Kensington House Renovation with Laminex | Sam Crawford Architects Sydney

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Laminex Bathroom Living Study Nook Wardrobes Desktops

Just in from some Australia’s most famous beaches - think Bondi and Coogee - sits Kensington, a small pocket of old school Sydney. Nestled in the undulating streets, a 70s brick home has been quietly transformed to suit a family of 5, while supporting a lifestyle change aimed at reducing their mortgage and working less. Design and durability met financially practical solutions in a pragmatic renovation that was functional and level-headed while delivering architectural style and an enduring aesthetic.

Successful home design comes in many forms. For some, a great home could be a gallery-like, minimalist box, or perhaps the shabby-chic of a Californian Bungalow might appeal. Others might be attracted to Mid-century’s materiality or 80s Po-Mo bursts of colour. What’s “right” isn’t so much the answer as what fits. And what fits, is what works.

Kensington House by Sam Crawford Architects is a successful home. With the great bones of a 70s brick house, the idea of turning it into the ideal family abode wouldn’t be a stretch, but giving it a feeling of style, making it feel welcome, while on budget would be the challenge.

"They wanted the house that was more robust, one they wouldn’t be worried about finishes and things all the time. They obviously appreciate design and a well thought through space, but this was to be a house for their family, not a museum piece," explains Jarod Grice, Senior Associate at Sam Crawford Architects. “There's some brevity to it that's not overdone, but it's also not so stark that it doesn't feel like you can live in it."

Grice’s hand on this project is a deft one. Kensington House feels instantly warm and approachable. It’s easy to imagine family and friends gathered in the kitchen, kids doing homework or playing in their rooms. The consistency of the palette and its material coherence have established strong motifs and themes – it is whole and complete – but never feels overbearing or aloof.

"I guess it’s warm minimalism,” Grice suggests.

Left: Featuring Laminex Bayleaf & Laminex Surf. Right: Laminex Steel Blue & Laminex Raw Birchply.

The team made changes only where needed, reconfiguring the entry and creating an open plan kitchen, while creating more bedrooms and adding a bathroom and laundry.

“It was an interesting exercise upstairs. We knocked out some walls so that you had one big living-dining-kitchen area, a little mud room and the parents' bedroom. But then downstairs we did the opposite. We put a whole lot of walls in to give them spaces that were the size that felt right to inhabit and to provide the extra rooms they needed.”

To achieve these results, on such a scale, and with a firm budget, Grice and team used Laminex to realise the vision of the project. Cabinetry is the essence of Kensington House and it has been used with such creative aplomb that the entire home carries a feeling of bespoke and level of personalisation that feels special and elevated – belying the budget adherence - but just to remind one more time, never feels untouchable or unwelcoming – it’s the balance the home strikes that is most impressive.

The light and airy Kensington House living area, featuring Laminex Surf.

“It was a very strict budget, remembers Grice, “They said, for this to achieve what we're wanting it to achieve - which is to reduce our costs in life and to live a bit more freely and work a bit less - we need to meet this budget. So, they continually made sacrifices in a lot of ways through the house to achieve that. But one of the ways we said was you can use Laminex, save on joinery and the outcome's still going to be great.”

Everywhere decisions were made to avoid being delicate or fussy, making family centric choices that would prolong the life of the home, enable easier living or mean something more for the family as a whole. Grice recalls the kids’ involvement in the design and colour selections for their rooms. Though similar – and still adhering to the home’s overall palette – each room is subtly different using Laminex Raw Birch Ply extensively, then teamed with Laminex Stormcloud, Steel Blue, Spinifex, Seed or Surf for cupboards, doors and benchtops. That the joinery is exemplary is of no surprise.

Left: Featuring Laminex Steel Blue & Laminex Raw Birchply. Right: Wardrobes featuring Laminex Surf.

Natural light has been enhanced with new skylights. In particular, the new opening over the stair well “is something I like to do,” laughs Grice of the curved aperture that allows light to spill in softer, gentler ways. There are several other openings throughout the house too, along with sympathetic exterior modifications that respect the original design. New timber windows replaced the old and where exterior bricks couldn’t be match, similar bricks revealed the home’s story. New additions like the rear pergola were kept simple and in keeping with the seventies style.

The Kensington House kitchen features Laminex Bayleaf & Laminex Surf.

Thoughtful, considered and comfortable, this is a home that lives up to its intentions and never feels compromised. Designed with longevity in mind and as a place to watch a family grow and evolve, it exemplifies easy living while exuding a casual cool. Though it could hardly be called a small home, the attributes and philosophy it lives by – that less is more – is something worth applying to all our homes.