Home renovation ideas: Not just any other terrace but the fairytale home of the pandemic
It takes a different sort of home to bring people together during these unusual times.
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At first glance the home of landscape designer Sacha Coles looks like any other terrace, only a little on the small side perhaps. But step inside and magic happens.
“It’s not flashy. It doesn’t look much from the outside,” says Sacha.
“But that’s not what we’re about. We wanted to create a home where the kids can hang out, incorporate as much greenery as possible and foster a sense of community. A home that we’ll love now and also in 50 years’ time.”
And create that home they did.
Sacha and his partner Lydia, who works for an ethical superfund, have owned the property located on a leafy street in Redfern in inner city Sydney for more than 15 years. They live there with kids Arki, 14, Ren, 12 and friendly fox terrier, Balu.
HOW TO PLAN A GREEN HOME RENOVATION
Sacha is a director of Aspect Studios, a company that creates environments that are sustainably-minded and also bring delight and surprise.
“As landscape architects we’re absolutely fanatical about sustainability, and that means in cities it’s urban greening, urban cooling, biodiversity and biophilia,” explains Sacha.
“That feeling of being close to plants and being around nature, whether it’s going to the beach or walking in the forest … good landscape architecture provides that kind of experience.”
Given that philosophy, it’s not surprising that when it came to renovating his own home, Sacha wanted plenty of greenery.
Working with friend and fellow architect Anthony Gill, his heritage home was transformed from a one-bedroom house with an attic to a three-bedder with a studio overlooking a lush tropical courtyard garden. The star of the home however, is the green roof where you’ll find a spectacular display of native plants, hardy shrubs and 50 shades of green.
“The whole home revolves around our green roof, which is the largest area of the house,” says Sacha.
“The vision was to always have something green to look at, and we wanted to capture the water that lands on the roof.”
Sacha and Anthony designed an engineered structure that could hold plants, as well as cool down the home in summer and keep the heat for winter.
“We’ve used lightweight soil that’s got irrigation, as the whole idea of a green roof is to give the plants as much nutrients as they need and then get the water out,” says Sacha.
“All the plants we’ve chosen are pollinating plants. There’s a plectranthus growing there. It’s just flowered and bees are everywhere. It’s incredible.”
CALMING NATURE OF A SUSTAINABLE HOME
Anthony loves the green roof but Sacha also adores the courtyard garden.
“Plants come over the top and you can see the canopy of the trees through the light wells,” he says.
Clearly, Sacha is passionate about bringing the outdoors in, so to speak.
“As human beings we are connected to nature,” he explains.
“Being surrounded by greenery is just incredible when it comes to a sense of wellbeing. You can see the seasons change, as well as other non-human life forms like birds, bees, bugs. It’s just beautiful.”
Of course, Sacha is not wrong.
There’s reams of research confirming the healing properties of nature. Life can be stressful, especially in the city.
“There’s a lot of noise and stimulus,” says Sacha. “Being around nature calms you. Plants have a different tempo.”
If you’d like introduce some greenery to your home, Sacha suggests you try the following. “Start with a worm farm or compost bin and recycle your organic matter. Everyone can do that,” he says.
Or, if you’ve got more space and light you can have an immersive garden on your balcony and grow your own herbs and vegetables in raised planters.
“If you’re renovating your house, I would try to integrate as much opportunity to have light, air and greenery as possible,” he adds.
“That’s the principle of biophilia. It’s not just about plants; it’s about nature’s cues; having the wind coming through, the patterns made by the play of light and shadow through plants. Those kinds of things are magical. And if you can have that in your home you’re very lucky.”
A COMMUNITY MINDED HOME
When asked what he loves most about living in his green Redfern home, Sacha doesn’t hesitate.
“Definitely the sense of community,” he says.
“We have a group chat with 50 or so people from the local area so we can check up on each other, and we often have drinks out in the laneway.”
The laneway he’s referring to runs behind the house and it too is bursting with plants.
“A decade or so back I started growing herbs and veg out in the lane, and since then everyone has started growing plants out there, too. It’s reduces our carbon footprint and people are welcome to take what they please,” he adds.
He and Lydia recently bought a car which they share out to their neighbours if and when needed.
“We don’t drive often, except for kids’ sport and to go up the coast. I would much prefer it be used as a free utility car for everybody.”
Sacha also built a park bench out front so friends and strangers alike can stop and chat.
“I love it,” says Sacha, who also loves the diversity of residents in his neighbourhood. There are people from all cultures, ages and socio economic standing, he explains.
“We want our kids to grow up with the full knowledge of how lucky they are, but also, to develop empathy and never judge anyone on their status. Everyone has a story and you see it all in Redfern.
“That was really important to us and I think our kids will be kinder people for having grown up here.”
For more: Aspect Studios
Originally published as Home renovation ideas: Not just any other terrace but the fairytale home of the pandemic
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