“At every opportunity we made decisions that contributed to maximising the light so that our home would feel light, bright and welcoming. This was achieved through the reconfiguration of the entry in reeded glass, adding skylights to the lounge area and over the stairwell, and introducing a glazed door to the bathroom. The whole home now has a natural glow, and you really get a sense of the day outside through the shifting light”.
To us, one of the most joyful elements of a home is the way the light travels from dawn to dusk. And this recently renovated Spanish Mission home of Jack Fenton, Matilda Reed and baby Freddie Fenton does this in spades.
Built in 1930, the now 91-year-old double brick, heritage listed property confronted its owners with a few challenges during planning stages, the biggest being the lack of natural light. After defining a solid brief and much planning, the home was transformed so that it felt light and positive, providing endless spaces to relax and bring family and friends together, often!
Onsite works commenced late January after 18-24 months of planning, with the project then taking nine months to complete, ready for the family to move in early November, just in time for the arrival of their first born, Fred this December.
After the initial hurdle of obtaining planning approval for the double height wall on the boundary over the garage, Jack and Matilda were faced with the challenge of how to construct it. Given access constraints of not being able to access the neighbouring property, they devised a method that involved pre-fabrication and a lot of manpower to bring their vision to life.
They removed the original ground floor double brick load bearing wall and cleverly made way for a new 650kg steel beam, introduced a spectacular open plan kitchen full of natural light and reconstructed the Northern garage wall, brick by brick to remain true to the history and heritage of the building.
The result is a home that both lifts the mood and creates a sense of calm and joy at any time of the day. Intentionally, there is a clear delineation between the original and the new, and Matilda, an Interior Stylist wanted to create a space that was soft and light-filled and stood the test of time, using high quality natural finishes to create texture and warmth.
“We love the newly created open plan living space. The area changes as does the light and the weather. The wonderful skylight ensures we are always connected with the world outside. And the sliding doors to the deck truly make us feel like we have entered a private oasis every time we open them. A space we are looking forward to entertaining in this summer”.
That same retreat-like vibe can be felt throughout the entire home. The powder room is a work of art – where Horatio, their tiler ensured the concave fui finger tiles from Artedomus were installed with perfection. The self-contained garage addition also gives the property a whole new dimension, with its versatility of use.
The large common area of the living, dining and kitchen seamlessly connects to the outside entertaining zone. It’s been designed to feel Summery all year round with the clever use of materials and natural light.
This truly is a home that invites you to join in – be that cooking together in the kitchen, relaxing together in the living spaces, laughing together around the table and chilling together outdoors.
Every finish and every piece of art and furniture were carefully selected to serve a purpose and add to the ambience of this home. Jack Fenton, owner of this immaculately renovated home manages his own construction business, Fencon. His attention to detail and eye for design (a family trait!) is clearly evident in the reworking and construction of this Spanish Mission Gem.
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