Inside the tiny Redfern terrace converted by Sydney architect Adele McNab

A narrow terraced house in an up-and-coming Sydney neighbourhood has been converted into a spectacular home that proves no space is too small for modern luxury.

At just three metres wide and a 60sqm footprint, Riley’s Terrace makes the very most of its modest 19th century site in Redfern, 4km south of the CBD.

Split into two structures by acclaimed architect, Adele McNab, the unusual layout – separated by a courtyard with a Balinese-inspired outdoor shower – creates the illusion of a space much larger than its actual size.

Ms McNab, who designed the house whilst heavily pregnant with her first child, kept the small budget on track by re-using existing floorboards, repurposing original bricks, and sticking to a colour palette of raw materials such as earth-coloured concrete that required little enhancement.

At just three metres wide and a 60sqm footprint, Riley’s Terrace makes the very most of its modest Redfern site, 4km south of the CBD

Ms McNab, who designed the house while heavily pregnant with her first child, kept the small budget on track by sticking to a colour palette of raw materials such as earth-coloured concrete that required little enhancement

Her vision was recognised in the 2021 Australian Houses Awards, where the terrace was shortlisted for House Alteration and Addition under 200 square metres.

Heritage restrictions and solar access issues meant that options for extending up or out were vetoed from the outset, but that did nothing to deter the acclaimed architect.

Instead her design focuses on natural light, creating a sense of space by leaving the walls open and exposed wherever possible.

The design focuses on natural light, creating a sense of space by leaving the walls open and exposed wherever possible

The terrace is made up of two buildings connected by the courtyard, a street-facing block that contains living space and a laneway block that could be converted into guest accommodation or a home office

The terrace is made up of two self-contained pavilions connected by the courtyard – a two-storey street-facing block that contains living spaces and a single-storey laneway block that could be converted into guest accommodation or a home office.

The rooms on the ground level of the main family home include a kitchen and bathroom, as well as two additional rooms suitable for entertainment and relaxation.

The upstairs, previously occupied by two bedrooms, has been knocked into a single suite while the original steep stair has been replaced with a spiral staircase topped off with a skylight.

 Heritage restrictions and solar access issues meant that options for extending up or out were vetoed from the outset, but that didn’t deter the acclaimed architect

The rooms on the ground level of the main pavilion include a kitchen and bathroom, as well as two additional rooms suitable for entertainment and relaxation

Ms McNab’s vision was recognised in the 2021 Australian Houses Awards, where the terrace was shortlisted for House Alteration and Addition under 200 square metres

The confines of the site made for challenging work in the kitchen, but Ms McNab resolved the issues with clever space-saving installations. 

‘The inclusion of an in-situ bench seat…with awning windows doubling as rain protection enable year-round use and increase the indoor kitchen space out into the courtyard,’ she told Domain.

The courtyard’s crowning glory is a towering Grass Tree anchored in the middle, surrounded by Cowra Gold pebbles which link the two buildings on either side. 

‘With the project being sandwiched in the middle of the terrace row meant that clever ways of accessing light deeper into the home were vital,’ Ms McNab explained.