Meow House

Meow house sits within the existing footprint of a 1960s building to provide an updated, inviting family home without reducing the outdoor area.  We completely replanned the existing warren of small rooms, creating a layout that suits the needs of a young family including a shift-worker and two indoor cats.

Built by an owner builder in the 1960s, the original orange brick building was affectionately described by our client as an ugly duckling.  It had some quirky details that they loved but the house was in disrepair and didn’t suit their needs.  Our brief was to design a home that allowed for family gatherings, ensured shift-work hours were not disruptive, included space for books and hidey-holes for the cats.

Without demolishing or extending the building we were able to completely alter the sense of what this home is and how it feels to occupy.

The design relocated services areas originally at the back of the house to the south of the building, giving clear access to natural light and the backyard.  This new space has been carefully zoned using open shelving to provide interconnected living areas.  An oversized central glass door allows the family to close the living space off from the cats and move freely between inside and outside.  When in the space, the cats have a highlight window ledge to sun themselves and watch the yard.  The ledge is accessed through a cupboard hidden in the kitchen joinery.

The cues taken from existing materiality led to the incorporation of terrazzo, brass, terracotta, and a range of pastel colours. These have been re-imagined and incorporated in new ways to create a design that sits comfortably alongside the original and provides surprising moments throughout the house.

We have used design detailing, materiality and texture to add a tangible sense of the hand-made nature of the house.  The objective was not to perfect the imperfect old house, but to find and accentuate its charm to create a distinctive, warm family home.