Period Home Renovator 2015 by Publicity Press

THE PERIOD HOME

RENOVATOR NEW IDEAS FOR TRADITIONAL HOMES

THE 2015 BUYERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE

Treasure Turning period homes into polished gems THE ICONS influential architects & DESIGN GURUS rare breed preserving the traditional crafts seeds of change reinventing period gardens

Living with

history W

ho built your period home? Who lived there before you? Why did previous owners make the design decisions they did? The history of our homes gives them their unique charm. This issue of The Period Home Renovator encourages you to look at your home’s story a little differently, and to renovate for modern living while keeping the past in mind. Our cover story looks at design-based architectural practice Multiplicity. Multiplicity design partners Tim O’Sullivan and Sioux Clark believe every previous renovation should form part of a new renovation, and the home’s story should be reflected in everything, from the finishes to the shape of any adjoining structures. We look at how this philosophy is applied across three very different period renovation projects. Meanwhile, Emma Clark discusses the future of traditional trades with talented Australian craftspeople, including a stained glass artist, blacksmith and furniture restorer. Dulux colour expert Andrea Lucena-Orr provides new-look inspiration with a heritage colour palette, and we examine Australia’s design tradition and pay tribute to the icons who laid the foundations for the country’s design future, including Canberra’s architects Walter and Marion Griffin, and landscape designer Edna Walling. Period homes shine when surrounded by well-planned gardens. Green thumb Susanne Leonard lingers in beautifully designed green spaces surrounding period homes, where she meets award winning landscaper, gardener and writer Myles Baldwin. As ever, features are complimented by our Buyer’s Guide – a comprehensive list of our preferred suppliers – the “who’s who” of the period home renovation industry. Here you will find the master craftsperson for your project, and beautiful products especially crafted for the period of your home. Renovating with the past in mind will ensure your renovation stands the test of time.

publisher Ross Copeland editor-in-chief Freya Owen Editor Cassy Polimeni art directiOn + design Amy Tanner Eva Herzog Cathy Silvio Heidi McKinnon National advertising MANAGER Sue Kallincos ADMINISTRATION + Production Gina Copeland

CONTACT US publicity press ABN 31 005 490 068 1120 High Street Armadale VIC Australia 3143 Telephone (03) 9804 4700 Facsimile (03) 9804 4711 Email: reception@publicitypress.com.au Website: periodhomerenovator.com Join us on Facebook All material in this issue is copyright © 2015 Publicity Press Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the publisher or editor. Articles represent the views of their authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or editor-in-chief. Contributions Both pictorial and editorial contributions are encouraged and welcome. Please contact us for guidelines: cassy@publicitypress.com.au Advertising For a current ratecard and specifications, please contact Sue Kallincos on (03) 9804 4700 or email: sue@publicitypress.com.au

FREYA OWEN Editor in chief

Melbourne’s Largest Supplier of Quality Secondhand Building Materials

RECYCLED BUILDING MATERIALS 17 Franklyn Street, Huntingdale, Victoria 3166 Tel: (03) 9544 3263

www.hughesonline.com.au

Market Place Perfecting the Art of Tiling Olde English Tiles supply and restore tessellated tiles for heritage and historic buildings throughout Australia. Their large collection of quality porcelain tiles from Europe, Australia and Asia includes beautiful heritage tiles, reproduced for Federation, Victorian, Art Deco and Provincial homes. The company also has an in-house tile artist, offering hand-painted products. OLDE ENGLISH TILES For further information, visit oldeenglishtiles.com.au

PROVINCIAL KITCHENS

ONLINE SPECIALIST Renovate Restore Recycle is probably one of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best kept secrets when it comes to finding sought-after period doors and windows. Choosing to only stock quality items, Renovate Restore Recycle has a detailed website that is more like an online catalogue showcasing the enormous range it has on hand. RENOVATE RESTORE RECYCLE For further information, visit renovaterestorerecycle.com.au

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Provincial Kitchens is a leading custom kitchen design and project management service, working closely with clients to build their dream kitchen from design and material selection through to installation and styling. From classic country-style elegance through to traditional French provincial, its designs never go out of style. As well as offering a bespoke design and installation service, Provincial Kitchens also offers a wide range of crockery and homewares to add the finishing touch to your new kitchen. PROVINCIAL KITCHENS SHOWROOM 207 Clovelly Road Clovelly, New South Wales 2031 Tel: (02) 9315 7200 provincialkitchens.com.au

The latest ideas, products and essential stylings for your home

RENOVATION SOLUTIONS Steptoe’s Renovation Supplies is one of Australia’s largest suppliers of original and manufactured period style renovation products. Its extensive range includes original period pieces such as double-hung windows, casement windows, door entries, fireplaces, marble surrounds and even the odd kitchen sink. Also find reproduction vanity units, bathroom ware, cast-iron claw-foot baths, window and door hardware, and a selection of ceramic fireplace tiles. You’ll also find over 100-year-old recycled Oregon timber beams, which Steptoe’s skilled tradesmen use to create windows, doors, entries, French door units and bifold doors to suit the customer’s individual needs. It offers a paint-stripping service for doors, assorted timber and metal products, and a restoration service for timber mantelpieces and cast-iron inserts. The stock is endlessly changing, so for that original period piece, Steptoe’s is where you’ll find what you need.

