Houzz Tour: Updated and Expanded 1940s Cottage Keeps Its Charm

November 03, 2016

With a smart design and clever reuse of space and materials, this Australian home now suits the fun and sociable lifestyle of its owner.

After years of house hunting, building designer Janik Dalecki stumbled on a suburb a short distance outside of Perth, Australia, that had great transportation links, lively buzz, charming tree-lined streets and, most important, older homes in his price range. “I was looking for a property that I could add my own touch to, but I found it very hard to find anything that had enough space [for an addition] or that hadn’t been semi-renovated or [added on to] already, usually badly,” he says.

“I was attracted to this cottage because of its run-down, untouched condition and the huge amount of potential it offered. This project could be seen as a rebuild within the existing bones of the original house,” the designer says. “We’ve completely changed the layout and function of the internal rooms, as well as extended to the rear and side, but kept the integral look and feel of the cottage intact.”