Parlor with sticks: How an old workers' cottage became a family home

Parlor with sticks: How an old workers' cottage became a family home

Work in progress: With plenty of time, light and plywood, an architect couple built a small miracle of space for their family, brimming with aesthetic surprises.

AD Archive Architecture Susanne Pini John Wilkin Sydney

Living and dining area, bedroom and a work nook are located in the new addition - at the back of the property. Mikkel Vang/Tavern Agency

It wasn't because of the small size. "The Almost House" got its name for a different reason: "Almost" was the owner couple's standard response during construction to the question they were constantly asked, "Are you guys ever done?" It took John Wilkin and Susanne Pini three years to complete the amazing transformation of a tiny old working-class cottage in Annandale, a western suburb of Sydney, into a custom home for their young family. From design to construction, the two did almost everything on their own, in addition to working full-time at two architecture firms (Wilkin is director at Benett Murada, Pini at HDR Inc.). "Actually, we're still not quite done," Wilkin says. "There are still some things we don't necessarily have to do, but would very much like to do." The starting point of their remodeling marathon was a narrow, one-story duplex built in the late 19th century. An extensive renovation in the seventies had removed the original features, including open fireplaces and a bay window; what remained was an architectural tabula rasa, a nonspecific building without much charm or character. So when Pini and Wilkin bought the cottage, they felt free to modify it entirely to their own needs and vision. "Building for ourselves was a whole new experience. It brings a lot of freedom to be your own client," Wilkin says. "Because it's our own house, we didn't have the same pressure as usual to meet certain specifications. We were able to make more intuitive, sometimes completely spontaneous decisions." The two complemented each other perfectly: "Susanne took care of the big picture, while I paid more attention to the little things - I'm more pragmatic when it comes to solving problems."

Clear as day: the mezzanine bedroom, suspended from steel cables in the extension. Through the grille behind the bed, one looks down into the living area, through the gap on the left into the garden.

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