RECYCLING OLD INTO NEW Hughes Renovators Paradise is an Australian owned and operated family business that deals in quality recycled building materials from the demolition of period and modern homes. It is Victoria’s largest supplier of recycled doors, windows, leadlights, flooring, raw and dressed timbers, mantles and grates, entrance ways, lights, collectables and just about anything of architectural salvage from all periods old and new. Products are conveniently displayed undercover in a huge 2500 square metre warehouse located in Huntingdale, only 25 minutes from the Melbourne CBD. Hughes is open six days a week, so visit or take a look at the huge range of products at hughesonline.com.au and see why it is called a “Renovator’s Paradise”. Hughes RENOVATORS PARADISE 17 Franklyn Street Huntingdale, Victoria 3166 Tel: (03) 9544 3263 hughesonline.com.au

STEPTOE’S RENOVATION SUPPLIES 112 Rokeby Street Collingwood, Victoria 3066 Tel: (03) 9419 9366 steptoes.com.au

MAKE A STATEMENT The English Tapware Company offers custom basin stands to suit your bathroom project, including a range of shapes and styles for a truly unique ‘statement’ piece of bathroom furniture. Pictured: Hawthorn Hill basin stands from $1650 incl GST. For further information, visit englishtapware.com.au

NEW HOUSES WITH PERIOD CHARM Harkaway Homes specialises in reproducing the charm and character of early Australian homes. Unfortunately, many original homes are beyond repair, so Harkaway Homes offers an alternative that enables you to achieve the exact look you’re after, using all of today’s modern building methods and materials. Harkaway Homes Corner Princes Highway and Station Street Officer, Victoria 3809 Tel: (03) 5943 2388 Email: info@harkawayhomes.com.au harkawayhomes.com.au The PERIOD HOME RENOVATOR |

Market Place

The latest ideas, products and essential stylings for your home.

NEWS FROM FULL CIRCLE! Owners of simple Victorian cottages will be pleased to know that Full Circle now offers the type of rustic, slightly irregular red and cream coloured tiles that were so often used to tile the verandas of these dwellings. They are nominally 148 x 148 x 19mm and are on display at the Full Circle showroom. In addition, a 106 x 106mm (41/8 x 41/8 inch) octagon with 37 x 37mm (1 x 1 inch) dot has been added to the comprehensive range of Tessellated Tiles supplied by Original Style UK. Their dust pressed, fully manufactured and authentically sized range is the only one to consider for the proper restoration or replacement of Victorian and Edwardian verandas and floors. Friendly, helpful service is the norm at Full Circle – you don’t have to thank them! FULL CIRCLE 59 Church Street Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 Tel: (03) 9818 1474 Email: bill@fullcircle.com.au

LOOK GOOD IN LEATHER Carefully selected with your comfort and pleasure in mind, each leather furniture piece is handcrafted in the finest Italian top grain hide adding an air of charm, whatever your style. Leather softens the more it is used, giving each piece a homely feel which is further enhanced by the worn in vintage cigar finish. To make the most of your leather furniture, regularly apply a leather wax or cream to keep the leather soft and supple. Never use alcohol to clean the leather as it will damage its finish, instead use a damp cloth, then apply a leather conditioner. If defects or scuffing occur, use a brown leather polish to repair the scuff and finish with leather wax. SCHOTS For further information, visit schots.com.au

RECAPTURE THE PAST For the past 70 years, Melbourne based Chatterton Lacework has recaptured the charm and elegance of a bygone era with an extensive range of high quality reproductive castings, some of which date back to early Victorian years. Their range comprises high quality reproduction castings combined with zinc coated cast iron lacework designs. These high quality reproductions are manufactured in low maintenance, non-rust aluminium, superbly finished in a large range of baked polyester powder coating for maximum wear and weather resistance. CHATTERTON LACEWORK For further information, visit chatterton.com.au 18 |

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A LARA GLASS PROMOTION

5 minutes with

The Damian Collection We catch up with Mark Gallo of Lara Glass to discuss the latest innovations in leadlighting and how to get the most authentic old world look while offering protection against contemporary Australian elements Q: What are your most popular products? We are well known for our complete hand crafted entranceways and custom made glass products including leadlight in Victorian, Edwardian, Federation, Art Deco and contemporary applications. Our range also consists of slumped glass (Visual Tactile Glass) and Architectural Safety glass that boasts a large variety of colours and textures all complying with Australian standards. Q: Can you tell us about any new products and innovations? We at THE DAMIAN COLLECTION have perfected a heating and cooling technique that allows us to create new glass with an

authentic old world charm that complements leadlights that were handmade in the 1800s and 1900s. This is ideal when you want to match existing leadlight in historic buildings. In 2015 we are introducing a new species of timber for our entranceways that will meet all Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) ratings including BAL-45. So if you thought you couldn’t have a solid timber entrance, now you can with the high-density timber on offer through THE DAMIAN COLLECTION. Q: What’s your best advice for customers who are shopping for leadlight entranceways and other products? Never compromise the end result with inferior

materials, aim for a quality finish and result that will last and stand the test of time! Life is to short to settle for less. There is no substitute for Australian hand made quality. We are an Australian company using Australian products f or Australian conditions. Q: What will be your focus in 2015? In an environmentally conscious world we at THE DAMIAN COLLECTION are committed to improving our range with the introduction of double and triple glazed products to help meet energy and BAL ratings. With A-GRADE Armour plated glass you can still enjoy the beauty of traditional leadlights in high-risk areas with complete peace of mind.

