H&G HOUSES
AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN / 119W
ith jaw-dropping views over the Indian Ocean and
airy yet protected living spaces, this home renovation
capitalises on its location in an iconic beachside suburb
of Perth. It stands today in stark contrast to the original
1990s house the owners purchased back in 2009.
Although the original house stretched over three levels, owners
Darien and Katie knew major work was required to bring it up to
scratch. They needed ample living space for themselves and young
sons Thomas, now four, and William, two, as well as Darien’s elder
daughters, Lilly and Annabelle.
Enter Klopper & Davis Architects. “The house was not functioning.
It was upside down, with living on the top f loor but no connection to
a backyard or garden,” says architect Sam Klopper. “Our proposal
to Darien was that he buy the house next door, knock it down and fill
the resulting block up to the top level of their existing house to create
a backyard.” Having nurtured similar ideas for some time, Darien
approached the neighbours and a deal was struck.
It was a tricky concept to manoeuvre through council, but they got
approval and built up the rear block by 3m to create a backyard with
pool, plus additional utility and garage space. Sam reconfigured the
home’s main living level, went up another f loor and designed an L-shaped
addition for the new piece of land. This provided the desired space for
the whole family and capitalised on the views, while creating outdoor
spaces sheltered from the harsh sun and south-westerly winds.
The redesigned kitchen is in the same place but now connects to both
front and rear, thanks to new glazing and a repositioned island bench.
The boys’ bedrooms, playroom and bathroom occupy the L shape and
are off a glazed walkway that takes in a full view of the garden. The
main bedroom suite of old has been converted to an inviting >