Location
Launceston, Tasmania
Client
Private
Year
2018
Images
Anjie Blair
Land of
Stoney Creek Nation
+
R & S Rosier Construction Pty Ltd
Rare Engineering
Green Building Surveying Pty Ltd
Lime Avenue
Residence
Form, function and real family ‘stuff’.
Unwind the sit-up-straight structured Queen Anne era planning. And uncover a space that works for a moving, breathing, social family.
This 1908 home’s separate, privacy-driven structure was much better suited to an early 20th century family than today’s owners. It was our joy to loosen these tight spaces, do away with the incongruous and bring a sense of connectivity. By gently pulling back layers of history we aimed to reveal the dwelling’s true character. And to protect its history while designing for the gathering togetherness of a contemporary family.
Research, restoration, reconsidered
We knew the building had been adapted over the years by various different owners. To determine which elements were original and which were inconsistent, we started with research. We bid goodbye to the poorly constructed west wing rotunda, gaudy granite hearths and overwhelming 80s stained glass. And we were left with an irresistible canvas.
Our strategy brought unity between old and new throughout the home. Lime-washed floors and a natural colour palette offer harmony. And each new element considered the original Queen Anne features. Bespoke fittings, from blown glass to brass, and splashes of green in the tiling, terrazzo and velvet carpet suit the adjusted mood. A new archway, extended panelling and curved, rounded and scalloped elements highlight generous room sizing, high ceilings and intricate ceiling roses.
Softened exterior paintwork drew attention to the undulating tiled roof. Rich green landscaping, a painted brick swimming pool and recycled brick paving add contemporary context.
The result feels sensitive but ambitious. It celebrates history, prepares for the future and, as our client said, supports a real family lifestyle ‘with kids and pets and balls and stuff’.
Back to the future
In a highly collaborative process, we renovated with integrity in a way that prioritised light and connection.
Gathering was at the heart of our design, from the kitchen island bench to a central fireplace to the outdoor patio. We created purpose within underutilised spaces. We replanned unused attic space with teenage sleeping nooks, a library and retreat. An under stair storage cupboard became a toilet, and a redundant living room is now a master bedroom wing. What felt divided and fractured became generous and open.
Internal voids offer social connection across and between floors while adding light into the depths of the home. Ample skylights mean sunlight streams into the interior from all angles, permeating the home with brightness.
As owner and interior designer Simone Penn says, ‘The house can now live on for another 100 years with a breathing, sunny, thermally-appropriate, modern-pace life.’
Making connections
An agile process led to beautiful interconnected design. Through collaborative concepting and time spent on site, we worked through ways to create family spaces on different levels. A well of skylights and voids offers a sense of connection between living areas. And instead of keeping a structural beam in the kitchen, for example, we realised a large bucket arch would better complement Lime Avenue’s other existing archways, rounded and scalloped details.
We’re proud to have taken a house that felt dark, heavy and exceptionally scarred by prior renovations and created something light, connected and playful. All while keeping that exquisite Queen Anne tiled roof intact, too.
LIME AVENUE
RESIDENCE
Form, function and real family ‘stuff’
Unwind the sit-up-straight structured Queen Anne era planning. And uncover a space that works for a moving, breathing, social family.
This 1908 home’s separate, privacy-driven structure was much better suited to an early 20th century family than today’s owners. It was our joy to loosen these tight spaces, do away with the incongruous and bring a sense of connectivity. By gently pulling back layers of history we aimed to reveal the dwelling’s true character. And to protect its history while designing for the gathering togetherness of a contemporary family.
Location
Launceston, Tasmania
Client
Private
Year
2018
Images
Anjie Blair
Land of
Stoney Creek Nation
+
R & S Rosier Construction Pty Ltd
Rare Engineering
Green Building Surveying Pty Ltd
Research, restoration, reconsidered
We knew the building had been adapted over the years by various different owners. To determine which elements were original and which were inconsistent, we started with research. We bid goodbye to the poorly constructed west wing rotunda, gaudy granite hearths and overwhelming 80s stained glass. And we were left with an irresistible canvas.
Our strategy brought unity between old and new throughout the home. Lime-washed floors and a natural colour palette offer harmony. And each new element considered the original Queen Anne features. Bespoke fittings, from blown glass to brass, and splashes of green in the tiling, terrazzo and velvet carpet suit the adjusted mood. A new archway, extended panelling and curved, rounded and scalloped elements highlight generous room sizing, high ceilings and intricate ceiling roses.
Softened exterior paintwork drew attention to the undulating tiled roof. Rich green landscaping, a painted brick swimming pool and recycled brick paving add contemporary context.
The result feels sensitive but ambitious. It celebrates history, prepares for the future and, as our client said, supports a real family lifestyle ‘with kids and pets and balls and stuff’.
Back to the future
In a highly collaborative process, we renovated with integrity in a way that prioritised light and connection.
Gathering was at the heart of our design, from the kitchen island bench to a central fireplace to the outdoor patio. We created purpose within underutilised spaces. We replanned unused attic space with teenage sleeping nooks, a library and retreat. An under stair storage cupboard became a toilet, and a redundant living room is now a master bedroom wing. What felt divided and fractured became generous and open.
Internal voids offer social connection across and between floors while adding light into the depths of the home. Ample skylights mean sunlight streams into the interior from all angles, permeating the home with brightness.
As owner and interior designer Simone Penn says, ‘The house can now live on for another 100 years with a breathing, sunny, thermally-appropriate, modern-pace life.’
Making connections
An agile process led to beautiful interconnected design. Through collaborative concepting and time spent on site, we worked through ways to create family spaces on different levels. A well of skylights and voids offers a sense of connection between living areas. And instead of keeping a structural beam in the kitchen, for example, we realised a large bucket arch would better complement Lime Avenue’s other existing archways, rounded and scalloped details.
We’re proud to have taken a house that felt dark, heavy and exceptionally scarred by prior renovations and created something light, connected and playful. All while keeping that exquisite Queen Anne tiled roof intact, too.