BLENDING FORM and function

Light and ventilation breathe new life into this classic Perth residence

-  KYLIE BARACZ

What was once a tired home with limited useable space has now become a functional dwelling fit for a new family. Nestled in a Perth suburb, this private yet well-utilised family residence features new injections of light, space and framed views thanks to the brilliant plans of design studio Dalecki Design.

"The vision was quite clear from day one," says Janik Dalecki, director of Dalecki Design. "The clients expressed the need for light and ventilation, and then beyond this: functional spaces. This is where we started - less about the home's look, more about the function."

The solution to finding this on a northfacing frontage with an existing home in place provided some challenges to the design team. The solution then drove the form, which in turn inspired the home's look.

The owners, a couple with two cats, rented the home before the landlord approached them to purchase. This prompted the couple to overhaul the house to prepare it for their growing family. "The couple had lived in the house for several years before engaging us and wanted to keep the well-utilised private spaces of the front of the original house intact while creating new, open-plan living and entertaining areas at the back, capitalising on city views," says Janik.