Design Overview
A major acreage home extension and renovation in Kenthurst, with additional bedrooms, larger living areas, a new front entrance and a gabled alfresco overlooking the swimming pool. The bushfire-prone site also required parts of the additions to meet BAL-40 and BAL-FZ construction requirements.
DA & CC Approved – The Hills Shire Council
More About This Project
The Brief
Acreage Home Extension & Renovation in Kenthurst
Ashwood House involved a substantial extension and renovation of an existing acreage home in Kenthurst, in Sydney's Hills District.
The owners wanted to retain the original home but make significant improvements to its layout, appearance and overall living space.
The brief included a new bedroom wing, larger family living areas, a more welcoming front entrance and a generous covered alfresco overlooking the existing swimming pool.
The property was also bushfire-prone, with parts of the proposed additions requiring BAL-40 and BAL-FZ Flame Zone construction standards.
The Design Response
Extending and Reworking the Existing Acreage Home
We redesigned and extended the existing floor plan to provide additional bedrooms and larger, more connected family living areas.
A new bedroom wing was incorporated into the home, with the internal layout reorganised to improve the separation between living and sleeping areas.
Rather than demolishing the original residence, we worked with the existing structure and extended where needed to achieve the additional space.
A New Gabled Entrance and Poolside Alfresco
At the front, we designed a new gabled entrance to give the home a stronger street presence and bring the existing and new sections together.
At the rear, a large gabled alfresco was designed alongside the existing swimming pool, creating a generous outdoor entertaining area with a direct connection to the main living spaces.
These additions significantly changed both the appearance of the home and how the family could use it.
Designing the Extensions for BAL-40 and BAL-FZ Bushfire Requirements
One of the main challenges was incorporating the new extensions into a property with significant bushfire construction requirements.
Different parts of the additions were subject to BAL-40 and BAL-FZ Flame Zone standards, which influenced the selection of building materials and construction details.
We worked these requirements into the design so the owners could still achieve the additional bedrooms, larger living areas and outdoor entertaining spaces they wanted.
Project Outcome
Development Application and Construction Certificate approvals were obtained through The Hills Shire Council.
Ashwood House is a good example of how an established acreage home can be substantially transformed without a complete knockdown rebuild.
The completed renovation provides additional accommodation, larger family living areas, a new front entrance and a much stronger connection between the home, alfresco and swimming pool.
The before-and-after photographs and floor plans show just how much was achieved by retaining and extending the original residence.
Project Gallery Click Image to Enlarge
