Sam Crawford reorganises 1950s Sydney home around multifunctional staircase

Australian studio Sam Crawford Architects has renovated and extended Waverley House in Sydney, reorganising the home around a timber staircase with nooks for sitting and relaxing.

Sam Crawford Architects adapted the original 1950s bungalow for a young, growing family, aiming to create a "peaceful but playful" environment with strong connections to the surrounding landscape.

White and black exterior of house in Sydney — Sam Crawford Architects has renovated a 1950s bungalow called Waverley House

"Our clients hoped to maintain the bones of the solid existing 1950s home and strengthen the connection with the verdant surroundings," director Sam Crawford told Dezeen.

"They were looking to create a home that encouraged connection as a family and also allowed for moments of privacy, without having to do everything in one open space," Crawford said.

Timber staircase with void above — A spotted gum timber staircase features at the centre of the plan

A light-filled staircase made from spotted gum timber was added at the heart of the plan. The studio designed the staircase with split levels, integrating cosy nooks for reading and a mesh hammock above.

Natural light and ventilation are drawn into this central space through roof periscopes, as well as large windows looking onto the internal courtyard.

Internal courtyard with planting — An internal courtyard draws light into Waverley House

"The stairs are much more than a place of transit – they function as the centrepiece of the home with all the spaces on all four levels revolving around the staircase," said Crawford.

"There is a utilitarian function, a physical connection, but they are also multifunctional and include a hidden pantry, multiple nooks for reading, relaxing, playing, bringing in light and generating a large void creating a sense of space," he stated.

Children reading in staircase nook — Nooks and places to sit and relax were incorporated into the staircase

Avoiding a fully open-plan layout, the studio introduced smaller, quieter spaces at the front of the house on the ground floor. These include a study, a living room "retreat" and a utility area.

Beyond the central staircase, the studio lowered the rear ground floor in response to the gently sloping site, creating a separate level for the main living, kitchen and dining space.

"The move to split and drop the rear of the home was a big part of reconnecting the house to the site – it allows easy street entry whilst also opening living areas directly onto the garden," said Crawford.

Living room leading onto back garden — The rear ground floor was lowered to meet the garden

Responding to a request for a strong connection to the outdoors, the living space features a large window with a deep wooden window seat overlooking the landscaped garden.

Upstairs, the first-floor extension to the bungalow has been designed to create a separation between parents' and children's spaces, which are split on either side of the staircase.

Kitchen with green island — Timber, terrazzo and tiles feature throughout the interior

On the garden side, the parents' spaces include the master bedroom with an ensuite finished in green terrazzo tiles. There is also a second study with a built-in timber desk.

Meanwhile, the children's bedrooms are located at the front of the house, leading out to a small balcony.

The home's interior material palette is earth-toned, dominated by timber, tiles and terrazzo. Dark timber ceilings are contrasted with pale beeswax-finished render on the walls.

"There are a variety of colours in the house, with distinct palettes in different spaces," Sam Crawford Architects senior associate Jarad Grice told Dezeen.

House leading onto garden decking — A window seat opens onto Waverley House's rear garden

"As much as possible, we used colours that are intrinsic to a material, like terracotta tiles or charred timber cladding," Grice added. "But we also used paint where appropriate."

"As the colours shift throughout each space, a similar materiality was maintained with the use of terrazzo, tile and painted surfaces," he continued.

"In the kitchen, there is a subtle but important shift in the timber finish – spotted gum is used throughout the house, aside from the kitchen cabinetry in ironbark."

Split level timber staircase with hammock — Separate spaces were created for parents and children upstairs

Waverley House's original external walls were retained with the white "popcorn render" reinstated on the ground floor. This is contrasted with charred-timber cladding and natural timber battens on the first-floor extension.

The studio explained that the high-contrast finish was designed to create a dialogue between the new and existing parts of the house.

Main bedroom and ensuite Sydney house — Waverley House prioritises views of the surroundings

Sam Crawford Architects was founded by Sam Crawford in Sydney in 1999.

Other projects by the studio recently featured on Dezeen include a red-roofed community pavilion and a home renovation topped with a "garden oasis".

The photography is by Brett Boardman.

Project credits:

Architect: Sam Crawford Architects
Builder: Build By Design
Structural engineer: Structure Consulting Engineers
Hydraulic consultant: ITM Design
Landscape consultant: TARN
Quantity surveyor: QS Plus

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