Elder Tree House

Located near Paradise beach on Pittwater shores, on the Spotted Gum forest of Clareville valley. The site itself contains two 100+ year old elder trees, eucalyptus maculate (spotted gum), admiringly named ‘Max’ and ‘Maxine’ by the family.

The project is a modest alterations and additions to a red brick 1960s bungalow. Simple solutions, beautifully designed & built, this home was truly transformed.

With the intervention of a large covered deck to the rear yard, designed work with a tiered rear garden for children to play, and a covered front entry porch to relax in the northern sun.

The house was then opened up and reorganised to provide outdoor connection & relief for a busy growing family. Internal areas were cleverly altered to accommodate further bedrooms, new kitchen, laundry, and a large central 3-way family bathroom.

For a family with many young children the bathroom was designed for multiple people to use at once, often all at once. It is one of the most stunning bathrooms we’ve designed to date. Peaceful, serene & relaxing. A solid (extremely heavy) black granite vanity was custom made. Timber lined walls secretly conceal many storage cupboards behind. An old cast iron bath was resurfaced & undermounted in black granite, then projected out beyond the wall to gain more floor area – bathing in a private landscaped garden. Although dark in colour, it is not a dark space, as abundant light streams in from an overhead skylight as well as the full louvred glass wall.

Both front and rear decks are purpose designed, with screening & balustrades to suit. The front more solid & protected from the road with roof permitting northern sunshine. The rear deck uses reinforced translucent sheeting to protect from threat of falling branches & mesh to allow cool breezes to pass through the house.

Works also included new street entrances, garage and a lower level studio located under the filtered light of the rear deck. Brief for external spaces included children play areas, firepit, and full landscaping for gardens to encompass the entire property to transform a corner property into a peaceful home.

The structural elements, battens & linings used throughout are all spotted gum with the knowledge that timber performs better in its endemic environment. Uniquely, this house was built by the architect and a long-term colleague who is a crafted carpenter.