In a property as small as this, something as simple as moving a staircase can make a major difference to the amount of available space, according to architect Claire McCaughan from Custom Mad.
“The simple act of moving the stair over the bathroom meant the living space was 1m wider – a big deal on a 4.5m wide block!” says McCaughan.
The house is in Balmain, in Sydney’s Inner West, and is on a small 117-square-metre block. Keeping the garden was also a priority for the owners, meaning the footprint of the interiors couldn’t really change.
Changing the orientation and location of the staircase was also a major factor in bringing light into the property.
“Stairs are a really useful in allowing light into dark spaces. If positioned correctly, a window on the first floor can give light to both levels. At Balmain, we put the stair on the darkest side of the terrace,” says McCaughan.
An extra window upstairs also brought light directly into the stairwell. Upstairs, a first floor bathroom funnels hot air from the ground floor out through a skylight in the roof.
The kitchen was designed to be as simple as possible with a wall of storage on one side and a timber and stone bench floating on the wall opposite. The kitchen storage wall also hides a secret door to the bathroom.
In-built joinery was also an important feature in the project – upstairs, a built-in timber furniture piece functions as a chest of drawers that connects to a small corner desk, while downstairs, the floating kitchen bench connects to a low storage bench that runs the length of the living room.
This design makes the most of a small house while keeping to a minimal materials palette. McCaughan says: “It’s called Isabelle’s Place but it’s more like Mary Poppin’s magic bag.”
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