There are many good reasons why people are nervous about buying heritage properties. Plans for alterations and additions can turn into a drawn-out obstacle course of regulations and disappointments. The owners of this Victorian-era home in North Adelaide, an elegant sandstone villa with finely detailed balconies and handsome stonework, wanted to add functional modern areas to suit family living. Thanks to great attention to detail on the architectsí part, the approval process in this case was relatively straightforward.

The owners wanted to remove an existing 1970s addition and extend the property. Their intention was to keep the original house as a parents' retreat while creating spaces for their sons - Angus, 15, Ben, 13, and Will, 12 - in a new area. Priorities for the new addition included three bedrooms, a large laundry and spaces dedicated to casual living and recreation. Also on the wish list were a revamped pool at the rear and an outdoor dining area. An updated main bedroom and ensuite, formal living and dining rooms, plus a kitchen, music room and library/study, would all be accommodated within the existing footprint.

The challenge for architectural firm Bruce Harry & Associates, and project leader Angela Spiliopoulos (who recently left the company), was to minimise the appearance of the two-storey addition from the street and to let as much light as possible into the new living areas. This was achieved by linking the old and new halves of the house with a glass-topped passage. "It functionally connects but visually separates the historic and contemporary building forms," says Angela. On a practical note, this solution allowed for the attachment of an addition without demolishing or modifying the existing roofline and support structure.

Deep verandahs now wrap around the western and southern facades, with adjustable louvres for cross-ventilation and shade control. Inside, modern furniture and statement pieces define the new spaces, while rich soft furnishings, many of them chosen by interior design consultant Mo Hardy of Nest Design, complement stately antiques and custom-made furniture in the front rooms of the heritage structure. It's a sensitive and successful marriage of past and present. 

"We made sure that we preserved the grand proportions of the residence," says Angela. "Where possible there is a contemporary interpretation of the existing residence. At the rear, for example, the Waikerie limestone used on the facade, which faces onto the pool and garden, is the same texture and colour as the original sandstone on the front of the house." A chip off the old block, you could say.

Architects: Bruce Harry & Associates, Adelaide, SA; (08) 8232 6688; Angela Spiliopoulos; 0400 322 970. 

Story Catherine Downey Armstrong 

Photography James Knowler