New Alfresco Style?

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Property Meister

http://www.domain.com.au/Property/F...ver=Emails&s_cid=HomeAlert:VIC&haprof=1596550



http://www.domain.com.au/Property/For-Sale/House/VIC/Albert-Park/?adid=2008852712&eb=203877

im starting to see a lot more of this style of housing in old victorian style housing, where the backyard and living room are sort of one big continuation or streaming, and I must say it looks really modern and does it for me.

is this a new trend thats been around for ages or is this "It" at the moment.

To me less lines and breaks in the lines screams out modern, im sure its not everyones cup of tea!
 
Its been around for a while. I recall seeing examples of this in 2007, but I suspect it easily pre-dated then. At the same time I suspect it will be 'in' for sometime too.

It is especially suitable for period homes which are generally single fronted and narrow and you want to maximise use of space. It generally takes the small old kitchen/bathroom, and extends back and reduces back courtyard. Bathrooms are then often moved to where 2nd or third bedroom was previously and then an upstairs addition like in the examples you gave, gives you back the 'lost' bedroom.

In 2005 (when I could not afford it), similar sized properties in Port Melbourne and Sth Melbourne, unrenovated with rear access, were selling for ~$550k.
 
Wow factor courtyard in that Barrett St one. I wonder if they sold for around the same price?
Anyhow - Yes, this is definitely the preferred reno for period style homes & I would say it started before 2005 - which is when I did a (not so grand!) version in an inner bayside suburb. It's almost a 'must-do' to sell any reno'd house that the floor plan has an open-plan kitchen /dining /living area opening on to the backyard. This is apparently "how people want to live." Yes, even in Melbourne. Which is why whoever imports those gas outdoor heaters does such a roaring trade. :)
 
Yep I love this kind of al fresco style, it really does make for some awesome images to add to the glossy advertising flyers/catalogues! The areas look gorgeous of course but what you don't see in the glossy "home beautiful" style shots are all the flies/mozzies etc that in the absence of a good zapper or insect repellant system nearby, really takes the shine out of looking so WOW!!! :(
 
Property Meister said:
I must say it looks really modern and does it for me.
Click to expand...

No worries on the looks....but what about the noises ??

The first place appears to be all of about 5m wide - if that - so as you sit back with your favourite friends enjoying a lovely cool crisp chardy, with the french doors opening up to the rear deck to capture the bright sunshine....you can all sit back and enjoy the sound of the neighbour flushing the toilet less than 30cm away on one side, and the neighbours on the other side less than 30cm away having a screaming match about who's turn it is to take Jennifer to ballet practice.

Enjoy !!
 
Agree- this has been around for a while, in areas with small blocks of land.
Our PPOR has something similar (though not as snazzy) and its been great in pushing kids outdoors.
 
Dazz said:
No worries on the looks....but what about the noises ??

The first place appears to be all of about 5m wide - if that - so as you sit back with your favourite friends enjoying a lovely cool crisp chardy, with the french doors opening up to the rear deck to capture the bright sunshine....you can all sit back and enjoy the sound of the neighbour flushing the toilet less than 30cm away on one side, and the neighbours on the other side less than 30cm away having a screaming match about who's turn it is to take Jennifer to ballet practice.

Enjoy !!
Click to expand...
Hell yeah.....Bring back the mozzies!!! (I'll take them over the above scenario...ANY day) :eek:
 
What about the flies, mozzies and dog hair, birds flying in I reckon it looks great but is only practical on a few occasions like when your selling.
 
Thats been done to death in houses within say 10km of Sydney CBD. Its been around for years.

The thing is, if you have a nice outlook its ok, but most are looking at a small paved area and/or a carport.

Doesnt do it for me because its not always used in the right context, just everyone does it even when it doesnt suit.