Excellence In Quality Entrances & Leadlight

• • • • • • •

Complete Handcrafted Entranceways Feature Doors and Windows Custom Made Leadlight And Glass Solutions Restoration and Renovations Slumped Glass (Splashbacks, Partitions, Showerscreens, Tiles, Balastrade) Double & Triple Glaze Delivery Australia Wide (03) 5341 5500 info@laraglass.com.au www.thedamiancollection.com.au

gems

Polished

We take a peek inside three carefully designed and beautifully executed period home renovations that will sparkle for the next 100 years WORDS: FREYA OWEN PHOTOGRAPHY: EMMA CROSS

MAIN IMAGE: Inside one of the renovated apartments at Drift House, a project the architects dubbed The Ghost and Mrs Muir.

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Cover story

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“A really important piece of jewellery usually has one significant stone. But that stone is invariably clustered with less significant stones, and the combination gives that centrepiece its strength. At the moment heritage bodies are pinpointing the most significant properties, but letting little gems disappear.” – Tim O’Sullivan

t’s all too easy to knock down old homes that have lost their shine, or to bulldoze buildings that have seen the decades fly by, in favour of a quick fix that ticks all the boxes for “contemporary living”. I recently renovated a tiny worker’s cottage in South Melbourne. When I bought the property it was its sense of history that intrigued me. The one-bedroom home, with outhouse toilet, plus laundry and bath attached, had been inhabited by the same family for 50 years – they raised two children there. I was determined to work with the home’s story, much to the dismay of my builder who thought I was quite mad, right down to matching the 1950s cupboard door handles. I think the previous owners would be as thrilled as I am at the transformation of my little jewel. While I was in the middle of my small renovation, I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Tim O’Sullivan and Sioux Clark of design-based architecture practice Multiplicity. They know first hand that period home renovations take time, energy and a little bit of fight to achieve an outcome that tells a building’s true story. Tim and Sioux give the same attention to both the diamonds and the tiny gemstones they encounter. Hours – sometimes days – are spent in a space even before the job is won, measuring everything with old-fashioned tape measures, from ceiling heights to the depth of architraves. They crawl around in roof spaces and inspect windows and doors. When Tim and Sioux leave a new project it is with heads full of numbers and dimensions and hearts full of feeling. While measuring the physical aspects of a gem, they record more than carats or weight – they look deeper and get a feel for the building’s history, too. Both facts and feeling inform Multiplicity’s design process, with ideas thrown around between the duo and within their studio office until they find the perfect fit. “Some buildings can be altered very easily,” Tim says. 22 |

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“Others are really stubborn. They fight you every inch of the way. You try combination after combination until one eventually clicks. You know when it clicks. because it just feels right. You know it will work. It’s knowing what to respect and what not to. “Like anything beautiful, it takes time. If we design something beautifully, it will be there in 50 or 100 years time and beyond. “We often see beautiful old buildings destroyed when we know the building could have been saved. We could have kept its heritage and modernised it, giving it a new life.” When it comes to renovating old buildings, Multiplicity’s first consideration is always the gem’s setting. How does it sit within the street, amongst its neighbours? Then the focus shifts to the gem itself. What is the client’s brief and budget? What materials will shine within the space? “Everything becomes favour, then goes out of favour, and then ten years later it becomes retro,” Tim says. “We never go with the latest ‘trend’. We look far and wide at what materials are out there. We look at a space – say a kitchen bench within the space – and we respond to how the space works. We might suggest timber would be best. Or let’s use a laminate. You can get fantastic colours in laminate. There is a huge palette of materials and we choose to suit each situation. “We also try to design things so that if they change hands and are for whatever reason no longer relevant they can be pulled apart, rather than bulldozed. Recyclability of materials is important.” Three of the jewels in Multiplicity’s crown are highlighted here – all recent projects that polished up beautifully. Meet “Gaby Gaby Hey”, “The Ghost and Mrs Muir” and “Shelter Shed”.

MAIN IMAGE: Clowning around in the Shelter Shed’s main living area.

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Cover story

A remodelled gem – GABY GABY HEY

“There is something immensely satisfying about recycling a building. Many old buildings aren’t very well insulated, they don’t have access to great light, the surfaces and spaces aren’t made for how we live today. It’s really nice to keep elements of a building so you still read it as it was initially, but so it functions in a way that a modern family can live happily in it.” – Tim O’Sullivan “Gaby Gaby Hey” was a deceased estate, lived in for many years by a Greek couple who hosted many immigrants when they first arrived in Australia. It was bought on the spur of the moment by an avid art collector. A Victorian property, it possessed the beautiful volumes that characterised the period but without any of the elaborate details – many of the original windows had been replaced by 1950s steel windows. The house had many small rooms and the floor was completely rotten. The kitchen bench was a well-worn fake marble laminate. Rooms were either tiled with colourful mosaics or carpeted in wild patterns. When Tim and Sioux made their first visit, the house was still full of the couple’s personal effects. Their shirts hung in the wardrobe, their toothbrushes were in the bathroom and there was still beer in the fridge. The brief was to renovate the Victorian building, replete with its heavily Greekinfluenced interior. The client wanted something special to house her art collection. Multiplicity’s response to the brief was out of the box. “We told our client we wanted to do an infusion,” Tim says. “We wanted to get back to the bare bones of the existing house, to maintain a feeling of the height, the volume and the rawness of the

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Carpets adorn walls throughout the house and the kitchen boasts a 1970s tiled bench; al fresco entertaining area; the entrance to Gaby Gaby Hey.

