Set within the leafy, heritage-rich streets of Melbourne’s Carlton North, Houstonia Cottage exemplifies how a modest Victorian terrace can be re-imagined without sacrificing its character. Designed by DiMase Architects, this refined renovation offers a masterclass in balancing old and new — retaining the warmth, texture and human scale of the original, while quietly introducing breadth, daylight and contemporary living standards.
Heritage Façade & Street Presence
From the outside, the home seamlessly sits among its 19th-century neighbours: a lace-work verandah, classic brick detail and a sympathetic restoration of the façade ensure the property remains in dialogue with its streetscape. Internally, that tradition evolves. The project begins with a respect for place: the classic terrace generates the skeletal structure and heritage mood. Yet rather than simply replicating what has come before, the architects use that base to create a new, open, light-filled interior.
DiMase Architects Melbourne
A New Interior Language
Inside, the original narrow plan is gently loosened. Through thoughtful openings, glazing and a crisp material palette of timber, brick and glass, the home shifts from compartmentalised rooms to a sequence of connected spatial experiences. The floating timber stair, the exposed brick wall, the continuous oak floorboards – these elements reconcile the original fabric with new interventions, making the transition feel seamless but intentional.
Light, Materiality & Atmosphere
Daylight plays a key role. Skylights and high windows liberate the upper level; the new addition lifts the living spaces toward the sky while retaining a grounded sense of materiality. The palette is quietly confident: warm timber ceilings, the patina of reclaimed brick, soft white walls, and large-format joinery. This palette doesn’t shout; it quietly supports the architecture. The result is a home that feels calm, considered and very much of its time.
Garden, Studio & Vertical Extension
At the rear, the garden becomes a private oasis – a sharp contrast to the dense inner-city setting. A modest studio building stands as both retreat and workspace, allowing the house to evolve beyond simply living to working, making or relaxing. Above, a new mezzanine or roof-terrace elevates views to treetops and sky, offering serenity amid the urban fabric.
Why It Works
Heritage respect: The original street presence and scale are quietly preserved.
Thoughtful addition: Rather than dominating the original, the extension feels like a natural sidekick.
Material harmony: Old brick meets new timber and glass without jarring transitions.
Calm atmosphere: The home doesn’t shout – it invites.
City living, re-imagined: A narrow terrace becomes generous in feel, not size.
A Home for Today & Tomorrow
For the homeowner, this is more than a renovation: it’s an investment in lifestyle and longevity. It offers all the charms of the Victorian cottage – proportions, warmth, connection to place – while delivering the openness, integrity and lightness that contemporary life demands. The result: a home that honours the past and embraces the present in equal measure.
