A beautiful old timber workers cottage in Brisbane’s bayside suburb of Shorncliffe was in need of some tender loving care. A Melbourne family was delighted to purchase the house and have set about repairing and renovating to suit their growing family.

The first stage was to raise the house and we chose a height which allowed them to place the garaging underneath but not be too high that it would appear out of proportion with the neighbouring houses in this Traditional Character zoned area.

The upper level was re-arranged so that one bedroom was changed to provide an ensuite bathroom and robe for the main bedroom and a new bathroom. Some existing coloured glass windows were repurposed from the rear of the house and these were made into new windows for the main bathroom, with the beautiful pink and green light coming through creating a very unique bathroom.

The upper level rear will have a new kitchen, large living and a new deck facing the back yard with distant Brisbane city views. The lower level will provide a secure garage, family room, extra bedroom and laundry and bathroom.

The character of the house and its street appeal will be maintained while making this a great family home with all of the convenience of a contemporary home.