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existing building. And then we wanted it to say something of the client – that is, very modern and outward looking. But we don’t want to lose the Greek influences of the house. “After the damaged flooring was removed, we started layering a new interior that on the one hand was quite sleek and contemporary, but on the other had these really strong Grecian influences. “We did that by talking our client into running with colourful shaped mosaic tiles to carry the feeling of an era past. Tile shops were, by coincidence, stocking a range of tiles we were interested in, as they were coming back into fashion. We also tiled the kitchen benchtop in salvaged 1970s tiles – very much a 1970s thing to do. “We wanted to continue the use of raw black steel, as it had been used in the windows and throughout the existing house. For the front portico, the Greek couple had used steel columns replete with wrought iron where Victorian cast iron lacework would have been. Hence we used a lot of steel and decorative wrought iron elements throughout the kitchen. “We salvaged all the carpet and convinced Gaby to put some on the walls. Recycled it looks great, it’s cost effective, and acoustically, it’s fantastic!”

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Cover story

A diamond solitaire and its shadow – THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR

“Council wanted to make any new building disappear or, in their words, ‘not dominate’. But the original dwelling was such a strong, proud structure, any building that stood next to it had to be strong and proud as well. They had to be bookends of equal but different merit.” – Tim O’Sullivan “The Ghost and Mrs Muir” was controversial from the start. On their first visit to the site, Tim and Sioux were told they were working “with the most important heritage building on the most important heritage street in the most important heritage town in all of Australia” – Victoria’s Port Fairy. They named the project after an old movie remade as an ABC TV series, The Ghost and Mrs Muir – which featured a beautiful old house by the ocean inhabited by the ghost of a sea captain. Tim and Sioux were struck by the amount of love and attention the building was calling for. Derelict for years, the ceilings were caving in, the stairs were rickety and the windows sat broken, with ragged weatherworn curtains blowing in the wind. The core shape of the building was just 12 metres wide by six metres deep. But it had beautiful stone walls and infinite potential. The client wanted to turn the building into holiday apartments with a small residence to the back of the site. Tim and Sioux’s idea of a ghost informed their design decisions from the start. They decided to put two apartments in the old building – one on each floor. They then put the stair behind the old building to create a link with a new building. The new building mimicked the Victorian building’s height, width and depth exactly. “Where the front building was very heavy,

we decided to design the next one as very light,” Tim explains. “Initially, we wanted to clad the whole of the new building in a black butynol, which is used for pond linings. We wanted our building to read like a shadow to the original, a ghost. The various heritage bodies and council were skeptical. They say they don’t want you to mimic the past. They want a modern interpretation. “It took us two years to get the permits through. But we are stubborn. If we think our position is justified we stick to our guns. The one concession we made was to the material – we dropped the black butynol and went for a veil-like perforated metal.” The change in material is just as effective, as it creates a sense of ghosting in another way. “We’ve used butynol before and love the soft texture and the way it absorbs light,” Sioux says. “But we finally acquiesced to heritage concerns and went down the opposite track with a light, slightly grey-white perforated metal that is reflective. It speaks about openness and sunlight and sand and contrasts nicely with the texture of the rough, fortress-like bluestone walls.” The clients haven’t looked back. Drift House, as their business is known, has been awarded rave reviews by locals and holidaymakers alike.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The extension is of the exact same proportions as the Victorian building, but uses different materials to create the sense of a shadow, or ghost; apartment interior; exterior decking contrasts with the old stone wall; inside another apartment.

Cover story The little pearl – SHELTER SHED

“Overlays exist to restrain things. But we think we ended up with a much better building because there was no overlay. From street level you don’t notice our addition at all, yet we made no concession as to building height, we simply designed to fit its context.” – Tim O’Sullivan The project affectionately called “Shelter Shed” is a little worker’s cottage on an irregularshaped site. “It was a prime example of what is often bowled over – but we don’t like bowling things over,” Tim says. The client, a town planner, purchased a site that was just over 300 square metres, with no planning scheme overlay so it didn’t have to go through the planning process. She inherently knew what to buy. “However, when you went into the backyard it felt really enclosed,” Tim explains. “You felt as if you said ‘hello’ there would be four voices from over four different fences asking, ‘Are you talking to me?’” Working to a limited budget, Tim, Sioux and Cimone McIntosh, an associate in their practice, had to think outside the square. Given the shape of the block, the location of the home, the client’s requirements and the tight budget, the trio explored the idea of a shed – and considered buying the biggest shed at Bunnings and putting it on top of a concrete slab. “The more we explored that approach, we started to think, why don’t we design our own shed? We’ll take the principles of a steel structure and then really simply position it within the backyard,” Tim says. Sioux explains: “The rectilinear form of the new building was slightly skewed on the allotment so we could contain the space external to the building in an unusual and unexpected way. One of the primary elements of that brief was allowing for views back to the one remaining tree which was a silver birch. It was about framing views to give a sense of the outdoors without the sense of being in a fishbowl. “And then we looked at how we connect the new form back to the old building.” With the “Shelter Shed”, as with many of its projects, Multiplicity used tricks to ease you

