House 184

Port Melbourne

House 184 transforms a tiny Port Melbourne workers cottage into a refined, contemporary home that honours its Victorian heritage while boldly reimagining it for modern urban living. On one of the smallest sites in the neighbourhood, the project delivers a generous sense of space through strategic planning, concealed functionality, and a seamless relationship between inside and out.

The original façade is preserved as a marker of place, while a crisp contemporary addition at the rear opens fully to the outdoors through bi‑fold doors and operable louvres. This gesture extends the living footprint and brings light, air, and landscape deep into the home — a vital response to dense inner‑city living.

Internally, every millimetre works hard. Storage is integrated into continuous joinery that conceals the pantry and fridge/freezer, allowing the open‑plan kitchen, dining, and lounge to read as one calm, uninterrupted space. A sculptural Super White marble island anchors the room, paired with soft blue cabinetry and restrained detailing that delivers a timeless, quietly confident palette.

The bathroom elevates compact living through experience‑driven design: a frameless skylight drops down to meet a tiny garden, creating the sensation of showering outdoors. A blue concrete basin, marble benchtop, and concealed European laundry reinforce the project’s commitment to beauty without compromise.

Upstairs, the main bedroom opens to a balcony shaded by a reinterpreted gabled pergola — a remnant of a 1990s renovation transformed into a living structure for climbing plants. A clover‑patterned balustrade offers a contemporary echo of the iron lacework on the heritage façade, stitching old and new into a cohesive architectural narrative.

Throughout, warm oak, soft greys, and sculptural lighting create a calm, continuous interior that celebrates materiality and craft. House 184 demonstrates how thoughtful design can elevate small‑scale living, delivering a home that is efficient, elegant, and deeply connected to its past and future.