When Ian’s daughter and her three teenage children moved back home, life became a lot busier and the house became a lot fuller.
Maintaining harmony between three generations living under one roof isn’t always easy. For this family, relief came in the form of a Melwood Verandah, which created the breathing room everyone needed.
“With my daughter and her kids moving back home, it’s relieved a lot of congestion inside the house.”
Three generations, one roof
Just as families evolve, so do their homes.
Children grow up and move out. Spare bedrooms are reclaimed. Routines change, and life settles into a new rhythm.
But sometimes life takes an unexpected turn.
For Ian, that moment came when his daughter and three grandchildren moved back home.
Almost overnight, the household became busier, fuller and far more crowded. Suddenly, three generations were sharing the same home, each with their own routines, interests and need for personal space.
Of course, family always comes first. But while multi-generational living can bring families closer together, there’s no denying that it also places new demands on the home. Teenagers need independence. Adults need somewhere quiet to relax and unwind. And when everyone is sharing the same living areas, even the strongest family relationships can start to feel the strain.
“We needed extra space,” Ian explains simply.
Like many Australian families embracing multi-generational living today, they just needed a little breathing room. Somewhere that would ease the pressure on the house and give everyone a place of their own.
And as a retired builder, Ian knew exactly where the answer lay.
A place to breathe
Rather than extending the house or undertaking a costly renovation, Ian recognised that his garden offered the simplest solution.
A detached garden room would provide the extra living space the house needed, with no disruption to the existing home, and at far less expense. The grandchildren would have somewhere to spend time with friends, watch television, play games, and experience a degree of independence. Meanwhile, the adults could reclaim some peace and enjoy quiet downtime inside the house – exactly the kind of breathing room a teen retreat is designed to create.
Problem solved, the only challenge left was finding the right building. And after decades working in the construction industry, Ian understandably had the highest of standards.
“I decided to go for a Melwood. I had a look at some others, but they didn’t fit what I wanted in a backyard cabana,” he tells us.
What appealed most was the balance between quality, appearance and practicality. Ian wanted something that wasn’t just well-constructed but also one that would complement the existing home and feel like a part of the garden, rather than an afterthought.
The design he settled on was a Melwood Verandah 20 – offering not just plenty of interior space, but also a covered decked area for enjoying the outdoors, bridging inside with out.
“The choice of designs was good. This one fit the bill.”
And as someone who had spent a lifetime building for other people, Ian appreciated just how straightforward the process was.
A builder’s perspective
From the outset, the project was straightforward – something that was especially appealing to Ian, who knew only too well the complexities, delays, and budget blow-outs that can accompany traditional building projects.
“The process was pretty easy, simple. It was explained very well before I put the deposit down, so I was an informed purchaser,” Ian recalls. “That sold it for me.”
There was something refreshing about being on the other side of the building process and seeing how transparent it could be.
Every detail was confirmed up front with his Design Solutioneer – the design, the inclusions, the price all clearly laid out before any work began. No surprises, no creeping costs, no unexpected changes along the way.
Then there was the speed. The building was PreCrafted off-site in just a few weeks, before being delivered as modular, pre-assembled panels ready to install to lock-up stage – a process that typically takes less than a day.
For Ian, this was the ideal arrangement. The structural work was handled with factory precision – none of it subject to the mercy of the weather – while the finishing touches were left in the capable hands of someone who knew exactly what he was doing. Installed in next to no time, with none of the mess, noise or months of disruption that a traditional build would have brought to a busy household already short on space.
“It was pretty sleek,” Ian admits.
It’s the kind of efficiency that’s easy to appreciate when you’ve spent a lifetime on building sites. And the kind that makes all the difference when the whole family is holding their breath for more space.
Classic cottage charm
If this project was born from practicality, the result is defined by aesthetics.
Positioned at the end of the garden, the Melwood is nestled amongst the foliage, its sense of belonging enhanced through the cottage garden beds that softly edge the deck and sides.
The board-and-batten cladding has been painted a dark charcoal, while timeless architectural character is delivered with colonial-style windows and a traditional decked verandah running along the front. Full glass timber-framed double doors with sidelights have been painted white to match the crisp accents of the windows and verandah posts.
With its classic cottage appeal, it doesn’t dominate the backyard. Instead, it settles comfortably into it, sympathetic to the existing home and landscape. For Ian, that balance was important. The building needed to solve a practical problem, but it also needed to look like it belonged.
It achieved that.
A home away from home
Measuring 3.2m x 6.3m, the Verandah certainly delivers on the practicalities too.
The generous footprint offers plenty of comfortable interior space, with the front verandah extending this into the garden. And since the day it was built, back in October 2021, it has been a valuable addition to this multi-generational family.
“The teenagers can do their thing, play their Xbox and have their friends up there,” Ian tells us. “We don’t have to have all the teenagers in the house – they can go up there and enjoy their own company away from the adults.”
In fact, they’ve practically moved in.
“You can’t get them out of it,” says Ian. “They love it.”
Fondly named ‘The Cottage’ by the grandchildren, it’s a home away from home. Inside, a sleeping area with a double bed, bedside table and wardrobe sits alongside a comfortable lounge space complete with a sofa, coffee table and large-screen television for movies and gaming. This all spills out onto the verandah – a relaxed place to sit and enjoy the outlook across the garden and adjacent pool. Who would want to leave?
For the grandchildren, it’s a place to enjoy a little independence and time with their friends. For the adults, it’s relief from a crowded house. With all the bedrooms once again occupied, it’s additional accommodation. It’s exactly the extra room this family needed.
Built for generations
It’s been almost five years since Ian added his Melwood to the backyard, and in that time, it’s been a space this family simply couldn’t have lived without.
Because when his daughter and grandchildren moved back home, the challenge wasn’t finding enough bedrooms. It was finding enough breathing room to allow the entire family to live comfortably together.
Through the grandchildren’s teenage years – a time when the need for personal space, privacy and independence for them, and peace and quiet for the adults is undeniable – this Melwood has provided exactly that.
“It’s relieved a lot of congestion inside the house,” Ian confirms.
One day, the grandchildren will move on, and the house will become quieter again. The Xbox will be switched off. The friends will stop coming and going. The needs of the family will change, just as they always do.
While this Melwood Verandah was built to support three generations to live harmoniously under one roof, in time, it may become something else. Because families never stand still, and Greenspan buildings are designed to evolve alongside them for generations to come.
Take it from someone who is both a homeowner and builder.
“We’re very happy with the result,” Ian tells us. “I would say give Greenspan a look.”
Find out more about backyard teenage retreats – ideal for multigenerational living.
| Design | Melwood Verandah 20 |
| Size | 3.2m x 6.3m |
| Add-ons | 1.3m x 6.3m deck |
| Cladding | Board and batten |
| Doors | Double timber full glass doors |
| Windows | White aluminium |
| Roofing | Woodland Grey Colorbond® |
All measurements are approximate.
Create room for generations to come.
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