Open Plan Living

New architectural elements recede thanks to a subdued palette highlighting the original elements of this industrial building.

Skin-Box House is a compact but refined home that maximises the sense of space with full height glass and quality materials...

A disorganised and poorly oriented extension to the rear of heritage listed home is reconfigured into a beautiful open-plan space.

This timber-clad four bedroom beach-side family home is perched on a steep dune in a quiet pocket of the Mornington Peninsula region.

Rectifying a poorly planned '90s renovation this new courtyard arrangement lets in plenty of light and feels more spacious than ever.

Home to a professional couple and Biggles the cat, this modern design aims to enhance the owners daily living experience. And succeeds.

A classic Queenslander gets a small triangular extension which manages to dramatically change the functionality of the whole house.

Brick Bay House's L-shaped plan has a number of benefits - sheltering from winds, blocking road noise and embracing the ocean view.

Timber's warmth and laid-back nature meets clean lines and expanses of glass to create a style that is sophisticated yet relaxed.

Brunswick House is restrained and space-efficient, but surprising spaces like a rooftop terrace provide a new perspective on its eclectic neighborhood.

Do you prefer the charm of traditional homes? But you also like to have a modern kitchen, spacious rooms, and open plan living areas. Perforated House proves you can have both — even if you build a new house from scratch.

Lightbox House by Edwards Moore Architects transforms a cramped and dark terrace into a light, bright wonder. Perforated floor, translucent ceiling and all.

Fairfield Hacienda offers an alternative to the often wasted front yard. MRTN Architects have created a sunny, private courtyard at the front of the house.

Level changes in this home inspired its name, Jack and Jill House. It has fairytale-esque fun by the bucketful -- and not a broken crown to be seen...

FMD Architects have taken a tread from their client's brief and stitched the old and new together in this clever home extension, Cross Stitch House.

Like a sunflower, Turnaround House grows from the existing home, turning to face the sun. Once dark and cramped, now light and airy -- what a turnaround!

Tang House is a compact but thoughtful terrace extension that utilizes every nook and cranny to create a versatile home that defies its size.

Thornbury House might appear haphazardly crooked, but the angled facade doubles as a sunshade. This solar passive home is functional and visually appealing.

This luxurious loft apartment is full of organic curves that could be carved from butter - appropriate because it occupies space in a former butter factory.

A single tea tree on the site of this beach house became the focus of the project. The aim became to showcase nature, rather than try to dominate and control it.

A moderate extension creates a rich space and leaves a decent-sized backyard. Jack's House is a timber 'gusset' that will serve the family into the future.

At first glance it's a typical Victorian-era worker's cottage. Only on closer inspection you realize there's something unusual going on behind that facade...

When designing this small, 100 m² home in Victoria's goldfields, Architects Design Office started with the dining table to make the house fun and sociable.

Even during the heat of summer this passive solar design remained cool and kept the family comfortable. Reclaimed materials integrates with the original.

Old terrace houses are not the most efficient beasts. But this Darlinghurst terrace renovation proves you can have a terrace and aim for sustainability too.

Tight site, stringent planning and heritage controls, and a difficult orientation -- Nic Owen Architects pull off the architectural equivalent of a miracle.

The difficulty of a cottage renovation is connecting old and new. Fremantle Addition reinterprets the original limestone cottage to connect with restraint.

Elliott Ripper House is a prime example of how a well designed, harmonious extension can provide much more than extra floor space.

Yarra Street House is a pavilion-style extension designed to fit perfectly with a family who loves cooking, outdoor living and entertaining in style.

There are a lot of things to consider when planning an extension. Haines House's new raked roofline solves a number of problems effortlessly.

Views in one direction access to the garden in the other? Which do you choose? At House Chapple, you can have both!

Since the cows moved out, this old shed has been transformed into a modern home for humans

Raven Street House brings new meaning to 'open-plan' with curtains, shutters and dazzling colored glass where the walls should be. There's even an indoor tree!

Tucked away on a treed site on Australia's beautiful Great Ocean Road, Treehouse takes in stunning ocean and tree views.

\"This exhilarating location with its towering eucalyptus trees and diminishing scars from that phenomenal day required a design response equally as unique.\

Can you spot a Japanese influence in Engawa House? 'Engawa' is an exterior hallway on Japanese homes -- the inspiration for this new extension.

Islington House brings sunlight deep into the home and shows off the personality of its owners. A unique home for a unique couple.

A modest, cement clad building sits deep on a north facing bank opening to the landscape and overlooking the valley and ocean below.

A former 19th Century warehouse is transformed into a modern residence which knows how to balance light and dark for dramatic effect.

To make the most of a tiny site -- 10 x 15 meters -- amongst low lying neighbors this double story home was partially submerged.

