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An Old Cowshed Becomes a Charming House in Sydney

In the Sydney suburb of Glebe, an old cowshed was partially preserved and brought back to life by Carterwilliamson Architects to become a modern house with plenty of original character. The Cowshed House was a simple structure that sat on a small plot of land with roads on three sides. The positioning of the shed (hugging the southern end of the property) allowed for a private, north facing courtyard that essentially expanded the interior.

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The open floor plan allows each room to flow into the next and giving the illusion of more space.

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A row of clerestory windows wrap around the building bringing in extra light and a breeze, while allowing for privacy.

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They had a tight budget to work with so they used polished concrete slabs for the floors, brick was recycled, and wooden structures were left exposed.

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The layout was kept largely as it was found with the kitchen near the street corner behind brick walls. The dining room and living room continue off the kitchen.

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The kids’ bedrooms are decked out with hammocks for additional relaxation.

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The width of the structure was expanded by one meter giving extra space to the mezzanine bedroom above the kitchen.

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Photos by Brett Boardman.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.