As delightful as its name implies, Storybook House is a wonderful renovation and extension project, undertaken on a Victorian, single fronted terraced house in Melbourne by the local practice of Folk Architects.
The architectural style of the extension was inspired by the Storybook homes popular in the 1920s in the USA. Playful nostalgia took centre stage to produce designs straight out of fairy tales. However, here the similarity ends as the interior of this home is a sleek 21st century residence with a minimal contemporary design inspired by the Japanese living spaces.
The interior is an open plan, multi use living area, with the illusion of extra space through ceiling height and a mezzanine floor. Every centimetre of space has been utilized with cleverly concealed storage areas found in the most unexpected places.
The extension to the existing home has also provided an additional bedroom, which the client required. As with most contemporary homes, sustainability is a vital factor. Many such details have been incorporated into the design, a sunken tank in the rear garden to collect rainwater, interior courtyards and vitally positioned framed views of the environment, including a nearby park, ensure a flow of passive ventilation. A roof garden and white/cream terracotta cladding and a traditional tiled pitched roof, work as insulation on the home.
The result is an imaginative design combining the contemporary with the traditional, entirely practical for an urban lifestyle, all put together with a sense of fun.
The extension to the existing home has also provided an additional bedroom, which the client required. As with most contemporary homes, sustainability is a vital factor. Many such details have been incorporated into the design, a sunken tank in the rear garden to collect rainwater, interior courtyards and vitally positioned framed views of the environment, including a nearby park, ensure a flow of passive ventilation. A roof garden and white/cream terracotta cladding and a traditional tiled pitched roof, work as insulation on the home.
The result is an imaginative design combining the contemporary with the traditional, entirely practical for an urban lifestyle, all put together with a sense of fun.
