Better out than up for this heritage home

Better out than in

As children get older and life’s demands change, families often find themselves outgrowing their homes.

This was exactly the case for Steve’s.

Their three-bedroom heritage house on Sydney’s Northern Beaches had limited space. Steve worked from home, and his two daughters were sharing a room to allow the third bedroom to be claimed as his office. But with the eldest daughter starting high school, this arrangement was no longer practical. It was time to create some personal space.

“We simply needed another room in the house due to the growing family demands,” Steve explains.

Their first thought was to add a second level to the existing house. But a major renovation of this nature was costly and time-consuming, with the heritage status of the building adding additional red tape and restrictions.

So, they looked out to their garden instead.

“We decided this was the best use of space given the significant costs of renovating a heritage property and adding a second level to the existing house,” Steve confirms.

Weighing it all up, the maths was simple. Extending or renovating any property – especially a heritage one – was a major undertaking. But adding a detached building to the garden would give them the extra room they needed, faster and for far less, without touching the house at all.

Better fit

With several suppliers to choose from, Steve thoroughly investigated his options to make sure he made the best possible decision. The building was going to sit next to a heritage home, and how it looked mattered just as much as what it did.

“We did plenty of research on custom sheds and home studios and decided Greenspan was the best option for our needs,” he tells us.

He was impressed by the number of completed Greenspan projects he could see online as well as the quality and design freedom that was available. The many case studies featured on the website gave him the chance to see how other customers had customised their buildings, while Greenspan’s longevity gave him confidence in the quality behind them.

“We looked at several other sheds that had been completed by Greenspan and were impressed with the overall build quality and custom options available.”

One project in particular stood out to Steve. Another home office that was almost exactly what he’d had in mind from the very start.

Better timing

Knowing exactly what he wanted made an already quick and simple process even faster and easier. In fact, he didn’t even need to make an in-person visit, undertaking the entire design process online.

“We had a good idea of the size, timber finish, and doors and windows that we wanted installed,” Steve recalls. “Once we spoke with the design specialist we were happy to move forward with the proposed build configuration. We were able to amend certain details and choose the correct colours from the approved designs. The process was very smooth.”

Time was of the essence. Christmas was fast approaching, the girls were keen to get their own bedrooms organised, and Steve needed that workspace.

“We wanted to get started right away,” he tells us.

And he certainly did. Because in less than two months, he was settled into his new home office, while his daughters enjoyed the freedom of having their own bedrooms for the first time.

Better looking

Steve wanted to make sure that the look of this new building complemented that of the heritage house it sat beside.

A Melwood Workshed 3236 formed the basis of the design – a simple, pitched roof style that provided a straightforward canvas for Steve to personalise to suit.

To create the look he was after, Steve upgraded the cladding to pre-primed weatherboard, which he later painted in Dulux ‘Domino’ – a dark charcoal blue-grey that pairs beautifully with the crisp white colonial-style windows he also selected.

Double timber 10-lite doors – also painted white – were added to the front gable, while Colorbond® roofing in Shale Grey adds further contrast to the dark exterior tones. A later addition of an L-shaped timber deck wraps the front and side, adding some warmth to the palette.

Better than an office

Inside, it’s calm, light and beautifully finished – walls and ceiling lined in white panelling, with a warm timber floor that creates a natural connection with the deck beyond.

Steve’s workstation set-up is efficient and organised – a sleek floating timber desk set beside the door, capturing natural light, garden views and cool breezes.

But with all that space, it would be a shame to use it only as an office.

At the other end of the room, a big, comfortable sofa bed and a wall-mounted TV transform the space into a relaxed retreat and a sleepover spot for the girls and their friends.

It’s this dual purpose that makes the building work so well for the whole family: a dedicated workspace during the day, and a place to relax, unwind and spend time when the workday is done – something that will only become increasingly useful as the girls get older.

Better all round

Steve’s immaculate Melwood is the perfect balance of heritage styling with a contemporary edge; a considered combination of old and new.

It began as a need to free up a bedroom and ended up giving the whole family so much more. Nestled into this leafy garden, it’s the perfect complement to the home it sits next to, while giving everyone in the family the additional space they require.

“It’s been a great space to work and provides plenty of privacy during the work day,” says Steve. “We also use it as a separate space for the girls to hang out and have a sleep-over when they want.”

The girls get a bedroom each, Steve gets a dedicated home office, and everyone gets a relaxing retreat away from the main house.

And the original house remains untouched.

Sometimes, the best way to add more room to your house is by not adding more room to your house. By looking out, not up, Steve’s family got all the extra room they needed in their home… just in the garden.

All measurements are approximate.