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from the period building into the new additions to a home. Bench seats or cabinetry stretch from the old part of the building into the new, creating a strong tie between the two. Using similar colours and materials in the old and new parts of the house also helps to tie them together. These tricks were particularly important for this small inner city project. “We used heights and references,” Tim says. “Taking common elements as a reference from the old to the new creates a sense of calmness. It stops any jarring comparisons from front to back. We want to blur that line. “This is why we try to ensure the material choices in the existing house are matched in the new addition. “There needs to be a common language. If you use different materials throughout, your house will feel smaller, you’re by default containing and disconnecting the spaces. If there is a flow of materials from one room to the next, things seem to connect, to sit comfortably beside one another. “When we go through and measure up, what we’re also doing is getting an idea of the height, the windows, the proportions. So we know how the front rooms are proportioned and we take some of that language into the new work. When you move from front to back, from past to present, it no longer feels like the front cottage is small and constrained, beyond which everything is huge, [instead] there is some commonality. The front windows have a conversation with the back windows, even though they are of completely different design and of a completely different period. “Another project had a central hall with decorative fretwork connecting the new and old, so we did a whole lot of cabinetwork to link the two buildings. As you walk through the old part of the house, there to greet you sits modern cabinetry, softening the blow as you move to the new addition to the rear. “It’s all smoke and mirrors!” PHR

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Whether looking in or out, views are carefully framed; Shelter Shed living space; the space’s proportions create a sense of relevance looking through from old to new; a twist on the expected bathroom; Shelter Shed sits on an angle within the block; Shelter Shed exterior.

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IMAGE: Thermal insulation of an old house with polystyrene panels

Greening your IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK, ceres eco house, Andy Rasheed, Nic Granleese, Simon Wood

renovation A sustainable renovation or addition to your period home doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to cost the earth, EMMA CLARK writes

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Sustainability

o you’ve decided to renovate? Great! And you want to do it sustainably? Even better! Eco-friendly homes are no longer the exclusive domain of bearded hemp-wearing hippies with a fondness for composting toilets and organic carob. Recent improvements in technology and building materials, coupled with a greater awareness of the importance of a sustainable built environment, has made green renovating an achievable and affordable option for many homeowners looking to expand and improve their period home. Renovating or building an extension to an existing home is often a much more sustainable alternative to knocking down and rebuilding, and is becoming increasingly common as homeowners look to add space without compromising on sustainability or lifestyle. As an extra perk, a sustainable renovation can save you money, despite higher up-front costs. A home which requires little reliance on electricity and mains water and which uses recycled or eco-friendly products can be much cheaper to run in the long term. Many period homes in Australia were inspired by grand Victorian and Edwardian houses in England. These old houses were often draughty and poorly insulated, making them dependent on heating and cooling for comfort. It wasn’t until the 1940s and 50s that local architects began designing houses for the Australian environment, considering issues such as the location and environmental impact of a building. “The most important part of a sustainable renovation starts with what’s called ‘passive solar design’,” says architect and sustainability expert James Mason. This involves using the sun and wind to help heat and cool the house, which can dramatically improve the building’s overall environmental impact. “Placing living areas to the north to let in winter sun, minimising windows to the south, 80 |

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shading west windows and insulating heavily all improve the passive solar design. Building passive solar design into a renovation can be challenging, as your existing building might face exactly the wrong way, so a good architect or designer will help make your home as sustainable as possible,” he says. Depending on the size of your renovation, when you are in the planning stage a building surveyor may need to assess the building’s compliance with the new 6 Star Energy Rating in the National Building Code. The rating requires that all new homes, renovations, alterations and additions in Australia meet certain requirements on thermal performance, lighting efficiency and the installation of solar hot water systems or rainwater tanks. Your architect, builder or building surveyor will help to ensure your project complies with the code. Finding the right people Smart, efficient design and construction will go a long way towards reducing the overall environmental impact of your home, so it is vital to have a good architect and builder to guide you through the process. Most architects have undertaken extensive study and training around sustainable design and working within the natural environment of a home, but some architects and builders have more expertise than others. Recommendations from other homeowners who have completed sustainable renovations are a great way to find local, environmentally aware designers and builders. Archicentre is the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects and they have a very helpful Find an Architect service (findanarchitect.com.au), or you can call them on 1300 134 513 for a recommendation. Master Builders Australia also has a database of Green Living Builders who have undertaken Green Living training in sustainable construction. Visit masterbuilders.com.au and click on your state or territory for more information.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: This property’s sustainable renovation incorporated its heritage past; recycled materials were used throughout this home; a retractable shade protects the courtyard from the summer sun; solar panels and a solar hot water system were installed as part of the renovation; rainwater captured in the slimline 2000L steel tank provides water for internal and external use.

