Heritage Charm Meets 6-Star Sustainability In This Striking Family Home

The Merri Creek Heritage Extension by EME Designs. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

The home’s charming facade was retained despite its transformative renovation. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

New double-glazed windows helped the house improve its energy rating, and flood the interior with natural light.

Contemporary garden spaces at the rear. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

The extension is a striking and surprising departure from the property’s appearance from the street, hidden at the rear. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

Limestone and timber textures fill the home with warmth. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

The new living space and kitchen in the hub of the home. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

Green spaces contrast beautifully with the natural textures in the interiors. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

EME also created new Blackbutt timber joinery throughout. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

Soaring ceilings and charming arches in the original part of the home. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

The bedrooms are nestled into the upstairs extension. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

Windows have been placed to maximise winter sun, with carefully considered eaves that help create shade in summer. Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

The dreamy swimming pool! Photo – Marnie Hawson. Styling – Belle Hemming

There’s plenty to love about the elegant heritage facade of this Northcote family pad. But before its renovation, the interior told familiar stories of Melbourne’s typical period homes, with dark, cold, disconnected spaces and an uninspiring renovation at the back.

So when the owners – a family of five – engaged architects EME Designs to renovate the old house, they knew it had to be sympathetic to its roots.

‘They really wanted the extension to nestle in behind the heritage home as viewed from the street,’ EME Designs director Luke Middleton says. A warm palette of limestone and shiplap timber was chosen for the extension, to ensure the materials would ‘age gracefully’ in line with the existing build.

The backyard was another key focus for the brief, with requests for zones to play sports, a pool and a productive garden, amongst lush and serene landscaping.

In addition to transforming the building’s functionality, the renovation was also an opportunity to upgrade its sustainability credentials. Impressively, the outcome exceeded all expectations – bringing the existing 1-star NatHERS rating up to a 6!

‘We did a deep analysis of the site to determine the seasonal light patterns, investigating the shadows from neighbouring buildings and established trees,’ Luke explains. This revealed the optimal placement of the new extension and its configuration that worked with the natural elements, significantly improving the home’s energy consumption.

‘The site was challenging given its unusual shape and the heritage overlay,’ Luke adds. ‘We designed the extension to improve the performance of the old home, as well as provide sun drenched living spaces in the extension.’

The old part of the property was retrofitted with new insulation to the floor and ceilings, while double-glazed windows were used throughout. The home also features almost entirely electric appliances, and rooftop solar panels.

Now, soaring ceilings and charming arches lead to contemporary living spaces and a multitude of calming outdoor zones. And by stripping back and retrofitting the original heritage home to create a new, more sustainable foundation, the enduring exterior now hides a striking (and surprising!) family sanctuary.