Inner-city Hideaway

Newcastle Herald

Saturday January 26, 2008

SALLY CROXTON

THE advantages of living and working from the one building can come with the downside of feeling permanently on the job.

A brilliant design and a carefully chosen location overcame that pitfall in this hideaway home in Newcastle West.

But then, owners Heidi and Cameron McKenzie had done it all before with a combined home and business at the corner of Bull and Union streets in neighbouring Cooks Hill. So they knew just what they wanted when Cameron, a builder and muso, designed a large home and new premises at Hall Street for his wife's business, Heidi's School of Dance.

Finding a warehouse suitable for conversion took several years as developers were snapping up the buildings that became available in the limited mixed commercial and residential zone in Newcastle West. Then about four years ago the couple discovered just what they were after on the rental market. It was part of the Institute of Engineers site which goes through to Parry Street. They approached the owners to see if they were willing to sell and found they had already considered subdivision.

Heidi and Cameron acquired a large, old, single level warehouse that had once been used for the manufacture of cash registers. It stands in a quiet side street, yet only a few steps away from Marketown Shopping Centre, National Park and the city centre.

Heidi joked that her boisterous dance students, who range in age from toddlers to 20, were the only interruption to the quiet of the neighbourhood.

The building had the luxury of ample space to create Heidi's dream of a luxuriously appointed air-conditioned ground level dance school comprising a large studio and a second, smaller dance space and a number of ancillary rooms plus parking. Cameron then added their generously proportioned family home by building above.

Cameron also runs his construction business from home and has his soundproofed music studio in one room of the upper level dwelling.

The smartly bagged and painted exterior of the building gives little hint of the gem of a residence above, with the wall of the recessed front terrace protecting the privacy of the occupiers. To the left of the etched glass dance school entry is a welcoming red door with a security intercom beside it and a flight of polished timber stairs leading up to the residence.

When Cameron designed the home, bringing light and a pleasant outlook into the space was an important consideration. He decided to have the vast living area spilling out to an equally large covered terrace at the north-facing front of the space with the bedrooms to the rear.

Rather than having side windows looking out to other buildings, to bring light into all these spaces he devised an upper level rear atrium with merbau decking, open to the sky. The five bedrooms plus study are arranged in two wings facing into the atrium which also backs on to the living area and allows through breezes out to the front terrace.

Planted with giant strelitzias and other sculptural greenery in a central spine of vegetation, this atrium gives the home a tropical ambience far removed from its setting of semi-industrial and multi-level apartment buildings. Giant papyrus provides a soft, feathery touch to a small pond inset into the decking. The deck wraps around behind the back of one wing providing a concealed outdoor spot to hang the washing.

Once their baby, Jack, gets to the toddler stage it will also provide a great outdoor space for him to play.

The paint colours and texture of the surrounds of this atrium add to its Balinese-style appeal with Weathertex weatherboards chosen for the walls in preference to the flatness of rendered brick. The striking red-toned "Carmen Miranda" was used for the feature wall teamed with the stone colour Porters "Rock Bottom" covering the remainder of the exterior walls.

Large floor to ceiling windows give the master bedroom a pleasant outlook to the atrium while in the main living space a wall of glass opens out to the atrium and to the tiled front terrace.

Heidi was mainly responsible for selecting the interior colours using a background of neutrals and white to go with a light-flecked charcoal grey Godfrey Hirst wool carpet. The smart living area interiors are relieved with splashes of hot red and orange colour.

Burgundy is used for the glass splashback of the white laminated and stainless steel kitchen where a red toaster makes a striking touch on the Quantum Quartz benchtop.

On the wide terrace used for relaxing, dining and entertaining, Heidi bought 1970s Scandinavian-style printed red material from Spotlight to make cushions to dress the couch. Even the snooker table, which shares the living space, sports a burgundy baize covering.

A Chinese red dresser from Inside Out in Newcastle and red-toned art work and pottery from the gallery of Heidi's brother at the corner of Bull and Union streets make an exciting contribution to the theme in the living area. Orange cushions from House and Garden and Freedom brighten the streamlined dark grey Microsuede commercial sofas (built with a single seat cushion) from Domayne.

Much of the timber furniture was built by Cameron, including the outdoor table and the bed in the master bedroom which has a convenient void behind it to stow phones and books.

Both bathrooms display imaginative touches in tiling and colour co-ordination.

If you'd like your home featured contact scroxton@bigpond.net.au

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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