Studio STAR

Anovel solution to the expanding needs of a growing family sowed the seeds of a garden that's brimming with diversity and fascination.

- Chris Pearson

Visitors to this home in Melbourne’s inner north are gladly led up the garden path when the destination is a serene studio. Created by Brave New Eco Design, it nestles in a woodland wonderland of deciduous trees, cascading climbers and cottage-style perennials, a home away from home for owners Katrina and Chris and their two teenage boys, Charlie and Franklin. When Brave New Eco principal and studio creator Megan Norgate and Miriam Ransom of Daily Gardener set eyes upon the backyard in 2020, it was bland and uninspiring, with a large struggling lawn and a ramshackle garage hogging the rear. At first, Katrina and Chris asked Megan to design an extension to their Victorian weatherboard cottage to cater for their growing sons, needing a space to entertain their friends and for me-time. But, true to her company’s eco ethos, Megan said the existing extension was perfectly serviceable – and it faced south. She had a better idea – why not build a customised flat-pack studio in the garden with a sitting area, WFH space and bathroom? And she could orientate it north, with generous glazing to drench the getaway in sunlight.

“With two teenagers and only one living area, bathroom and study, we were thinking about an extension, but a separate studio, giving a flexible second living room and spare bedroom, was far more affordable,” says Katrina. “And it meant we could invest more in the garden. “We could create two discrete garden areas, one in front of the studio, one to the side, meaning groups could socialise simultaneously without being on top of each other.” Megan customised the flat-pack studio by adding extra glazing, a windowseat, copious storage, a WFH space and a bathroom.