There’s no place like home. Especially when home is a place rich in family history and heritage. Visiting your family home is an occasion to reminisce about fond memories, and a chance to rediscover your family’s past. But preserving the family home isn’t an easy feat, particularly for an interwar heritage home built in the 1930s.

For homeowners of the Clerestory House in Australia, this meant making room to accommodate large family gatherings as well as redesigning the home’s layout to allow for multi-generational living. With the help of Lai Cheong Brown, the heritage home was given new life to suit contemporary living, while carefully integrating the Art Deco motifs of the original home. Let’s take a tour around the home.

From the outside, the home boasts a facade typical of houses in the interwar years. It’s a familiar sight to many families, with its clinker brick walls and chimney. Coming to this renovation, the designers knew its historic structure meant any refurbishment had to be carefully planned, and the extension well integrated. After repairing the tile roof and replacing the wrought iron gates, the exterior is restored to its former glory without giving away hints of renovation.

The entrance opens into an octagonal vestibule. It stretches out to a modern hallway featuring wooden floor panels and walnut veneered walls that conceal doors and storage spaces.

A quiet study is also located near the front door, away from the common areas. Inside, a long-modern desk is installed with a custom storage system in a light oak finish.

The study features a muted green backdrop complemented with soft lighting. On the right, a door connects the study to the pantry – allowing for easy access.

The open plan living and dining space is one of the home’s most stunning features. With a raised ceiling and clerestory windows, the room draws in plenty of natural light making it perfect for gatherings with extended family.

The house is home to a retiring couple and an adult family member who requires separate accommodation within the house. To solve this, Lai Cheong Brown created an integrated apartment that includes its own bedroom, bathroom, laundry and kitchen facilities which offer enough privacy for the adult family member. On the other hand, the new extension serves as the couple’s dedicated space with the master bedroom and en suite, the private sitting room and the rest of the common living areas.

Contrary to the natural wood and white palette of the rest of the living space, the kitchen boasts a colorful backsplash with pops of yellow and blue.

A small snug was also designed to give the couple a quiet space for rest and relaxation. Here, we see the use of mid-century modern furniture pieces consistent with the rest of the home.

The bathroom also sports a playful geometric tiled wall. From a distance, the blue to white gradient gives off an impression of continuous movement.

The guest powder room by the main corridor is not to be missed either. It features a bold purple mosaic backsplash with gold mirror details offering a refreshing view that’s truly modern.