Farnham is home to illustrator Beck, her builder partner and their three young children. This compact extension to a brick house offers a varied, functional space filled with natural light, outdoor views and playful personality to suit the clients and their family.

The 65-sqm ground-floor addition is a brick volume containing the entry, kitchen, dining and lounge. A concrete reveal frames the large glass doors, an internal courtyard brings illuminates the surrounding spaces. Refined detailing in the kitchen and joinery is relaxed and hardwearing, while pops of bright colour, such as the bright pink door, reflect the clients’ playfulness and fun.

A spiral stair leads to the timber-clad addition upstairs, which contains a guest room and encases a void over the ground floor. With high-level glazing and timber detailing, the void enhances the quality and experience of the family room, infusing it with greater light, loftiness and views.

Animation
Foomannimation by Isobel Knowles

Entry Sequence
The entry is now located in the addition and is accessed via a landscaped garden path along the side of the house. The fluoro-pink spray paint and pops of other bright colours reflect the clients’ sense of playfulness and fun. The entry passage offers a view to the spiral staircase and light-filled courtyard beyond.

Stair
The spiral stair and open shelves maintain the sense of light and openness alongside the courtyard.

Void
A void over the family room brings light into the space and creates a greater sense of spaciousness. Timber detailing around the void provides texture and warmth particularly when illuminated at night.

Back Reveal
A concrete reveal frames the large glass doors, bringing northern light into the living area and connecting the interior to the outside. This reveal provides a garden seat and eave to block the summer sun, as well as rebates for blinds and an operable flyscreen.

Void Glazing
High-level glazing to the east bathes the kitchen and dining area in natural light, with an open pane to purge warm air

Kitchen
The Grey Tundra benchtop is textural enough to withstand the daily use of three children. The pantry is contained within oak veneer joinery along the side of the room with full-length tapered vertical pulls

Extension
The timber-clad first-floor addition contains a study/guest room and encases the void above the family room. Brick on the ground floor and timber-clad on the first floor, with greenery helping to settle the new buildings in their environment.