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Follow Cape-based architect Karen Newman?s tips on renovating a heritage home

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By Julia Stadler | August 16, 2016 | Interiors

When renovating a heritage home it can be hard to mingle traditional elements with modern finishes, but Karen Newman helps to bring the two together. 

Turn to unconventional materials 

In this home, Karen and her team created a lightweight steel-and-timber box, which added a third level to the house without risking structural integrity. This structure allowed the design to be more contemporary. 

Consider the context 

The modern interior architecture, the new finishes and the fittings updated a tired 1970s house. 

Embrace old and new together 

The design team stripped back the historic cottage to its original form, while creating a modern interior for the main house. 

Let nature into the house 

Stacking doors in the living area as well as the master bedroom mean that entire ‘walls’ can be folded away to create a seamless connection with the natural surrounds. 

Create separate spaces 

The stacked living arrangement has allowed each generation to have their own living quarters, with guests comfortably housed in an adjacent cottage. 

Photographs

Greg Cox 

See the full article in our August 2016 issue. 

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