Nest Architects’ clients lived in their Preston house for 12 years before embarking on a major project to improve the Victorian property from the ground up.

‘The existing late 1800s portion had lovely features they wanted to preserve and highlight. The 1970s addition to the rear was cramped, in poor condition, and compromised in terms of its building envelope,’ says Emilio Fuscaldo, director of Nest Architects.

In addition to modernising the dwelling, the owners wanted to ensure their two children had their own spaces, knowing they wouldn’t be leaving home any time soon.

Any extensions couldn’t impose too much on the backyard — one of the clients’ favourite features of the existing property.

‘The clients aren’t overly fussy,’ says Emilio. ‘They are amazingly down to earth so the new addition didn’t want to be flashy or overly architectural.’

An established jacaranda in the rear yard provided the starting point for the project. Emilio explains, ‘The tree provided lots of inspiration in terms of siting the new extensions and designing views to it, but at the same time, it constrained what we could design by limiting how far we could push in to the rear yard.

‘We spent a lot of time surveying its health and strategising with an arborist how to protect it and keep it healthy during construction.’

This tree essentially stipulated a rebuild of the original 1880s rooms of the home, a replacement of the 1970s lean-to, and a small upper storey addition.

‘The entire structure was rebuilt due to its poor condition, which allowed the builder to fill in any gaps or holes — an opportunity that usually doesn’t arise during renovations,’ says Emilio.

By rebuilding the original rooms, and redoing the ground floor addition with a north-facing, open-plan living area, the home’s environmental performance has improved out of sight. Emilio says this was a budget intensive, but necessary, part of the project to ensure the home’s enduring performance.

‘A significant portion of the budget was spent on repairing the existing fabric of the house, including the walls, windows, floors, and roofs… It ensures the entire house — rather than just the new sections — are well-insulated and draught-free.’ Emilio adds, ‘While this aspect may seem tedious, neglecting to address the current structure can undermine the sustainability of any new projects.’

Visually, the updated home is designed to appear as a ‘farmhouse in the city’, as requested by the clients. ‘They desired a sense of escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy suburb they inhabited,’ says Emilio. ‘We took this as our inspiration and created a design that reflects a farmhouse style, emphasised by the curved peak of the gable and large highlight window.’

Inside, a double-height space above the dining area invites drama and also a considerable amount of light and air into the house.

The staircase is another statement feature. ‘By utilising a perforated steel mesh, we created a lightweight translucent balustrade that sits comfortably in the room,’ says Emilio. ‘It also acts as a sensitive room divider, gently giving the living room its own character but affording views through it simultaneously.’

The upstairs addition houses two further bedrooms and a bathroom. The original layout of the four front rooms was retained, but replanned for better functionality, moving the laundry to the centre away from the prime garden view spot. These collective moves ensure the backyard is now the focal point of the home.

A consistent use of colour and materials — particularly recycled messmate engineered flooring, pastel blues and forest greens— tie the new and old areas of the home together.

The garden remains one of the owners’ favourite elements of the transformed property, but it’s now paired with an equally beautiful house that frames greenery at every opportunity.

‘Cladding for the new part of the house is made from Spandek Colorbond metal cladding, chosen to become a background for the rich colours of the vegetation in the garden,’ says Emilio.

Both the house and garden standalone alone as required to enrich the clients’ everyday lives.

‘I’m most proud of the use of definitive thresholds between the indoor and outdoor spaces, as I resisted the urge to create a minimal threshold between these areas,’ says Emilio.

‘The deep, thick thresholds help to nestle the occupants within the space, providing them with a sense of respite and comfort, rather than making them feel like they might fall into the backyard. This design choice gives a sense of security and cosiness.’