Nestled on the banks of the Murray River in Victoria, Australia, this tiny self-sufficient cabin retreat becomes part of the wider landscape.

Just because you live in an affordable, eco-friendly shipping container house doesn't mean all your neighbors need to know about it...

It can be a challenge to enjoy indoor/outdoor living without sacrificing your privacy. Birchgrove House achieves the perfect balance.

Modest extension creates an infinitely more liveable home compared to a previously gloomy and confused hodgepodge of poor additions.

Thanks to the home's unusual form, the garden of Reverse Shadow Casting House will always be sunny and bright.

A rundown stone cottage on a sustainable timber plantation undergoes a massive transformation to become a simply stunning family home.

Easterbrook House uses a humble set of materials and simple forms to ensure the landscape its rightful place as the highlight.

A combination of good design and plenty of storage makes inner city downsize house feel just as spacious as the owners' previous home.

As you round the corner of this quiet street, a cheery extension greets you. Quite literally… It says 'Hello'.

This apartment renovation in the middle of one of Sydney's busiest suburbs still manages to capture the relaxed nature of a beach house…

A contemporary extension of this Elsternwick House is clad in contrasting dark zinc to draw a very deliberate line between new and old.

Westmere Alteration merges inside and out with a contemporary aesthetic and an unbelievable connection to the outside plus upper level sea views…

Designed in a flood-prone area, this modest, sustainable beach house touches the earth so lightly it appears to float!

A modular home constructed of engineered timber (instead of steel) is the perfect fit for a steel slope in New Zealand's seismic zone.

The brick exterior of Five Courts House belies its light-filled interior which surrounds five courtyards arranged around the perimeter.

From possum-infested DIY-renovated nightmare to sunny and spacious home, Holden Street House has been transformed.

A pulley system extending through the atrium of this House Bruce Alexander is designed so the owners can store bicycles and winch them out of view.

Renovating and extending a typical Victorian terrace always poses a unique set of challenges. Hawthorn House exceeds those challenges.

Merton House reinterprets the bay windows, scale and arrangement of internal spaces to create a contemporary kitchen and living spaces.

Trentham Long House treads the line between old-fashioned simplicity and the conveniences of contemporary life.

In a quiet corner of Melbourne's Inner-North, Modscape's modular, pre-fabricated and sustainable Tower House stands out from the crowd.

A grassy green courtyard fit for a cow (ok, not a real cow) at the centre of this renovated St Kilda House adds a bright new focus.

A large suburban home for an extended family in the suburbs doesn't need to look and feel like a cookie cutter McMansion…

At House 3 there's enough space for three generations of the one family to live comfortably together despite a tight site.

A cleverly designed holiday home enjoys beach views and opens directly to the garden but is screened by a mature Pohutukawa tree.

A renovation of a Victorian terrace house, the Bondi House was conceived as a first floor timber tube above a ground level brick box.

Thanks to a clever refurbishment this South Melbourne House becomes a communal multi-zoned space in keeping with the family's desire to live and work together.

A Collection of Spaces new spaces arranged around two courtyards revitalises a traditional worker's cottage without compromising its historical significance.

An extension made from delicate steel and expansive glass feels like a precious jewel has been hung on the original heritage home.

Sit down and enjoy the sunset. This prefabricated home, built in just 14 weeks, is designed to take advantage of panoramic views.

This innovative prefabricated studio was the first of its kind in New Zealand, and what it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty!

The prefabricated Collingwood House fits easily into its tight urban site, without feeling squeezed for space.

Casual House's low maintenance, no frills materials create an affordable yet compelling extension to the rear of a family home.

Befitting a regionally based sculptor, Sawmill House is a hand crafted upgrade from his existing rather rustic bohemian abode.

The Armadale House addition creates an open plan living area with a great connection to the garden, maximising the small site.

Turning this tight inner-city terrace into a light-filled, open-plan home for a family of five was a challenge. But was it a success?

Winscombe Extension deals with a growing family and a strong desire to establish a connection to the manicured rear garden…

This superb Mountain Retreat utilises local stone to minimise impact to the external environment, but maximise the internal environment.

With panels of fibro coloured to match the surrounding area, this 'dune-hopper' home feels modern but relevant to its seaside locale…

From distant water views to the nearby sculptural native trees, Bass Street Residence angles itself to take it all in…

Renovating an inner bayside family home to be flexible as the family grows and subtly remind the owners of time spent on beach holidays.

Using the latest laser-cutting technology, The Dalmeny is a shack meets tech-science hybrid solution to the generic suburban environment.

Musk is a stylish modern prefab cabin designed as a secluded retreat to relax and enjoy 360 degree views of natural bushland.

Rammed Limestone is the perfect material for Wall and Wall House — locally sourced, beautiful texture and natural colour and high thermal mass.