Case Study: Free Flow

The Indoors of This Queenslander Slip Away to Reveal Spaces for Everyone

- Bettina Tyrrell

NESTLED IN THE inner-northern suburbs of Brisbane, this pretty oasis, part of a lovingly renovated 1930s Queenslander, makes the most of the balmy local weather by embracing the best of indoor-outdoor living. When homeowners Anita, a radiographer and sonographer, and her property developer husband Drew purchased the home in 2014, they engaged architect Graeme Spender to help them lift the old house to build a new floor below, and to design the couple’s dream outdoor zone. Now, the interiors seamlessly flow through to an outdoor alfresco space that in turn spills out to a spacious lawn and pool area – a continuous playground for the couple’s three children, Lachlan, nine, Joshua, seven, and four-year-old Sophie. “At the time the kids were younger, and the plan was to design the space so that no matter where we were in the kitchen, dining and living rooms, we could see the kids from the pool,” says Anita. “From a safety point of view, that was a priority.”

Pre-reno, there was a tennis court at the back, but not much else to enjoy outside. For the family, a pool was more desirable, so Graeme’s team took out the court and transformed the space into a pool zone that now gets plenty of use. “The high rear fence was kept to assist with privacy along the boundary from flats behind,” says the architect, who also planted fragrant jasmine that will eventually cover the fence.