The Contemporary Queenslander – Tarragindi Residence by Room by Room

Room by Room has transformed Tarragindi Residence, a once-forgotten 1940s Queenslander cottage, into a contemporary home that encapsulates elegant materiality and a tactful approach to space. Without neglecting its heritage, the rejuvenation combines structural modifications with modern interiors to open up the home and connect it to the outside.

Located in a leafy suburb south of Brisbane, the formerly dark and disjointed cottage has been reworked into a usable environment for a retired couple to live in. A low rumpus room, open garage and storage room are transformed into a spacious open plan kitchen, living and dining, as well as a master suite with a walk-in wardrobe. Opening up the downstairs area and reworking the upstairs level nurtures a greater sense of functionality, space and longevity.

Furnishings and accents are sympathetic to the Queenslander style of home and are balanced with a contemporary approach to materiality and an elegant style.

The home’s heritage is integral to its rejuvenation. Certain structural elements such as the original windows, ceiling beams and panelled walls remain, in a nod to the home’s past life and in consideration to the heritage façade that defines the area. In this way, Tarragindi Residence is restructured without removing its heritage appeal. While the shell of the cottage remains, pillars and walls are removed to open up the space, creating an open-plan layout that prioritises circulation and flow.

Room by Room also merges the home’s heritage with the contemporary through thoughtful interior design choices. Furnishings and accents are sympathetic to the Queenslander style of home and are balanced with a contemporary approach to materiality and an elegant style. French provincial lighting, cabinets and French doors are used, complemented by a largely white, creamy palette. This pared-back, classic style embodies a timeless elegance that promises longevity as the home enters the next decade.

Tarragindi Residence is an inspired renovation that changes the very way the house is lived in, without neglecting its lineage.

A renewed connection to the outdoors also emerges as part of the renovation. Tarragindi Residence’s previous life was one that was dark, cramped and disconnected. Now, the home opens to the outside, reconfigured to encourage people to engage with the outdoors. Floor-to-ceiling windows filter light into the home while the ground floor opens directly to the garden. The staircase has been redesigned to direct focus to the window that sits at the end; contrasting wall colours painted on the upper and lower walls draw the eye directly to the window that frames the garden beyond.

Tarragindi Residence is an inspired renovation that changes the very way the house is lived in, without neglecting its lineage. Through careful consideration of structure, materiality and furnishings, Room by Room has given an old Queenslander cottage a new lease on life as it enters its next era.