This alterations and additions project sits close to my heart as it is my own family home. After living here for three years, we had a clear sense of what worked, what didn’t, and what we wanted the house to become. Our aim was to renovate in a way that respected the original era of the home and worked within its existing footprint. I also wanted to bring in the sense of coziness I get from the distinctive interior style of the houses in the south of Chile, while still honouring the home’s mid-century character, an unexpected pairing that led to a playful mix of materials and textures.

The design is simple but intentional. By removing an original structural wall and rotating the kitchen ninety degrees, we created a more functional, connected kitchen space and opened the home to the garden. A freestanding shelving unit was added to gently separate the kitchen from the combined living–dining area, creating two distinct spaces to enjoy while keeping the plan open and fluid.

The day bed is positioned to frame views of the River Derwent and capture both morning and evening summer light, turning the kitchen into a secondary living area. An angled wall allowed us to form a small office nook with views over the garden and the northern valley. The original single bathroom was also reconfigured to form two bathrooms within the same footprint.