Beautiful Burt Street: a 1890s Freo cottage that’s been thoughtfully updated

When you have a house that so thoroughly embodies the architectural style of an area… How do you thoughtfully update it for a new era?

Designed by architects and homeowners Kate Moore and Gian Tonnosi, Burt Street House maintains the quintessential Freo charm of the original cottage, built using limestone from the former quarry that was once on the same site as the home.

You’ll be able to get an up close and personal look through the home at this year’s Open House Perth, returning on November 9-10, 2024 and offering a backstage pass to Perth’s most interesting design destinations. Part of a global network of Open House events, the first Open House Perth was held in 2012 – and since then has welcomed over 400,000 design lovers to hundreds of architectural spaces normally hidden from the public!

The original cottage has remained mostly untouched, with some considered updates to highlight its charm and history – from new skylights to sections of wall and ceilings peeled back to reveal the textures of their past.

The rear of the home has been extended in both footprint (by just two metres!) and a maximised vertical space, allowing for a new kitchen, the relocation of an outdoor bathroom, and a mezzanine study.

At the rear of the south-west courtyard – now shielded from any blustery portside winds – a separate “outbuilding” functions as a studio space and storage, as well as its gentle golden glow serving as the courtyard’s lantern once the sun sets.

Want to see more? You can tour this home and many others as part of Open House Perth – check out the full program at the Open House Perth website.

Image credits: Nicholas Putrasia