Style and charm were important, but a whole of property, whole of lifestyle approach was needed. A cook’s kitchen and pantry, room for a piano, an open sunny deck to the north, a workshop and study space, and most importantly a productive food garden. Not to mention chooks and remote power for the caravan. A large, enclosed food garden was designed as a centre point and incorporated into the program.
The building was stripped to a skeleton, rudely adjusted, rewired and replumbed and then re-clad internally and externally. The front door was hand built, timber panels under windows included to complement the cladding, a couple of neat trusses built on site and a kitchen materialized from a jumble of cupboards.
Eighteen months later espaliered fruit trees are heavy with fruit, and the latest in automatically watered wicking beds are producing an overflow of fresh vegetables. A third of the workshop is a high tech office, and the remainder holds tools, benches and storage. The house inside just feels ‘right’, as though this family has been here a long while. We are all happy!
