Blackstone at Niagara Park

A family of six had outgrown their Niagara Park home. The existing house was well located within the Central Coast bushland, but the living spaces were cramped and the bedrooms could not accommodate four children. Rather than move, they asked me to design an extension that would give them room to grow while transforming the character of the entire property.

The extension wraps around the northern and eastern edges of the original house, with clerestory windows running along the roofline on both sides. These high level windows do something clever: they flood every room with natural light from above without requiring large wall openings that would compromise privacy from neighbouring properties. In a bushland setting where trees filter the light beautifully, clerestory windows capture that dappled quality and bring it inside.

The name Blackstone comes from the two materials that define the exterior. Stacked stone, in natural grey tones, anchors the building to its bushland site and provides visual weight at the base. Above, a bold black cladding gives the extension a contemporary edge that distinguishes the new work from the original house. The contrast between rough stone and smooth dark surfaces creates a tension that makes the building interesting from every angle.

Inside, the new spaces are generous without being wasteful. The open plan living area connects directly to the garden through full height sliding doors, and the children's bedrooms each have enough space for a desk and storage as they grow into teenagers. I designed the circulation so that the family can move between old and new sections of the house without feeling like they are crossing a threshold. The extension does not compete with the original house. It completes it.