Including my my mate who has a lovely house in Balmain, he has to constantly sweep up leaves blown in from outside. Its like a wind trap out there, with the 6ft walls on 3 sides and the big open concertina doors on the 4th. Very similar to the one in the pics. Those guys can sit on the lounge and admire the roller door.

btw: Dig the Lempicka prints on the wall. I love Tamara Lempicka stuff.
 
Property Meister said:
http://www.domain.com.au/Property/F...ver=Emails&s_cid=HomeAlert:VIC&haprof=1596550



http://www.domain.com.au/Property/For-Sale/House/VIC/Albert-Park/?adid=2008852712&eb=203877

im starting to see a lot more of this style of housing in old victorian style housing, where the backyard and living room are sort of one big continuation or streaming, and I must say it looks really modern and does it for me.

is this a new trend thats been around for ages or is this "It" at the moment.

To me less lines and breaks in the lines screams out modern, im sure its not everyones cup of tea!
Click to expand...

I have an addiction for Home magazines (Home Beautiful, House and Garden, etc) and this 'opening up the back to seamlessly merge outdoors with inside' has been around for years and years. Looks great - no doubt about that and I could live with it...if I enjoyed spraying Mortein fly spray all over my ceilings/ walls light fittings/ blinds/ furniture/windows/floors :eek:. No thanks.
 
imonmyway said:
What about the flies, mozzies and dog hair, birds flying in I reckon it looks great but is only practical on a few occasions like when your selling.
Click to expand...
The flies and mozzies can (as I mentioned already) be a pain, though I can't for the life of me see how dog hair would present any more of a problem with this style of set up. Even with a dog living in a kennel outside, you can still get dog hair finding its way into the house, even if the dog is never allowed inside. And as for birds flying in, probably no more than if you had an outdoor pergola (which we do) but we rarely get them stopping by for too long, if anything, only on the rare occasion when they stop by long enough to leave a little deposit and then f*** off (leaving me to clean up)!! :mad:
 
This is one solution for the mozzies.

Having lived in similar styled properties, I have never had birds being an issue. You have to look at the style of size of trees that are going to attract birds and almost all of them are cleared. Sure if you leave out food stuffs from the night before I am sure they will come along for a pick. And as for dogs, these properties are not designed to have pets.
 
The bulk of our money has been made on properties no wider than 5m:)

We started out with Terraces in Newcastle East. We have had 3 of them over the years and renovated each with the same modern, minimalist style and our last one we did basically the same sort of renovation as shown in the photos.

People love these older houses and terraces but hate the boxiness of all of the old formal rooms. A couple of solid beams and a back hoe and you can basically gut the bottom level into one or 2 rooms and makes a skinny, poky terrace house extremely liveable.

Yes it mightent be everyones cup of tea to live so close to each other. But hey thats city living and for me the ability to walk to restaurants, cafes and beaches far outweighed any negatives. Sadly we ended up moving to the burbs and Ive left my city life for the more family friendly block. :p But if it weren't for the kids I would still be happily living in my 5 metre wide piece of paradise!

This style is being replicated in terraces and houses in cities everywhere and making savvy renovators a LOT OF MONEY!

Love it, love it, love it.
 
cjandlj said:
if it weren't for the kids I would still be happily living in my 5 metre wide piece of paradise!
Click to expand...


Yes, I know what you mean. I once shared a meal with some bedouins in a small cave, way up in an isolated section of the stony and inhospitable desert steppes of northern Yemen.


Through an interpreter, the "lady of the cave" in Arabic proudly boasted that she loved the dry and dusty cave and would never leave her piece of paradise !


As you say, we all have different cups of tea.
 
love my retractable flyscreen on our french doors..... except that my mum always walks into it! luckily they are pretty easy to get back into their path.
 
Alfresco's

The alfresco is not a new idea. We are new home builder's in Toowoomba and we tend to see small changes all the time. Examples of this are the old family room is now a media room, ensuites are larger and the kitchen, dining space tends to become one big area. Alfresco's are great, however if your building from new make sure your plan suits the block you have bought. The alresco will be of little use if it is not situated correctly in the home.

Tim
 
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