A Quirky Redfern Terrace With A Hidden Green Roof

The view from the downstairs courtyard garden, looking back into the dining room and kitchen. Circular light wells which have been cast into the green roof above. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

The view out to the accessible green roof, which forms the roof of the kitchen and dining room below. Fermob Balad Lamp. Husk armchair designed by Patricia Urquiola. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Homeowner Sacha Coles, design director at ASPECT Studios, out the front of his Redfern family home. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

The view from the kitchen out to the courtyard garden. Artwork on right by Madison Gibbs. Kitchen table and Jake chairs from Koskela. Akari light by Isamu Noguchi. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Danish bar stool from Great Dane Furniture. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Artwork by John Boker. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Vintage cane lounge. Akari light by Isamu Noguchi. Jieldé lamp. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Hardwood plant shelves, designed and built by Sacha Coles. Pots from Annabel Lahz and Garden Life. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Jieldé lamp. Vintage cane lounge. Plants in the courtyard include palms, elkhorns, staghorns, and orchids. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Balu the fox terrior. Artwork by Mark Gerada. Jieldé lamp. Butterfly chair purchased from Angelucci 20th Century. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Butterfly chair purchased from Angelucci 20th Century sitting on a semicircle of precast concrete slabs where Sacha enjoys a morning coffee. Green roof system developed by Junglefy. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Doors slide open to reveal the green roof. Artwork by Mark Gerada. Jieldé lamp. Butterfly chair purchased from Angelucci 20th Century. Fermob Balad Lamp. Husk armchair designed by Patricia Urquiola. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Blackbutt plywood lines the main bedroom. Bed and side table by Koala. Jieldé lamp. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Artwork by Charlotte Haywood. Furniture by Koskela. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Sacha helped create a community park in the street that’s able to be enjoyed by the entire neighbourhood. ‘With City of Sydney’s support, we shut our street to traffic and reclaimed part of the street for use by the community,’ he says. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

The new backyard studio, facing the rear laneway. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Sacha Coles, design director at ASPECT Studios, and Lydia Ho bought their Redfern, Sydney property in 2006, as a quirky home over four levels to raise their eventual children.

‘The four sets of stairs would have put a lot of people off, but we thought it would offer us both exercise and the ability to occupy spaces together or separately,’ says Sacha.

They soon welcomed Arki (now 14 years of age) and Ren (6) into the world, and completed minor renovations over the years, until a major home transformation in 2019.

The focus of the renovation was on creating quality spaces, both indoors and out, using tactile materials.

‘We are much more interested in creating good spaces than we are about having perfect furniture or fixtures,’ explains Sacha. ‘A home is a place to live in, love, and form memories, so we are not precious about creating a specific aesthetic. It’s more about what feels right for us, and what can bring comfort to an unusual series of spaces arranged over multiple levels.’

Sacha worked with Anthony Gill Architects, Castle Construction, and SDA Structures on the renovation, which essentially sliced off the back of the house.

What was a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house became a four-bedroom, two-bathroom property, thanks to the addition of a new backyard studio (facing the rear laneway).

Separating the new and old buildings is a lush courtyard with shade tolerant plants, which Sacha describes as a ‘living artwork.’

The star of the renovation is the home’s accessible new green roof, installed by Junglefy. This space affords every room in the house with leafy views, and softens the dense Redfern landscape.

Sacha also helped create a community park in the street, which is enjoyed by the entire neighbourhood! ‘With City of Sydney’s support, we shut our street to traffic and reclaimed part of the street for use by the community,’ he says.

Post renovation, Sacha and Lydia’s home is far more logical and generous for a young family. Spaces are comfortable and personalised, drawing the outdoors in at every opportunity.