1930s Bungalow, Westmere

In a Westmere neighbourhood of timber villas, bungalows and old trees, there was a white stucco house with the charm of a fairytale illustration and a floor plan that had lost the plot.

A young family attracted to the character of this 1930s bungalow moved in and chose Rogan Nash Architects to reimagine the home. Keeping the charm of the street frontage, they have removed a previous renovation that interrupted the original layout and disconnected the rear of the house from the garden. Now the roofline has been extended into a new living pavilion that steps down the site.

Reinstating the central hallway was the first move, restoring the home's sense of flow and bringing natural light deeper into the plan through carefully positioned skylights. The front rooms, including the main bedroom with its original leadlight window, were returned close to their original configuration. A step down into the kitchen, dining room and living spaces, and the ceiling rises with the new, extended roofline. As the house opens towards the rear, ThermalHeart® aluminium joinery from First Windows & Doors runs full height. Sliders open completely to connect the living room to the deck. All joinery is fitted with AGP double-glazing, and each opening window contributes to cross ventilation, so the house doesn’t rely on artificial cooling. A generous eave and Solux-E low-e glazing protects against overheating, keeping the kitchen, dining and living spaces liveable through orientation rather than technology.