images: Andy Rasheed, Nic Granleese, Simon Wood

Sustainability

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Sustainability

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Sustainability

Reduce, reuse, recycle Waste from the construction industry makes up a staggering 40 per cent of landfill in Australia. Minimising waste, using recycled materials and avoiding items with a short life span can help reduce the overall environmental impact of your home. Period homes are perfect candidates for using second-hand fittings; with many original fittings being discarded as old homes are sadly torn down to make way for newer developments. With a bit of research, you can find almost anything you need secondhand, often much cheaper than if you were buying it new. Demolition yards, renovation sales and even the local tip can unearth all sorts of period items, including original porcelain pedestal sinks, pristine heritage tiles, brass door handles and claw foot baths. If you thought eBay was just for concert tickets and vintage clothing, think again! Builders and demolition companies often list items starting at 99 cents, and you can buy

everything from pallets of recycled bricks to entire kitchens. When using new materials is unavoidable, there is always a sustainable option. For example, cement is a poor choice due to its manufacturing process, so if you need to pour a concrete slab you can mix recycled aggregate and cement replacement to reduce the amount of cement used. Using products such as sustainably sourced timber, low-emission paints and eco-friendly insulation will reduce the overall environmental impact of your home. Look for products with a Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) tick, as these have been certified as being better for the environment. You can search for GECA products at geca.org.au. Feeling hot, keeping cool Heating and cooling your home makes up around 40 per cent of the overall energy use, but this can be greatly reduced with a few smart

design changes. Using the sun and wind both for energy consumption and for heating and cooling is a simple way to reduce your reliance on greenhouse gases. Installing opening clerestory windows can increase natural light and allow hot air to escape in summer. Even better, install the windows on a north-facing wall to maximise light and heat in winter. Using double-glazed glass in windows and skylights will also help keep a room warm in winter and cool in summer, as well as improving noise reduction. Even seemingly small changes such as using door seals and thermal blinds can make a difference to the thermal properties of a room. Insulating an existing period home can be difficult, but is not impossible. Adding insulation to roofs, walls and under floors will make an enormous difference to the overall thermal mass of a house, as well as minimising noise transfer between floors or between narrow terrace houses.

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Sustainability

Save water Reducing your reliance on mains or town water will have a huge impact on your water bill and help improve your green karma. Many period homes have expansive roofs which are ideal for capturing a large amount of water in a water tank. There are a huge variety of water tanks available in a range of sizes and materials to suit even the smallest house. Slimline tanks can fit into narrow areas, such as the side of a house or behind a shed. You can store water to use on the garden or for washing the car, or go the whole hog and plumb the tank into the house, using captured and filtered rainwater for all your water needs. A plumbed-in system will switch back to mains water once the water in the tank falls below a certain level, so you will always use tank water first. Turn off those lights! A sustainable renovation should include thoughtful lighting design aimed at maximising natural light and minimising reliance on electricity. Advances in eco-friendly lighting and power technologies in the past few years have meant that the most sustainable options are often also the most hightech and affordable. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to remember that while the initial cost for a sustainable lowvoltage LED light is more than a high-wattage halogen light, an LED will last for 25,000 hours compared to 2,000 hours for a halogen globe. Using a combination of ambient lighting such as pendants or chandeliers, task lighting such 84 |

The PERIOD HOME RENOVATOR

as desk or reading lamps and natural light from windows or skylights will allow you to tailor your lighting requirements. To help encourage the people living in your house to turn off the lights, there are a few smart technologies available. Movement sensors can turn lights on and off automatically, which is useful in rooms that are used infrequently where lights may be left on by mistake. Motion sensors can also be used to activate outdoor security lights, or for lights on staircases or in hallways. Dimmer controls can save energy and increase the life of your lights. Using one switch to turn on all lights in a large room is very inefficient; you should instead provide multiple switches to control different lighting elements in a room. Installing skylights or sun tunnels in the roof allows natural light to enter dark spaces. Skylights donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t usually require permission from a planning authority, making them a simple way to maximise natural light. Openable skylights also help cool the house by allowing hot air to escape. The great outdoors Many people include a new garden plan or landscape design in their sustainable renovation. Putting a bit of thought into the layout, the types of plants and the way you want to use your garden will help improve the overall impact of your renovation. Trees and plants can also help heat and cool your home. For example, a large deciduous tree on the southern side of

your home will help shade the home in summer, but will drop its leaves in winter, allowing more sunlight in. Using drought-tolerant plants will help reduce your overall water use. Many Australian natives have adapted to require very little water, whereas a traditional English cottage garden will use a large amount of water throughout the year. Native and low-water plants can be used to create the same look and feel as a cottage garden, a tropical oasis or a contemporary, modern garden, but with less environmental impact. A well-designed irrigation or automatic watering system is another great way to maximise water efficiency, and can be installed as the garden is being built.

