Elegant timber extension uses angular volumes to maximize natural light

An impressive contemporary home that achieves a fresh and comfortable spaces.

A beautiful two-story timber-clad extension was added to an unassuming suburban house in Melbourne’s Clifton Hill neighborhood. Designed by Julie Firkin Architects, the Fenwick Street House is an airy elegant addition despite the irregularly shaped plot it occupies. Strips of honey-colored Australian silvertop ash clad the extension inside and out to allude to the original weatherboard cottage while achieving a more contemporary feel.

The two-level addition extends diagonally from the back of the house. A sloped roof section that connects the original cottage to the timber extension doubles as an angular overhang that protects the home from solar heat gain in the summer and allows generous amounts of natural light to pour into the double-height interior in winter. A large timber deck wraps around one side of the building.

The extension comprises a kitchen, dining area, and master bedroom suite, with the communal areas located in an open-plan layout on the ground floor and the bedroom placed in the cantilevered upper volume. Clerestory windows and other openings on both levels bathe the rooms in natural light and provide views of the garden. The contemporary interior is lined with warm-toned wood and complemented with white walls and pale concrete to reflect and amplify the effect of natural light.