A small, single-storey house within a heritage streetscape was reworked to create a light-filled home suited to everyday living and the quiet presence of art. The project was shaped by a modest footprint, a limited construction budget, and the opportunity presented by a north-facing rear yard, with heritage controls defining the extent of intervention to the existing front of the building facing the street.

The north-facing main living spaces open to the backyard allowing light to move gradually through the house across the day. Kitchen, dining, and living areas are held together in a single open two-storey volume, extending the sense of space beyond the building’s compact scale and strengthening the relationship between interior and garden.

Materials are used with restraint. Natural textures provide warmth and tactility, while white surfaces remain deliberately calm, offering a neutral backdrop for artworks and daily life. The architecture recedes, allowing light, use, and occupation to shape the character of the house over time.