It’s a story as previous as time; ‘The worst home on the most effective avenue’ that’s nicely overdue for a makeover. This was the state of Henry II, a traditional double fronted villa in Northcote, Melbourne, in dire want of a metamorphosis.
Now, after a respectful restoration of the unique home and a sweeping new modern two-storey addition by Altereco, Henry II is befitting its spot on avenue.
From stated avenue, the house retains its stunning heritage look. ‘A cleanly restored facade and gardens ensures the road enchantment is nothing out of the abnormal,’ explains James Goodlet, director of Altereco.
The ‘wow issue’ is saved for the transition into the brand new addition, which contains a hovering three metre excessive ceiling, giant home windows that invite the outside in and curved timber-battened ‘pods’, one containing a rest room, the opposite concealing the stairwell to the second storey.
James labored together with his shopper, inside designer Renee Richards of Ochre Studio, on the inside. They selected a standout marmoreal white terrazzo benchtop for the kitchen, burnished concrete flooring and sculptural timber battens within the new addition. These heat materials selections are mirrored within the unique a part of the house the place unique timber flooring and painted bricks are the hero.
The choice by Renee to interact Altereco within the restoration and renovation of this dwelling was a straightforward one. In spite of everything, they’d designed an award-winning home, nicknamed Stompbox, on the identical avenue, for her again in 2014.
‘The primary inspiration for Henry II was the final home we designed for these shoppers; Stompbox,’ explains James. ‘They wished a barely bigger model of this to permit for his or her rising household.’
Key design options within the new construct such because the curved timber ‘pods’ that body the opening to the brand new addition the place the primary residing space, kitchen and eating are located had been immediately impressed by Stompbox.
‘It was fairly a singular design expertise,’ says James. ‘We had been in a position to mirror on our previous experiences and inherent shared information of the final challenge; what labored nicely for them and what could possibly be improved.’
Their earlier laundry format, as an illustration, was ‘good’ and due to this fact replicated precisely within the new home. The curved timbers pods are a nod to the pantry and ensuite within the earlier dwelling, too, and the en suite, which is described as a ‘room inside a room’, labored so nicely that this was additionally translated into the brand new dwelling.
As James notes, ‘If it ain’t broke, you don’t repair it!’
