CosyCo by Drawing Room Architecture + Brave New Eco
The cosy, sustainably renovated Californian bungalow.
The handsome solid red brick Californian in Coburg in Melbourne’s North was inward looking with a shabby asbestos-clad lean-to extension closing it off from the garden. The clients, Sarah and Ben love living and eating outside so wanted to improve the connection to the garden and carve out a space for sheltered outdoor dining. They imagined a laundry for muddy gumboots and glass jars full of cuttings, a kitchen that can work hard, looking equally good when in chaos or clean and tidy.
The clients wanted a home bathed in sunlight; a space that felt generous, retaining the lofty spaciousness of the existing period home. A home for a family to grow with spaces that allow for separation and connection. A home that allows the family to be within reach, sight lines to children whilst allowing autonomy. Rooms for the family to retreat to and a guest room for out-of-town relatives to stay.
The challenge was to cohesively blend the charm of the existing heritage home with the contemporary extension. The rear layout of the house was flipped so that the kitchen/living/dining all interfaced the garden. Balancing the client’s desire for connection and privacy. This project was a dream collaboration where the architect, interior designer, client and builder all worked together to carve out a form and, together slowly honed each detail to create a whole.
- Words by Brave New Eco
Sustainable features of the house:
Drying racks in the laundry and fold down washing line reduce the need for power hungry dryer.
2x4000L slimeline water tanks pump back to laundry and toilet flushing
Compost bin built in to kitchen bench top.
Repurposed existing sliding doors to cosy lounge. Re-used existing clawfoot bath. Re-used Sarah's grandfather's bakelite shed handle to hallway door.
New windows timber-framed Argon-filled double-glazed windows.
Replaced drafty original floors in the existing house with new floorboards, insulating underneath the floors throughout.
Adding wall and ceiling insulation throughout.
Healthy radiant hydronic heating.
Living, dining and kitchen areas oriented to the north. Glazing to south and west minimised.
The passive solar design includes fixed shading to the north for the summer sun.
Passive ventilation includes security door to front door for night purging.
Installed ceiling fans throughout.
Lined curtains.
LOW VOC paints and timber sealants.
Brass tapware and door hardware - no chrome. Locally manufactured.
FSC certified engineered floorboards.
Used low maintenance exterior colorbond cladding and brick to reduce maintenance.
