00:02the studio was originally a metal frame double garage I lived here with my
00:10husband and our two kids and dog we purchased the block in 2020 having moved
00:17from the inner west to the south coast for a temporary sea change we saw an
00:24opportunity to create a compact and sustainable detached studio on the block
00:30our plan at the time was to move back to Sydney for now we're still down here
00:34we're raising our two young kids in cold out we recently moved out of the studio
00:40into the main house and soon my mom will be moving in we loved living here as a
00:47family I think it was a really special time that we were in such a small space
00:51together I think they're memories that we'll treasure for a really long time
01:03cold out of each studio is located in the tranquil beachside suburb of cold out on
01:08the south coast of New South Wales we are currently on the land of the Dharawal
01:15people cold out is anchored between the
01:20escarpment and the ocean with ever-changing views of the mountain and the
01:23sea the studio was converted in 2022 from the original detached garage on the
01:32property the studio is constructed of prefabricated panels and were really
01:40driven to make it as sustainable as possible with a low carbon footprint so
01:44really valued using local and sustainable suppliers and manufacturers
01:48wherever possible the only thing remaining from the original garage is
01:56the concrete slab this is now the floor of the property which we polished and the
02:01garage door and the front door entry is in the same location but other than that
02:05it's all completely new there's a small dining area which opens up into the living
02:10area and kitchen there's a bathroom behind a curved wall on the ground floor and a
02:15mezzanine sleeping area accessed by a set of stairs for our laundry we use the
02:21laundry attached to the main house the studio is accessed via the driveway and has
02:30its own separate entry to the main house from the outside it still looks like a
02:36garage we've got the bifolding garage doors and we can open it right up and
02:40allow cross ventilation to flow all the way through the studio the corner of the
02:47entry was originally quite dark so we added a north-facing window to let in
02:53some extra light that space the concrete floor was existing we polished it back and
03:00sealed it the polishing process exposed some of the aggregate which we really love
03:04because it adds another layer of texture to the space the living room is a tall
03:13six meters in height making up for what it lacks in width the compact living area
03:19utilizes the area under the stairs for storage with a two and a half seater
03:24lounge in front of the TV the furniture in the space we chose for flexibility for
03:31example the side table that's paired with a coffee table we can take outside which
03:35doubles as an outdoor stall the space is very light and bright we wanted to keep
03:41all of the finishes and furnishings white the lounge room sofa has removable
03:46slip covers so they're really easy to wash and keep clean which was very
03:50important when living in here with two little kids
03:55the cupboard fronts are two-pack poly with a v-groove pattern
04:00the joinery also includes massive pull-out drawers which was essential when we lived
04:05here for keeping kids toys backpacks shoes and books we designed in a full-length cupboard for
04:13larger household items like vacuums and brooms with semi-circular cutouts for those longer items so
04:19that you don't lose the horizontal storage the sliding doors of the living area and the window
04:28above provide the most amount of natural light that enters the space the high-level blinds above
04:35are USB powered and Australian made sheer curtains cover the sliding door with a polished brass rod
04:45the outdoor deck is accessed off the main living area through the double glazed sliding doors we
04:51loved using the deck for outdoor cooking outdoor dining and just additional space with the kids
05:00the kitchen area is located behind the living area with integrated appliances tucked away behind timber
05:07joinery so as not to overcrowd the small space the kitchen was completely custom to fit the space we hovered
05:15it off the wall by about 200 millimeters so that the curtains could tuck right away when they were open
05:21it's a small compact kitchen so we didn't feel that we needed full cooking facilities we prioritized the
05:28bench space to prepare meals that way and we have other appliances we can use like the microwave to
05:34reheat meals or cook smaller meals the floating shelf is the same timber material as the timber cupboards
05:41and drawers I wanted a concrete look bench top concrete itself has quite a high embodied energy
05:50so the recycled glass bench tops provide that aesthetic I was after in a much more sustainable solution
05:59just off the entry is a small dining area we've got two permanent dining chairs and then some stools
06:05that double as side tables when we're not using them in the dining area the materials that we chose
06:12for the dining table and dining chairs were timber to add a warmth to the space and to tie in
06:18with the
06:18kitchen area as well from the living area you do see the bathroom wall given that it is such a
06:26small
06:26space we wanted to soften that corner so we decided to curve it there's a small step up into the
06:33bathroom onto a tiled floor of porcelain tiles in a light grey terrazzo look finish the kitchen tap
06:40and the bathroom fixtures and fittings are the same living tumbled brass finish which will patina
06:45beautifully over time with the exposure to the salt air we have storage behind the mirror cabinet and
06:53storage underneath the bathroom sink with integrated drawers for privacy the shower is behind a fluted
07:01glass door with handmade ceramic wall tiles that follow the curve of the wall there is a custom shampoo
07:08conditioner and soap holder in brass to match the fixtures within the shower recess
07:16the stairs to the mezzanine are carpeted they help to absorb the sound in the small space
07:24at the top of the stairs is the mezzanine bedroom the mezzanine area is located at the back of the
07:31building at the highest point so that we could maximize the ceiling height in that room
07:38we felt it was really important for the sleeping area to be private so we put the glazed
07:43window on and a door to separate the bedroom from the downstairs area so we could put the kids to
07:49bed at night and still use downstairs without waking them up the window in the bedroom is
07:56approximately 1.8 meters tall and 3 meters wide and is made from two large panes of glass with a
08:01recycled timber frame the high level window filters in the light as well through the mezzanine bedroom window
08:10in addition to the mezzanine window we also have two smaller windows with views of the escarpment
08:16and you can also open them up to let fresh air into the room the queen size bed has built
08:22-in joinery
08:23on both sides of the bed with the wardrobe on top bedside table on the bottom and lighting on the
08:28bed head
08:30it has two big drawers underneath where we stored all of the kids clothes
08:37the day bed doubles as a single bed which is where our son slept
08:41and our daughter was in a cot in the bedroom
08:46i think designing small spaces is really interesting and personally i love the challenge
08:50i think with larger spaces you know there's many more options but with smaller spaces there's only
08:56probably one or two options that will really work that maximize privacy and light
09:03because you have less square meters to build you can invest in better quality fixtures and finishes
09:08and materials i think it was important for us to consider the use of this particular part of the
09:15property we had no use for a double garage and this is a much better use of the site for
09:20us it provides
09:21the flexibility for us to use the space in the future and also allows for my mum to live with
09:27us
09:27but have her own space it is just a really nice space to be in i think a lot of
09:32that comes down to
09:34the natural light and the acoustics of the space it obviously looks beautiful i'm really happy with that
09:39but it feels good to be in as well
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