Preston House by Dion Keech Architects and Custom Choice Builders

Transitioning to the rear via a central corridor, a once-utilitarian lean-to is sympathetically reimagined through heightened volume, imbuing a similar honesty of form.

Partnering with Custom Choice Builders, constructability and execution were regularly interrogated by both teams, ensuring a considered design response. Preston House’s architecture is resolute in planning and detail, designed around sustainable outcomes and simple materiality. Confined to the original footprint, the bungalow’s front-facing sleeping quarters demonstrate a respectful preservation of proportion and embellishment.

Transitioning to the rear via a central corridor, a once-utilitarian lean-to is sympathetically reimagined through heightened volume, imbuing a similar honesty of form. Comprising the kitchen, dining and lounge room, the rear extension conveys programmatic hierarchy through a singular raking roofline, projecting northward for solar shade and sheltered outdoor living.

Matte timber floorboards and terrazzo tiles become the markers of old, abutting lightly peppered concrete floors throughout the extension.

The lightweight timber-framed extension reflects a shed-like informality atop a salvaged- brick plinth – almost rural in nature, yet expertly resolved for a suburban setting. Wrapped in profiled zinc, vertical shiplap timber and cement sheet, Custom Choice Builders exhibits a masterful resolution of junction and craft, where shadow lines and datums seamlessly traverse from outside to in. Crossing the threshold from old to new, the interior opens upward and out to fill the space with sublime northern light, bolstered by a series of skylights and clerestory windows.

The interior features a modestly restrained palette which instils the perfect mix of texture and intrigue. On arrival, crisp grey-whites bring into focus heritage trims, panelled doors and radial fenestration. Matte timber floorboards and terrazzo tiles become the markers of old, abutting lightly peppered concrete floors throughout the extension. Calling for the utmost finesse, ashy charcoal blacks punctuate walls, cabinetry and ceilings. An ode to the dappled leadlight windows, chalky pink bathrooms and pocket doors impart moments of whimsy. Recessed skirting boards, timber-lined pelmets and precision junctions exude craft at the highest level, expertly resolved through a collaborative partnership between builder and architect.

For a growing family drawn to backyard activities, the modestly sized home demonstrates a beauty in restraint and environmental awareness.

Sustainability was a key consideration for both Dion Keech and Custom Choice Builders. Designed for passive heating, cooling and ventilation, the rear heated slab extension provides thermal mass to be gradually warmed by the winter sun, while the deep eaves of the northern facade offer summer shade. The all-electric, no-gas home also features solar panels, induction cooking, a low-energy heat pump and hydronic boiler. “Our aim is to deploy sensible passive design that is highly insulated and sealed, shaded by eaves, and with good cross-ventilation,” says Keech.

For a growing family drawn to backyard activities, the modestly sized home demonstrates a beauty in restraint and environmental awareness. Weaving minimalist utilitarianism into a post-war bungalow, the architecture is unfussy, practical and hard-wearing. Pulled back to its essential parts with nothing to hide, Preston House is a showcase of Dion Keech’s thoughtful planning and Custom Choice Builders’ meticulous workmanship.

Architecture and interior design by Dion Keech Architects. Build by Custom Choice Builders.