Split Level Home Gets Updated With Two New Extensions
When it was first built in the 1970s, this split level residence was following the latest trend in terms of architecture and design. Its multi-gabled roof was typical of that era. These days, however, such a design doesn’t really reflect the present so the owners went to Dorrington Atcheson Architects for help when they decided the house needed to be renovated and updated.
The house is situated in Auckland, New Zeeland and it’s a family home. When redesigning it, the architects were asked to retain the charm of the building along with some materials but also to make it bigger and to simplify the design making it more modern.
It was a two-stage renovation. In the first stage, the interiors were redefined. It’s also when the house got re-organized. A pavilion was added in order to comply with the client’s request for more interior space. The pavilion sits beneath a new fold of the roof and houses a kitchen, a living area and a dining nook.
The spaces are separated by a wooden room divider that is three quarters the height of the pavilion. It separates the kitchen from the living area and from the dining nook. On the either side of the space, sliding glass walls offer access to a terrace with outdoor seating.
The kitchen feels very welcoming and very harmonious and it’s all due to the palette of materials used throughout. The kitchen island has a minimalist look, with a soft shape, rounded edges and a fluid design. The black frame gives it a particularly elegance appearance, especially in combination with the wood.
The living area is brighter and has a different palette of materials, textures and colors. The wooden ceiling brings out the harmony in the overall design. A series of modular seating units are organized around the Noguchi coffee table and a couple of golden pendant lights hang symmetrically in the room.
The seating area is facing a fireplace and looks onto a cozy lounge area on an elevated floor plan.
The same type of lighting found in the kitchen can also be seen in this lounge area. This could be considered a separate sitting area or an extension of the living room, given how the two communicate with each other.
We’ve also mentioned that the pavilion houses a cozy dining nook. As you can see, it’s indeed very lovely and inviting. Although the space is small, the fact that the partition wall doesn’t go all the way to the ceiling actually makes it feel more spacious and open.
Stage two of the project focused on disguising the gables and a new two-storey box-like structure was added. It contains this beautiful bedroom, an en-suite bathroom and a garage below. Fine cedar battering hides the main gable over the upper storey.
The design of the bedroom is really simple and only includes the basic elements such as the bed, the built-in nightstands and those lovely wall-mounted sconces.
The en-suite bathroom is not particularly spacious but the minimalist and modern design combined with the warm wood elements give it a very relaxing and zen look. The doorless shower emphasizes the openness of the space and the large mirror has the same effect.