Style and substance … the home not only looks good, it's eco-friendly. Photo: Armelle Habib
When it came to renovating their family home, product designer Anke Kindle and her partner, furniture-maker Byron Raleigh, found that simply following your heart isn't always as easy at it sounds, and that perseverance certainly pays off.
It took more than 18 months to find a building designer who shared the couple's vision for creating an efficient, environmentally responsible and comfortable home. "Everyone we spoke to wanted us to build a monolithic box, when we just wanted to create an honest structure by simplifying the layout, and by staying true to the home's period," says Anke.
Another 18 months after meeting their "amazing" building designer, Bryce Renzow of Household Joinery, Anke, Byron, and their children, Oliver, 6, and Myrtle, almost 3, are thrilled with the transformation of their home in Melbourne's inner-northern suburb of Northcote. "We managed to utilise modern technologies, yet still retain the character of the home," says Anke, who believes the house was built in 1917.
Click for more photos
Home of the week
Jane Hall's home in Melbourne. Photo: Armelle Habib
"Byron demolished the rear of the house, then we rebuilt it to create a kitchen and living area with an adjacent bathroom, laundry and toilet - all without extending its original footprint. We also installed solar panels on the roof, five 2000-litre water tanks under the house, and insulated the walls, ceilings and subfloor."
The most popular feature of the new space is the window seat made by Byron with salvaged timber. "It's definitely the most sought-after seat in the house," says Anke. "It looks out over the rooftops and onto the Merri Creek valley, and has various functions at different times of the day – a dressing room for little people in the morning, a lookout during the day, and a leisure place for reading or talking at night."
From Sunday Life
