Click And Connect

At this Federation cottage in Sydney, spreading out helped bring people together.

- Carli Philips

Sydney couple Katrina and Ian Holmes had just made the decision to renovate when they chanced upon an article about architect Daniel Boddam. His designs suited their ideal aesthetic and, as it happened, there was a more personal connection at play. “Daniel and I were friends at school but had since lost touch,” says Katrina. “We were able to have a good catch-up as well as work on a great project together,” adds Daniel.

Top priority was removing the 1990s rear extension and replacing it with something more sympathetic to the original Federation cottage. Ian and Katrina were also keen to create more living space for themselves and their children Edward, eight, and Annabelle, seven.

While the new addition was important, Katrina and Ian were in love with the charm of the old house and had concerns that extending upwards would compromise its structure and character. An extra storey might have looked overbearing from the street too. Happily, the 1214-square metre site enabled another alternative: expanding on a single level. “Daniel came up with a modern take on Hamptons architecture, which was perfect for our 117-year old house,” Katrina says. Based on classical design principles, the extension features the lightness and aesthetically pleasing symmetry and repetition that is typical of Hamptons style. “It was really an exercise in good manners,” says Daniel. “Our design creates the space the family needed without overwhelming the site.”