Best friends transform a church into a luxury family home

The house St Luke built: Best friends transform a 19th century church into a luxury family home complete with stained glass windows and a bedroom ‘pod’

  • Samuel Haberle, bought a church with his friend Luke and named it after him
  • Mr Haberle helped Luke map out the interior and build a bedroom ‘pod’ in the main cathedral-like area
  • They then curated a completely glass add on with the kitchen and living room attached, and a garden outside
  • There is a woodfire fireplace in the church to keep the usually cold interior warm throughout the winter 

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Architect Samuel Haberle and his best friend Luke Pitt visited an auction with the intention of securing a project they could work on together.

But it wasn’t a vintage car, artwork or prized jewellery they were there to purchase. 

Instead, it was an old church they had their eye on. It now goes by the name St Luke’s.

‘We grew up in the same town and had a dream of redesigning a substation. That hasn’t happened yet but Luke did see this church and came up with the idea of living in it,’ Mr Haberle, who is the director of S Group architects, told FEMAIL.  

But it wasn’t a vintage car, modernist artwork or prized jewellery they were there to purchase. Instead it was an old church they had their eye on (pictured is the estate in Tasmania)

‘I said to him “you want to live in a church but you’re going to need light and sun”. So that’s when we came up with the idea of a glass attachment for the living and dining areas.’

Originally called St Andrews Anglican Church, the Tasmania-based place of worship was constructed in 1879 with a ‘masonry’ touch to it.

In order to make it a family home they removed all of the pews and altar to make way for a relaxed lounge room and a stage for Luke to set up his drum kit. A wooden fireplace keeps the area well insulated.

Originally called St Andrews Anglican Church, the Tasmania-based place of worship was constructed in 1879 with a 'masonry' touch to it (pictured is the transformation)

Originally called St Andrews Anglican Church, the Tasmania-based place of worship was constructed in 1879 with a ‘masonry’ touch to it (pictured is the transformation)

'He loved modernist architecture from the early 1900s so a lot of furniture and structures inside the church reflect this time period. There is a raised bedroom "pod" in the centre of the space that gives the master bedroom a luxury feel,' he said

‘He loved modernist architecture from the early 1900s so a lot of furniture and structures inside the church reflect this time period. There is a raised bedroom “pod” in the centre of the space that gives the master bedroom a luxury feel,’ he said

The bathroom has a unique look with both the shower and bath in one corner of the large space, complete with gold detailing, and designer copper pipes jutting out to house the towels and bath mat

The bathroom has a unique look with both the shower and bath in one corner of the large space, complete with gold detailing, and designer copper pipes jutting out to house the towels and bath mat

‘He loved modernist architecture from the early 1900s so a lot of furniture and structures inside the church reflect this time period. There is a raised bedroom “pod” in the centre of the space that gives the master bedroom a luxury feel,’ Mr Haberle said.

The bathroom has a unique look with both the shower and bath in one corner of the large space, complete with gold detailing, and designer copper pipes jutting out to house the towels and bath mat. 

‘The black structure is the walk in robe and ensuite. You can lie in that bedroom area and look out of the stained glass window,’ Mr Haberle said.

They decided to create a glasshouse-type extension that jutted out from the church so they had more room for Luke's family

They decided to create a glasshouse-type extension that jutted out from the church so they had more room for Luke’s family

In the glasshouse-style addition to the church, which took about six months to put together, you'll find the polished cement floor living room with wooden decal

In the glasshouse-style addition to the church, which took about six months to put together, you’ll find the polished cement floor living room with wooden decal

'The total construction time was about half a year and we deliberately isolated the new build away from the church, otherwise it would have taken longer,' he said

‘The total construction time was about half a year and we deliberately isolated the new build away from the church, otherwise it would have taken longer,’ he said

In the glasshouse-style addition to the church, which took about six months to put together, you’ll find the polished cement floor living room with wooden decal.

‘The total construction time was about half a year and we deliberately isolated the new build away from the church, otherwise it would have taken longer,’ Mr Haberle said.

Council planning and heritage documents may have delayed the progress considerably. 

The generous lot of land has a garden around the perimeter, giving the glasshouse a pleasant view in summer.  

A children's bedroom is nestled underneath the master bedroom in the church (pictured)

A children’s bedroom is nestled underneath the master bedroom in the church (pictured)

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