Reflecting on my grandparents’ coastal shack, I explore how to renovate while preserving its cherished memories and character.
I’m writing this sitting on an old verandah attached to a coastal shack once owned by my grandparents. It’s a house now held together by memories.
As an architect, I have often imagined and visualised the potential of what could be rebuilt on this site. Inherently, the bones of the old place are solid and I find myself asking how I would repair and renovate this old home without destroying what makes it special. In recent times I have rebuilt the open fireplace and I’ve just completed repairs on the wharf, which my grandfather had originally built almost 60 years ago. In previous years I knocked out internal walls, creating a big open plan. In effect, the changes I’ve made were aimed at preserving memories and improving lifestyle as opposed to creating high-end design.
I am often asked to suggest changes for older-style homes to update them and bring them into the 21st century. While looking for opportunities to connect ideally to north-facing outdoor space, one must remember that preserving simple details such as architraves, skirtings, perhaps leadlights or humble timber doors and windows helps link makeovers to the inherent homely spirit lying under the dust.
When dealing with an older home, especially one that may be close to your heart, unless the building is completely derelict and even then, the first question you should ask yourself is, what is worth preserving? What is the minimum we can do? It’s a financially and environmentally positive first step in approaching the renovation of an older home.
Balancing contemporary design with older homes is the bread and butter of all architects and professional home designers. However, now we need to factor in the pandemic, particularly when it comes to budgets. With rolling lockdowns and wage uncertainty, home upgrades need to be reviewed. You do not want to create a financial nightmare while creating a dream home. The tip here is to take your time.
It’s often said that it takes a year of living in a home before it becomes clear what’s required to improve it — things like learning sun angles and breeze directions, not to mention privacy issues from neighbours. These things may not be immediately apparent until living somewhere for at least a few months.
I suggest you don’t want to knock down walls if lockdowns are going to continue. Having separate room layouts found in older-style homes must not be dismissed as outdated. In years to come, who knows — open plan may become known as pre-COVID (in other words, dated).
As I sip on a cup of tea, I think to myself that we might make some more changes to my grandfather’s old house. But for now the old place, held together with the mortar of memory, is comfortable. Having said that, I haven’t stopped imagining and sketching the possibilities.
Article Featured in Grand Designs Australia Magazine Australia Issue 10.4