The little house that grew

Built in the 1920s, this bungalow was treated to a super-sized make-over during the 1990s that made the most of this expansive, leafy section.

Then five years ago, a blended family of six arrived here and they updated the entire interior, proving that this house that took shape almost 100 years ago still had plenty more to give back to the world.

“Narrow Neck and Cheltenham beaches are close by, as is Devonport village and the ferry to the city that has always been a big part of its location appeal,” says Patricia Hinchey of Bayleys.

Above all, this family wanted a place that felt warm and homely and they had plenty of good points to start from – once they’d taken out the two pot belly stoves, that is.

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Existing interior architectural features included the beam and panelled ceilings and the ornate bungalow-style stair balusters. Bi-fold, multi-paned windows around the upstairs living area stack back for a seamless connection with the front garden, ensuring that this sheltered house has never felt stuffy or hot in summer.

These windows have been the focus of some judicious “thinking outside the square” possibilities by Tomi Williams of Indigo Design who masterminded the three-stage renovation.

The upstairs master bedroom used to have an en suite off the walk-in wardrobe which never appealed to this homeowner because of inherent dampness. Two years ago, that ensuite and walk-in wardrobe were redesigned as separate entities as part of the wider revamp of the bedroom and its adjoining study.

In the ensuite, the vanity was installed on the outside wall with the mirrored vanity cupboard installed over the middle two of the four original windows. From the outside those windows resemble frosted glass. Inside, the combined reflective quality of the mirror and the two side windows complement the grey marble subway wall tiles that are the point of difference in this bathroom.

Tomi describes her vision for all three bathrooms as “classic and modern with a very practical edge”. She gave each its own personality, varying the design of the Oak-veneer vanities and installed practical, under mounted basins rather than bench-top vessels. She unified these bathrooms with her use of the various tiles.

The upstairs guest bathroom has the same slate floor and wall tile as the en suite floor. The white square wall tiles in the en suite feature in the bathroom that services the four children’s bedrooms downstairs. Here that white tile is the fun element alongside Tomi’s choice of the horizontal “bunker-look” wall tile.

Last year, the redesign of the kitchen completed the project. Here, the soft grey tones in the granite bench and cabinetry complement the timber veneer cupboards above.

Throughout this open plan area and on the stairs, the pre-existing timber floors were sanded back to get rid of their red/orange tones and lightened with a clear polyurethane finish.

In the second lounge and in the bedrooms, Tomi suggested they lay carpet over the floorboards. “The carpet provides warmth and texture to relaxing spaces while the timber flooring provides a robust and durable surface for high traffic areas,” she says.

For large gatherings, this house has shown its true colours. Every Christmas Day, this family has moved their study table downstairs and put it next to their matching dining table to seat their 20 or so guests.

But these owners say that isn’t a strong enough reason to keep a house that is too big for them. With three of their four children still living at home, they’re better suited to a four-bedroom home and that’s what they’re looking to downsize to.

Find out more about 14 Handley Avenue, Devonport