For more recycled renovation inspiration Renovate Restore Recycle renovaterestorerecycle.com.au Restorers Barn restorersbarn.com.au Steptoes steptoes.com.au

RESOURCES Archicentre is the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects. It runs regular free seminars on home renovation covering topics such as design, construction and permits, as well as offering a design concept service where an architect will visit your home, draw up concept plans and, most importantly, give you an estimated cost. Book a consultation at archicentre.com.au The Federal Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Your Home website is a great resource for building, buying or renovating a sustainable home (yourhome.gov.au) If you are in Melbourne, visit the CERES Eco House, a 90-year-old weatherboard that has been renovated and retrofitted to feature the latest green technologies and sustainable design. Go to ceres.org.au to learn more about the Eco House, as well as a plethora of information on general environmental issues and sustainability. For information about sustainable building materials and home products, EcoSpecifier is an online search tool for eco-friendly products. The site also has excellent case studies, technical guides and further resources to help homeowners make sustainable choices (ecospecifier.com.au) MAIN IMAGE: Water tanks can be installed discreetly around the side of a house or behind a shed.

From top: Solar panels have been installed on the roof of the CERES Eco House; rejuvenated kitchen/ living area replacing separate, split level kitchen and lounge; the backyard incorporates compost bins, worm farms and a 23,000L water tank that is plumbed to the house. a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wicking gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was created to receive the treated grey-water.

Style guide Period home

We profile the main periods and their styles to assist you in renovating your period home

Style guide

1788 – 1820

Old Colonial Georgian A

simplified version of the classical style, the Colonial Georgian was the earliest form of architecture brought to Australia by European settlers. Examples can be found in New South Wales and Tasmania.

Outside:

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houses were constructed of solid brick or stone a simple, symmetrical façade, with two windows on either side of the front door a semi-circular fanlight over the front door was often the only decoration on the house a shingled, hipped roof was common in warmer areas the roof would often extend to form a verandah that would wrap around the building to shelter the walls and interior rooms characteristic timber shutters protected paned or French windows walls were whitewashed

Inside:  

a single-storey, skillion-roofed structure containing the storerooms and bedrooms was built at the rear a cookhouse was separate from the main structure

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INTERIOR COLOUR SUGGESTIONS: 

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Dulux Tapestry Beige – a warm well balanced true neutral which will easily blend with lighter and darker colours Dulux Corn Kernel – a glow of sunshine to add some brightness and light reflectance Dulux Turner’s Light – a mid-based green with a hint of blue which is adaptable and looks beautiful schemed with white

EXTERIOR COLOURS:

COLOURS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Exterior Details:

interior COLOURS:

COLOURS CLOCKWISE

COLOURS CLOCK-

FROM TOP LEFT:

WISE

TOP LEFT: Deep Brunswick Green,FROM Indian Cumberland Stone, Pearl Tapestry Beige, Red, White, Dark Admiralty Lustre, Salmon Pink, Biscuit

Style guide

1840 - 1860

Early Victorian

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Style guide

ouses built in this period are generally simple, whether terraced or freestanding. They commonly have one or two rooms across the front. Their appearance is formal but plain, with simple or no verandahs and restrained ornamentation.

Garden:  

fences made of simple pickets a great variety of vegetables and fruit trees, a limited range of ornamental plants

EXTERIOR COLOURS:

Outside:  

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pitched, hipped roofs of timber shingles, slate or corrugated iron walls either: face brick, often from local brick making works; or rendered, often ruled into blocks to look like stone weatherboards, usually square edged but sometimes with a beaded edge windows, timber generally with small section sizes; often double hung sometimes side opening casements; centrally placed limited ornamentation roofs natural slate or shingles, galvanised metal sometimes painted to match slate external walls generally variations of cream and brown with trims matching wood colours brickwork usually rendered and possibly limewashed, or painted weatherboards

COLOURS FROM LEFT: Light Stone, Biscuit, Earth, Terracotta

Exterior Details:

COLOURS FROM LEFT: Deep Brunswick Green, Light Cream, Brown,

interior COLOURS:

Inside: 

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moulded skirtings and architraves, but ceilings often unadorned, with any cornices fairly small and limited to front rooms usually plaster on walls, sometimes timber lining boards hessian covered with wallpaper or painted finishes to walls

COLOURS FROM LEFT: Vast Escape, Teahouse, Recycled

INTERIOR COLOUR SUGGESTIONS  

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Dulux Vast Escape – a natural yellow green that brings life and tranquillity into your space Dulux Teahouse – a beautiful, mid grey with an undertone of warmth that will bring versatility into your room Dulux Recycled – a warm brown-based neutral that will create a natural colour scheme and add flexibility to your space

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Style guide

1901 - WWI

Edwardian

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Style guide

his period is also known as Federation. Houses built at this time draw on both Victorian and Queen Anne features. They follow a similar plan to Victorian houses. Many Mid Victorian ornaments are still used, but houses are less ostentatious than in previous decades.

