A heritage-listed terrace house of elegant proportions and form, Newlyn House is a singular residence of its type in Sydney’s Bronte. Decades of alterations and additions to the rear required undoing to weave new additions of simplicity and calm, inspired in part by the nearby coastline of sandstone and salt. New living spaces open out to a new courtyard and a deep, north facing terraced garden.
Location: Bronte, Bidjigal & Gadigal Country
Council: Waverley Council
Build: Nettle Constructions
Landscape: ESLA
Styling: Room on Fire
Photography: Tom Ferguson
Awards: 2025 Houses Awards, House in a Heritage Context (Shortlist); 2025 Houses Awards, House Alteration & Addition under 200m2 (Shortlist)
Newlyn House is a carefully considered heritage home renovation of a locally listed Victorian terrace in Bronte. The original 1890s façade was sensitively restored, while decades of unsympathetic rear additions were removed to make way for a contemporary extension - designed to bring clarity, connection, and natural light into the home.
Inspired in part by the nearby coastline of sandstone and salt, the new design introduces a light-filled kitchen and dining space, which directly opens onto an intimate northeast-facing courtyard and terraced garden. The floor plan evolved in response to several site constraints - to avoid Sydney Water infrastructure and underpinning a heritage sandstone boundary wall, the plan gently twists away, framing established trees and borrowing views of neighbouring landscape, with a series of stepped terraces ameliorating the site slope.
Our clients, both in the creative industries, sought a home that reflected their values: warm, sustainable, practical, light-filled, and deeply connected to its garden setting. They wanted to respect the original character of the home while adding something meaningful to the rear - a space that feels both relaxed and enduring.
Natural ventilation, optimised orientation, and thermal mass were key passive strategies complemented by all electric appliances and solar array. Durable, low-maintenance materials selected to create a calm neutral palette and cohesive environment that evolves with the seasons include reclaimed stone and sandy coloured brick.
This modest yet impactful terrace house extension creates a new centre for family life. With each design decision - from the particularities of the plan through the bespoke customisation of the joinery and details - quietly reflecting the unique lives of our clients; designed to be embraced, adapted, and enjoyed for generations to come.
Location: Bronte, Bidjigal & Gadigal Country
Council: Waverley Council
Build: Nettle Constructions
Landscape: ESLA
Styling: Room on Fire
Photography: Tom Ferguson
Awards: 2025 Houses Awards, House in a Heritage Context (Shortlist); 2025 Houses Awards, House Alteration & Addition under 200m2 (Shortlist)