Lovell Burton's Carlton Cottage: The Architects' Rethink Their Own Melbourne Home

"From the street, the 1870s cottage of architects Stephanie Burton and Joseph Lovell, in an inner-city suburb of Melbourne, Australia, is as modest as the homes that surround it-compact, humble bungalows likely built for those who worked in what was formerly a hat factory located in the rear alley. From the back, a new two-story extension, featuring more glass than wall, is its opposite-spacious, modern, and airy."

"The addition, the couple's first project for themselves, was spurred by a yearning to create a home that could accommodate their family's needs as their children age. When they initially purchased the cottage, they were attracted to the neighborhood's walkabililty, but the property itself left much to be desired. "The word 'buried' was often cited, with virtually no cross ventilation and little charm," they say of its original state."

"Unlike so many additions that seem to be inelegantly slapped onto original structures, this extension, though completely different in style from the cottage, feels in conversation with it thanks to a breezeway, across an inner garden, that connects the two buildings. The added benefit of this together-but-separate layout is more privacy as the children move on to their teenage years: the extension has a lofted bedroom that can one day be a main bedroom for the couple or a refuge for the kids."

The 1870s cottage sits modestly on the street, surrounded by compact bungalows, with a rear two-story extension that emphasizes glass over wall. The street-facing four-room cottage was restored on a modest budget to contain private functions: two bedrooms, a study, and a bathroom. The new extension houses public functions within an atrium-like open kitchen, living, and dining area. A breezeway across an inner garden connects the old and new buildings, creating separation and privacy as children age. The lofted bedroom in the extension offers future flexibility as a main bedroom or a retreat. Tall pivot glass doors blur inside and outside.

Read at Remodelista