Staying power

Having lived for more than 40 years in their much-loved home, these owners engaged architect Madeleine Blanchfield to provide a sophisticated, contemporary upgrade.

- JUDY PASCOE

There are people who like to move house every few years, enjoying the mood of change and a fresh start. And then there are people who settle into a home they love in an area that is pleasing and take root there. This family is very much in the latter category, having built their Sydney eastern suburbs house more than 40 years ago. It suited them perfectly for the time when they were raising their family and once the children had moved out they could see no reason to leave, deciding instead to upgrade the property in line with their current lifestyle.

The couple interviewed several architects before selecting Madeleine Blanchfield. The project was a large undertaking, not least emotionally. “It is particularly difficult to commit to reworking spaces that are so familiar and have so many memories entwined in them,” says Madeleine. “But they were bold and rose to the challenge. We were impressed by their unfaltering commitment to the project.”

The original house rose two storeys atop a street-level garage, with the entry up a set of steps. The main living spaces faced south over the garden and had little interconnection. However the views to the ocean and the headland, north and east, were spectacular and begging to be exploited.