Hopetoun House

The brief

Up, not out.

This Vaucluse renovation extended upward within the existing footprint — a common strategy on smaller Eastern Suburbs lots where ground-level expansion is limited. The design ensured compliance with overshadowing controls while delivering a generous upper level with harbour glimpses.

The interior transformation was equally significant. A new kitchen, main bathroom, and ensuite were installed to a high specification — the kind of work that gets photographed but goes largely unseen from the street.

The combination of a well-resolved upper addition and a completely refreshed interior has made Hopetoun House one of the more comprehensive renovations in our portfolio.

Architect designed to match the existing footprint, while extending up in a balanced way to ensure compliance with overshadowing controls.

Design story

Vaucluse transformed.

Eastern Suburbs renovations require a different mindset to Northern Beaches work. The lots are smaller, the controls tighter, the neighbours closer. Overshadowing calculations govern everything. At Hopetoun House, every room in the upper level was positioned against a shadow diagram.

The result is a home that sits well within its constraints and feels far more generous than its footprint suggests. The new interior — kitchen, bathrooms, finishes — transformed daily life in ways the upper addition alone could not.