Feature article
A seamless architectural extension that doubles living space and connects home and landscape
An architect-builder duo reinvented their modest Avondale cottage with smart design and seamless family living.

AI summary
An architect-builder duo transformed their modest Avondale cottage into a seamless family home, doubling its living space. The project, led by architect Maria Hosking and builder James of JR Hosking Carpenters & Co, focused on creating exceptional indoor-outdoor flow.
A new bedroom wing extension with a glazed corridor wraps around a central courtyard, connecting the interior to the landscape. The renovation features an open-plan living area, a custom mobile kitchen unit, and an outdoor entertainment zone, creating a perfect family home.
A warm, layered living space shaped for everyday family life


Highlights in the dining space include Bush Forms artworks by Maria’s mum Kieran Taylor, a stoneware pendant light by Adam Cornish from Cult and a set of stackable Bo chairs by Philippe Starck that’ll be bulletproof during George’s toddler years.
The dried display above the built-in cabinet in the dining area was created by Mark Antonia for the couple’s wedding. The blue vessel below it is by Neil Castle and the bowl is by Dinosaur Designs.
Architectural Extension

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A long, slender bedroom wing extends beneath the original roofline, doubling the home’s footprint while wrapping the courtyard into the architecture. A glazed corridor runs its length, maintaining a constant visual connection to the outdoors, while sliding timber screens and glass doors allow the spaces to shift between openness and privacy through the seasons.
The couple designed this pergola (along with an almost invisible steel beam support) to provide shad
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