Every project begins with a conversation, and in Stanmore it started around the kitchen table — a family reflecting on how they live now, and how they hope to live in the years ahead. Their semi-detached home had charm and solidity, but it was working hard to support the day-to-day routines of a professional couple, a young daughter, and extended family who often stay. The brief was clear: the house needed to adapt, but without losing its modesty or over-capitalising on an inner-west site where every square metre counts.

The design response focuses on doing more with what already exists. On the ground floor, walls that once divided the home into tight compartments have been reworked to create a single, open kitchen and dining space that gathers light from the north and spills out to the backyard. This shift alone transforms how the house feels — calmer, more connected, and far more usable for a growing family.

Smaller but meaningful adjustments accompany this big move: a compact laundry tucked efficiently into the plan, bathrooms rethought for comfort and longevity, and the upper dormer window reshaped to draw in daylight and replace a problematic balcony that had been a continual source of frustration.

Throughout, the emphasis has been on retaining the character of the original dwelling. Materials are reused where possible, and new elements are introduced with restraint, ensuring the old and new sit comfortably together.

As construction progresses, the building’s bones are revealing the intentions behind the design. Watching the structure take shape — moving from drawings and approvals to actual form — is always one of the most rewarding stages of a project.