The Kingsville House by Olaver Architecture was a heritage weatherboard home on a compact site, with a rear laneway, east-west orientation, and adjoining neighbour to the south. Emlyn Olaver highlights that while the site restrictions and heritage overlay presented challenges, they were also the ‘driving factors’ in resolving the design.

Emlyn describes how the initial renovations saw the three-bedroom weatherboard reconfigured to transform the front bedroom into the master. However, heritage restrictions prohibited this adaptation, and necessitated a different approach. He acknowledges ‘like most challenges, we feel it turned out for the better.’

The final design is characterised by countless clever design solutions that make the contained site feel spacious. For instance, the centrally located kitchen and living area may be small, but the integration of dining table seating into the island bench maximises space in the busiest part of the home. Large sliding windows open out to the central courtyard, and the parents’ quarters are placed along the rear laneway to create a sense of separation.

This kid and pet-friendly home is fitted out with robust, versatile materials, such as laminate joinery, caesarstone benchtops, concrete floor, timber windows, and steel shelving. The green upholstered banquette connects with the outside, in a renovated home that cleverly works within planning restrictions to create a resolved and cost-effective architectural outcome.