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Open personality - Renovation optimising usable space by Tse:Wallace Architects
Open personality - Renovation optimising usable space by Tse:Wallace Architects from Renovation Trends volume 2714
It doesn't take planning permission and a new wing to unlock usable space in your home. Some strategic changes to your existing interior can bring a world of space-saving functionality.
This villa was renovated in two stages. A previous owner had asked architects Liz Wallace and Rochelle Tse of Tse:Wallace to reinvent the kitchen, dining area and laundry to optimise use of the long but narrow footprint – just 3.5m wide. The project also had to improve light penetration into the area which was dark and claustrophobic due to the lean-to roof typical of a home of this era. On the strength of this look, the present owner asked that the living room and two upstairs bedrooms be given a similar, airy treatment, says Wallace.
"On the initial fit-out, we reconfigured the space – setting the kitchen, laundry and toilet to one side of the volume, to optimise spatial flow," says Wallace. "With the kitchen open to the seating area, we tucked a walk-in pantry under the stairs – an efficient use of this dead area."
Two long skylights were added to the lean-to, bringing light deep into the open-plan area. Double doors at the end of the room create an easy connection to a new rear courtyard.
The second stage was a collaborative effort by owner Bill Carden-Horton and Tse:Wallace. This involved opening up the front room to connect with the renovated area – creating a long, gallery-like space that would be an appropriate environment for Carden-Horton's collection of artworks.
To achieve this, a doorway was taken out, leaving an open volume. While the rooms are narrow, the ceiling is high – now, with the wall gone, the ceiling flows the length of the house.
"Painting the walls and joinery uniformly white adds to the gallery feel and makes the spaces look bigger. A limited colour palette also accentuates the horizontal flow – leading the eye, uninterrupted, right down the interior."
Upstairs, the master bedroom and a modest second bedroom were also reinvented by the designer – in both rooms, Wallace built the bed into a custom wardrobe.
The owner says the sense of space and light along with new wall linings and heating have given the villa a welcoming character.
Despite presenting a narrow profile to the street, this house has been renovated on the inside by Tse:Wallace Architects to optimise usable space.
Architect Liz Wallace introduced a window seat with concealed storage in the existing bay window. The interior provides an appropriate backdrop to the owner's art collection.
A single ceiling plane and hardwood floors run the length of the home. A floor-to-ceiling sliding door – suggested by the owner – can separate the rooms.
The tiled kitchen backsplash continues the simple colour palette but provides textural interest. A dark wall niche and the cabinet hardware accentuate the horizontal nature of the design.
The flooring extends in similar style out onto the new deck.
The home's stairway, painted white and enhanced with a photographic artwork, continues the gallery-like experience. Three pendant lights add to the dramatic effect and help draw attention to the generous height of the stairwell.
The custom wardrobes were designed to finish shy of the ceiling. This enhances the sense of space, as does the cabinetry mirror, which is set flush. The built-in cabinetry contains plenty of storage options, avoiding the need for other furniture pieces. The oak cabinets are similar to the kitchen cabinetry, helping draw the two levels together.
Credit List
Architect and interior design
:
Liz Wallace ANZIA, NZRAB, Rochelle Tse, Tse Wallace Architects (Wellington)
Owner
:
Bill Carden-Horton
Blinds
:
New Zealand Window Shades
Wall tiles
:
Interni by Ceramica Vogue from Jacobsen
Window and door hardware
:
Chant lever, Katalog recessed sliding door handle
Skylights
:
Roto ventilated
Flooring
:
Solid Tasmanian oak timber overlay flooring
Lighting
:
Victo pendant from Simon James; stairwell lighting from Bo Concept
Kitchen cabinet maker
:
Matriks Joinery & Furniture Solutions
Oven, cooktop
:
Fisher and Paykel, available from Kitchen Things
Stairway art
:
Jess Maccagno
Story by Charles Moxham
Photography by Paul McCredie
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