapidated lean-to bathroom and brick garden shed were knocked down to make way for the former, comprises of a modern living room and bathroom.
Four separate outdoor areas – a front yard, large outside courtyard, internal courtyard, and a fountain-pond at the rear boundary – contribute to the house’s newfound lightness while connecting indoor and outdoor spaces. “All let light into the house at different times of the day,” says Richard.
Preserved artefacts create another sort of connectivity, one between new and old: outdoor landscaping by Jethro Plunkett
The relocated entrance, with its impressive pivoting door, stands between the terrace’s new and old sections.
“There is quite a bit of circulation space in this small house, so movement from one part to another becomes a small journey.”
utilised recycled railway sleepers from Smithton, and bricks from the original shed. The latter were repurposed as barbecue and garden borders and steps. In the same spirit, elements of the original kitchen stove hang on the back fence, and a builder’s scrawls and measurements can be found on a living room wall. “They are part of the house’s story,” says Sam. “So they’re going to stay.”
The fountain-pond at the back of the living room is a slightly eccentric water feature that sends the sound of moving water through the ground floor – particularly in fine weather when all the doors are open. The sound also effectively neutralises traffic noise from the highway and main road that bookend the property.
The new living room, with a wildly colourful work by pop artist Johnny Romeo at its centre, is small and “battle axe shaped”, according to Sam. Nonetheless, an abundance of light from large vertical panes creates
a bright and inviting space. The room also partially opens out to the courtyard for inside-out entertaining.
While light, openness, and connectivity characterise Sam’s invigorated terrace, it is still possible to close a door for privacy and a sense of cosiness. “Andrew or I can be at one end of the house watching telly without disturbing each other,” he says. And the balance between social and private spaces is also facilitated by a separate sleeping zone on the top floor of the old part of the building.
Every aspect of this long-awaited renovation is deemed successful by Sam, greatly enhancing his quality of life. He believes its success is as much to do with Richard’s skill as with clear priorities.
Priorities based on instinct and common sense, rather than trends. “Lots of terrace renovations involve simply knocking down walls to create open plan spaces,” says Sam. “But I deliberately didn’t want to do just that. There is quite a bit of circulation space in this small house, so movement from one part to another becomes a small journey. It is the opposite of open plan living, and works remarkably well, particularly for this colder climate.”