Garden:   

fences commonly timber pickets, sometimes with a capping palms used and occasional native plantings lawns growing in popularity

EXTERIOR COLOURS:

Outside:

COLOURS FROM LEFT:

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Pale Cream, Buff, Red Oxide, Biscuit

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steeply-sloped, usually hipped roofs with wide eaves, sometimes prominent, front-facing gable ends walls of red brickwork with flush joints, sometimes with cream painted render to base and gable ends or in bands on larger buildings timber houses generally have square-edged or bull-nosed weatherboards, sometimes with incised weatherboards simulating blocks of stonework, painted cream return L-shaped verandahs, roofed with corrugated bull-nosed metal and generally embellished with timber details including fretwork windows often grouped sunshades, supported by timber brackets, are common on the north and west roofs usually terracotta tiles or corrugated metal often painted, sometimes slate gable ends ornamented with roughcast or pebbledash, left natural and battens painted a dark colour verandahs increasingly feature timber fretwork rather than cast iron lacework ornamentation

Inside:  

Exterior Details:

COLOURS FROM LEFT: Light Straw, Venetian Red, Pale Green, Mid Brunswick Green

interior COLOURS:

COLOURS FROM LEFT: Still, China White, Gould Blue

Victorian period ornaments such as plaster cornices, ceiling roses, skirtings and architraves still popular stained glass in front windows, featuring geometric and curvilinear shapes and sometimes native plants or birds

INTERIOR COLOUR SUGGESTIONS  

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Dulux Still – a mid grey green with a slightly warm feel, it's the perfect background against warm timber furniture Dulux China White – a lovely warm white with a subtle beige undertone that is extremely versatile, scheming with many other colours Dulux Gould Blue – in the middle blue range, this amazing muted blue has a green feel and could easily swing between both hues depending on surrounding accessories and light

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Style guide

1945 - 1965

Post-war A

fter World War Two, the change from austerity to prosperity is reflected in increasing house sizes and a growth in home ownership. Often characterised by the triplefronted brick-veneer, houses are comfortable and designed for family living. Although more traditional than Modern houses, Post-war design is usually single-storeyed with interconnected living rooms. Mass-produced windows foster a greater use of glass.

Garden:     

low fences and neat, ordered gardens emphasis on lawn with deciduous trees and shrub beds use of decorative elements such as figurines, tyre-swans, sculpted plants and hedges wide front yards covered mostly by trimmed lawns with wheel strips in the driveway and a narrow perimeter garden standard and hybrid roses feature

Outside: 

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incorporation of carport or garage into house and increasing use of double garages, often with painted doors minimal use of decorative flourishes; often expressed in mass-produced elements such as brick/stone feature walls or chimneys, wrought iron porch posts/railings and wire mesh doors emergence of brick-veneer replacing double brick timber weatherboards often painted in pale creams and ivory bold uses of colour often eclectically applied

Inside:   

chimneys still common kitchen design reflects increasing use of domestic appliances kitchens feature melamine bench tops

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generous use of windows, including window-walls interior lining boards of mass-produced sheet materials linoleum and rubber floor coverings in kitchens colour schemes of whites, off whites and creams with brightly painted feature walls

INTERIOR COLOUR SUGGESTIONS:  

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Dulux Domain – a serene mid-green with an underlying warmth will create a relaxing ambience in your room Dulux Accord – a soft and subtle grey which will help to create a blank canvas so you can easily inject any other colour(s) into the space Dulux Capital Blue – just like a deep sea blue/green this colour will create an instant mood and a beautiful depth in a space

EXTERIOR COLOURS:

Exterior Details:

interior COLOURS:

COLOURS CLOCKWISE

FROM TOP LEFT:

Pale Blue, Off White,

Rose Pink, Parchment,

Domain, Accord, Capital

Canary Yellow, Signal Red

Royal Blue, Golden Tan

Blue

Style guide

1945 - 1970

Modern M

odernism in architecture is broadly characterised by open planning and simplicity with bold geometric shapes and little or no ornamentation. Walls are opened to the light with large floorto-ceiling windows. The design of the buildings often expresses innovative use of materials and structure.

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INTERIOR COLOUR SUGGESTIONS:  

Garden:  

gardens are increasingly diverse in plantings and design, occasional front fences in low brick, or no fence native plants begin to be introduced in a bush garden configuration

Outside:        

walls in bold rectilinear or sometimes in other geometric shapes flat roofs occasional bold, curved elements like a spiral stair, driveway or garden wall wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows combined with blank walls and small windows like punched holes houses sometimes raised above ground on thin columns, so that they seem to float columns, balustrades and other necessary but incidental elements made as thin as possible cream or salmon pink bricks; render or fibre cement walls painted white or cream timber or steel window frames often painted white

small architraves and skirtings in either stained or painted wood

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Dulux Scarlet Ribbons – a stunning deep pink, this will brighten up any space and works well in formal rooms Dulux Tambo Tank – a slightly darker green with a subtle yellowish undertone this green would provide a tranquil and relaxing setting Dulux Red Terra – a compromise between orange and red, this colour will provide life and a beautiful glow for any room and would be perfect for formal spaces including entries and hallways

EXTERIOR COLOURS:

Exterior Details:

interior COLOURS:

COLOURS CLOCKWISE

FROM TOP LEFT:

Cream, White, Salmon Pink,

Light Cream, Fern Green,

Scarlet Ribbons, Tambo

Pale Ochre

Signal Red, Black

Tank, Red Terra

Inside: 

flat plaster walls with minimal cornices the only ornament, textured wood, stone or wallpaper sometimes used on feature walls

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