Incredibly for a house of its age, there were no structural issues to deal with, and in the original section of the house, which comprises a central hallway flanked by a formal living/dining room on one side and two bedrooms on the other, works were primarily of a restorative nature. The hearths around the marble fireplaces were repaired, timber flooring re-sanded and polished, and any problematic plasterwork was fixed – all in preparation for its cosmetic makeover.
The newer section – built around thirty years ago, Aden estimates – required more heavy lifting. ‘It was all like a rabbit warren, with hallways leading into different poky rooms; it was just confusing.’
The kitchen – a tired laminate-and-granite affair – was too closed-off, and the flow of the largest space, the living room, was interrupted by two awkwardly large, floor-to-ceiling support posts.
‘We had to get an engineer in and put in steel beams to support the roof and ceiling loads, enabling us to remove the internal walls, open it up and turn it into a house you can actually enjoy,’ Aden says.
Post-renovation, the new section includes a study, the master suite, bathroom, a breakfast nook and concealed laundry, as well as a bright and airy kitchen/living/dining space framed by floor-to-ceiling glazing that opens onto the alfresco area.