This historic cottage has been transformed into an architect’s stunning luxury home – complete with an outdoor kitchen, a glass bathroom and a bedroom with a ‘floating’ walkway
- An architect transformed a historic cottage into his dream home by brilliantly balancing the old with the new
- Richard Cole bought the sandstone home in Avalon Beach, Sydney, in 1997 after it had fallen into disrepair
- He breathed new life into the dilapidated structure in a six-year project that resulted in an epic work of art
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An architect has transformed a crumbling cottage into a magnificent family home that brilliantly balances the old with the new.
Richard Cole bought the sandstone home in Avalon Beach, on Sydney’s northern beaches, in 1997 after it had fallen into disrepair.
He breathed new life into the dilapidated structure over the course of six years in a mammoth renovation that resulted in an architectural work of art, complete with a luxury outdoor kitchen, a glass-walled bathroom and a loft-style master bedroom accessible by a ‘floating’ walkway built into the roof.
Sydney architect Richard Cole transformed this crumbling cottage into a magnificent family home that brilliantly balances the old with the new
Standout features include a luxury outdoor kitchen (left) and a glass-walled bathroom with a freestanding tub (right)
Mr Cole bought the sandstone home in Avalon Beach, on Sydney’s northern beaches, in 1997 after it had fallen into disrepair
Mr Cole slapped a new roof on the cottage to incorporate clerestory windows, rows of narrow windows positioned above eye-level first used in the temples of ancient Egypt which make interiors feel brighter and bigger than their actual floor-size.
Listing agent James Baker, who is overseeing the sale of the house for McGrath Real Estate, said the sprawling home office is one of the best he has ever seen.
‘It’s the perfect place to either set up a business or just work from home,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
Mr Cole slapped a new roof on the cottage to incorporate clerestory windows, rows of narrow windows positioned above eye-level first used in the temples of ancient Egypt which make interiors feel brighter and bigger than their actual floor-size
The architect created a loft-style master bedroom (left) accessible by a floating walkway (right) inside the new roof
Mr Cole preserved original features including the floors and sandstone walls
He added: ‘Plus it’s one of the few original houses from the ’30s left in the area.’
Mr Baker said Mr Cole has ‘brilliantly blended old and new’ by preserving original features such as the floors and walls while adding a modern extension that houses a luxury kitchen, a fourth bedroom and a large family bathroom.
The house is set to sell under the hammer on September 11 with a guide price of $3.8 million (AUD), just over $1 million more than the average price of a four-bedroom in the area which was $2.7 million in 2020, according to figures from realestate.com.au.
Mr Baker said Mr Cole has ‘brilliantly blended old and new’ by preserving what he could and adding a modern extension that houses a luxury kitchen, a fourth bedroom and a large family bathroom
The house is set to sell under the hammer on September 11 with a guide price of $3.8 million (AUD)
Mr Baker said the median house price in Avalon Beach has shot up from $1.8 million to $3 million over the past 12 months
Mr Baker said the median house price in Avalon Beach has shot up from $1.8 million to $3 million over the past 12 months, as a growing number of Sydneysiders and interstate buyers look to escape Covid restrictions that are usually concentrated in major cities.
‘Every time there’s a [coronavirus] outbreak we get a huge burst of enquiries from people looking to get out of the city,’ he said.
‘This is such a peaceful, private and tranquil location. If you can work from home five days a week, it doesn’t get any better than Avalon.’