DESIGN IT.
“The bungalow has two brick columns at the front then these cool rendered pyramids on top, so we took the language of those when we were thinking about the extension at the back and what it could be,” says architect Monique. To help Samara and Dan understand how the shapes would translate to a raked ceiling, Monique and her team made a balsa-wood model of the project with the new extension. “It really helped,” says Samara.
Underpinning a fabulous form was a strong focus on functionality. “We always ask ourselves ‘How do you get the groceries into the house really quickly?’”says Monique. “We created a new informal entry that comes right into the guts of the kitchen.” The side door at the back of the kitchen has the added bonus of providing cross ventilation and welcoming natural light.
The kitchen itself is packed with storage to face the demands of family life. There’s even a hidden ironing station worked into the island bench. “It means the ritual of ironing can be done in the main space – the hero area of the house,” says Monique. “We thought if you were spending any time ironing it would be better to be in that space than cooped up in a small room.”