PAVILION HOUSE

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This relaxed and friendly family home is the result of combining a beautiful existing Californian bungalow with a new north facing garden pavilion, a pool and granny flat within a spacious and sun filled garden setting. The cosy bedrooms are grouped in the Californian bungalow while the kitchen, living and dining rooms stretch out in the new freestanding pavilion that embraces and opens to the lovely garden and overlooks the new pool. The design style is a mix of modern / classic open plan spaces that connect with the outside while still having semi traditional details like architraves, timber weatherboards and french doors. We also rearranged the site by carefully removing intrusive elements like internal fences, outdoor laundry and poorly located carports so that now the property has a well organised and dedicated spaces front front to back.

CLIENT BRIEF

James and Lisa and their two kids came to us with a brief to transform their three bedroom introverted Californian bungalow into a four bedroom house that retained the charm of the bungalow but also opened to the back yard. The house was to provide a great place for the kids to grow up and for the family to relax and entertain. The large property was broken up into small awkward spaces by fences, carports and outhouses and they wanted to unify it into a spacious and relaxed property with a pool. James and Lisa also didn't know whether to extend the house at a single level or go up a level.

DESIGN SOLUTION

We recommended staying on a single level partly to save cost, because there was space available on the ground level and because a single level addition could connect better with the garden. We then proposed to remove the small rear living room and to create a new pavilion that was long and thin in the east west direction thereby creating a north facing kitchen living dining room wing to the house. This strategy also results in a nice long rectangular lawn on the north side of the house. When you are in the new living room pavilion the feeling of sun and peace gives you the sense that you on holiday, having a break from the busy world outside.

Other key aspects of the design:

The pavilion has a traditional sloped gable roof form that ties back aesthetically to the existing house but which also results in a vaulted sloped ceiling inside. This building also has steps to the garden which wrap around and create an elevated platform reminiscent of an (informal) greek temple in the landscape.
The pool is connected to the west end of the pavilion with a small but welcoming BBQ area / verandah space between pool and house.
A series of north facing french doors open to the garden.
A large bi-fold kitchen window that connects to the BBQ area.
The existing house was turned into a bedroom wing and an extra study created.
A carport was installed on the side of the house and a beautiful picket fence built on the front boundary with an automatic door. This in combination with side gate make the house and backyard very private and secure for the kids.
Passive solar design ensures that the north sun streams into the house all day warming up the tiled floor but the hot Western sun in summer is excluded from the house by the louvered BBQ verandah and a motorised canvas awning which gives a holiday feel.
The colour scheme is a coastal mix of cool and complex greys, whites and grey blues in combination with natural timber and brick and a marble kitchen bench.
A compact and yet character filled and highly functional laundry was also added with carefully custom designed and built laundry cupboards, farmhouse sink, broom cupboard and clothes baskets.
A cute second bathroom was designed with herringbone handmade wall tiles.
The new floor to of the open plan space is subtle but sophisticated Italian ceramic large format light grey tiles.
Our interior designer designed the lighting scheme and selected lights that are quirky and contemporary but which still complement the traditional elements of the house. Wall lights and ceiling track lights add to the individual character of the house.
As usual we custom designed the joinery through the house which includes a state of the art kitchen and pantry, a floating tv unit, laundry and banquet seat in the master bedroom.
We designed the landscaped garden to maximise the feeling of space and to allow for kids soccer and cricket.
Sustainability features include water tank, solar pool heater and photovoltaic panels on the roof as well as passive solar design that keep the house warm in summer and cool in winter.
The house is impeccable and tastefully furnished and decorated by its owners James and Lisa.