New Beginnings – Big Small House by Bower Architecture & Interiors

Bower Architecture & Interiors takes a nuanced approach to spatiality in Small House Big House to rework a compact urban site. An intricate balance of the considered and meticulous use of space with a playful yet uncluttered interior reveals a functional, beautiful family home.

Though charming, the original single-storey two-bedroom Victorian workers cottage in inner Melbourne felt cramped and enclosed. Bower Architecture & Interiors restored the entire cottage to amplify space and modernise the home. Owing to the needs of the clients’ growing family, the focus centred on making the most of every millimetre of the 228 square metre site. The final result demonstrates how space may reveal itself when a project is approached with a perceptive regard for spatiality, aperture and dimensions alongside thoughtful materiality and interior design choices.

The final result demonstrates the space that may reveal itself when approaching a project with a perceptive regard for spatiality, aperture and dimensions alongside thoughtful materiality and interior design choices.

Upon entry, a tall hallway with a skylight opens up and offers glimpses of upstairs, immediately creating the feeling of spaciousness. Original downstairs rooms have been remodelled to become a main bedroom with an ensuite and walk-in robe, as well as a guest suite. A contemporary addition, housing the kitchen and dining, now sits behind the cottage with high ceilings that welcome space and light. A hidden door leads to the basement cellar, with an open wine room, a cinema, powder room and storage. Upstairs, there is a roof nook, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a gallery with views of the city that connects to the family areas below.

A balanced palette and materiality, both playful and refined, also open up the home. In the main living areas, interiors are minimalist and uncluttered, dominated by smooth lines and neutral tones, which once again helps enhance a sense of space. The basement features a much darker material palette, while the upstairs nook includes the unlikely original colour of the floor windows, which also allow lots of natural light. Playful elements include coloured tiles in the bathrooms, a burnt orange velvet curtain for the cinema and a bright yellow front door.

Sustainable design was crucial in ensuring Big Small House will age much more gracefully than its original structure.

Sustainable design was crucial in ensuring Big Small House will age much more gracefully than its original structure. North-facing windows and considered angles invite warmth and natural light into the home in abundance and facilitate natural ventilation, while the shade over these windows allows shielding from the summer sun. All double glazing is high-performance thermally-broken aluminium, and temperatures are also stabilised through an insulated concrete slab. In addition, solar panels and battery storage power the home.

What initially began as a project focused on creating the illusion of space turned into something much more tangible. Bower Architecture & Interiors’s thoughtful approach to materiality, light, height and ultimately, spatiality, means that the once bygone cottage can re-enter the current day.