Corunna House by Studio Johnston

Nestled in the leafy streets of Sydney’s Queens Park is Corunna House by Studio Johnston. Conceived in response to the clients’ evolving needs as a family, this renovated and extended Californian bungalow pays deference to the home’s heritage, inhabitants and context.

Located on the fringes of Centennial Park and sited unusually far back from the street, the home has a generous front garden shaded by a mature fig tree. This outdoor space became a pivotal element in the redesign, serving not only as a welcoming arrival but also as a quiet refuge that shaped the spatial planning. “You end up with a very distinct front garden, which in some ways influenced the design because it pushed the house a lot further back and makes all of the development quite intense towards there,” says architect Conrad Johnston.

This courtyard acts as a pivot point, marking the transition between the original structure and the modern extension. Johnston describes it as “the nexus of the new and the old”.

Rather than taking a rigid approach to the intersection of old and new, Studio Johnston has employed a more fluid philosophy, aiming to graft the contemporary with the traditional. The home’s original materiality has been echoed in the new addition, resulting in a striking yet seamless integration of heritage and contemporary tropes and materials. “The Californian bungalow has a very strong brick and timber aesthetic and so we tried to use that materiality in a more contemporary way with the renovation,” says Johnston.

Corunna House’s layout is defined by a series of interconnected courtyards. At the fore, the original home, which contains three bedrooms, has been renovated with a light touch, ensuring the heritage character prevails but with a newfound crispness. From there, the plan unfurls around a small internal courtyard flanked by a second living room designed for the children. This courtyard acts as a pivot point, marking the transition between the original structure and the modern extension. Johnston describes it as “the nexus of the new and the old”.

“The Californian bungalow has a very strong brick and timber aesthetic and so we tried to use that materiality in a more contemporary way with the renovation,” says Johnston.

At the rear, the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area is the indisputable heart of the home. It opens directly onto a rear courtyard, a small swimming pool and a green roof planted atop a garage and studio at the end of the garden. Upstairs, the primary bedroom is a peaceful parents’ retreat replete with a study and an ensuite bathroom.

Despite its compact footprint, the home is designed to feel spacious and serene. Joinery units and architectural interventions help to gently divide and define the spaces without restricting the floor plan or creating clutter. The kitchen, dining and living area is a prime example of this rationale, where units span both elevations – one side containing a bar, pantry and fridge, and the other concealing a television. “That’s all working really hard to create the sense of generosity between those two walls, so that you can have a very open, clean space.”

Built-in furniture complements this approach, with a sculptural piece of cabinetry in the second living room and a built-in bench in the dining area hugging the wall. “It’s a very simple technique of using a built-in seat. You can push the dining table towards one side and create an intimate space.”

For Johnston, seeing his clients and their three sons inhabit the space and make it their own is the most rewarding element: it’s what he believes makes a project truly successful. Adapted for contemporary family life, Corunna House is a beautifully resolved architectural outcome and a wonderful reflection of the people who call it home.

Architecture and interior design by Studio Johnston. Build by SFN Build. Landscape design by Tarn. Engineering by SDA Structures. Joinery by Corelli Joinery. Artwork by Luke Scibberas and Stefania Reynolds.