This 1905 Edwardian home in Canterbury, Melbourne has been well cared for over its life, including 44 years by the current owner.

That being said, a rear extension added in the 1980s did little to optimise the home — adding more space but without ideal flow, natural light, or garden connections to the property.

‘The 1980s rear extension felt compact and dark, with little connection to the backyard,’ explains Mikayla Rose, director of Heartly. ‘The transition from the solid original structure to the lightweight addition was poorly resolved, and the kitchen offered very limited storage.’

Heartly was engaged to address these major shortcomings with an extension framing an existing peppercorn tree. In addition, ‘The new extension needed to provide space for family gatherings, without feeling over designed or adding elements unnecessarily,’ says Mikayla. ‘Throughout the design process, careful consideration was given to balance functionality with simplicity, ensuring the architecture felt purposeful, restrained, and harmonious with the original Edwardian structure.’

The client spends most of their time in the rear of the home (containing the living and kitchen areas), so bringing natural light in and strengthening the connection to the backyard were the key priorities.

‘To achieve this, we introduced a northern perspective to the rear living area by carving a garden space into the footprint of the house,’ says Mikayla. ‘A second garden was created to the west, with a lightwell adjoining the study and kitchen/dining area.’

Stone, timber and the landscape were selected as the core elements of the interior palette, with the peppercorn tree providing a permanent focal point.

‘Kate Seddon Landscape Design responded beautifully to the brief and the architecture, carefully shaping every aspect of the garden, including the often neglected space between the side of the house and the elongated boundary,’ says Mikayla.

Heartly’s scope also involved improving the thermal efficiency of the home, both in the new and existing rooms.

‘The original Edwardian structure, while solid, had little insulation, and the 1980s extension was notably draughty,’ explains Mikayla. ‘To address this, new insulation was added to the floors and roof, and all new windows were double glazed.’

Mikayla’s favourite part of the updated home are the views of the garden, particularly from the glazed corner carved into the living and dining area.

‘The impact this has had on the space cannot be overstated. It truly feels like the garden is a part of the home.

‘I have to congratulate the client for embracing this feature and prioritising it over additional internal floor space, which is often the default choice. It’s a dramatic element that brings light, greenery and life deep into the home, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see it implemented so beautifully with Kate Seddon’s garden as the icing on the cake.’

Even in the construction phase, it was clear this stately home had been forever changed for the better.

‘I remember walking down the hall during construction when the extension was nearly finished and being in awe of the windows and the aspect to the garden,’ says Mikayla. ‘It truly takes your breath away.’