Take a tour of this South Freo home that’s heritage charm at the front, luxe modernity at the back

While we appreciate a gleaming, modern behemoth or a kooky new built, when it comes to preserving the character of a streetscape… Sometimes you need to be a little more sensitive.

And South Freo’s Carnac Street has a particularly lovely streetscape, lined with peppermint trees and populated by Victorian-era limestone and weatherboard worker’s cottages – exactly the type of homes that spring to mind when you think “Freo“.

(It’s also tantalisingly close to plenty of South Freo’s most-loved delights like Galati & Son’s and Who’s Your Mumma…)

So what do you do when your ca.1899 white weatherboard cottage needs more space for modern family life?

In the case of the aptly-named White House, you enlist the help of local acclaimed Freo architects spaceagency – the studio also behind stunners like the Weeties Warehouse (which, incidentally, just sold for $4.3 million!), as well as hospitality projects like the Republic of Fremantle, Coogee Common, Long Chim and heaps more.

In keeping with the heritage streetscape, the home’s verandah and front two rooms have been thoughtfully retained and restored, while the spacious contemporary addition at the rear is tucked behind – its weatherboard cladding peeking discretely over the corrugated roof.  

While decidedly contemporary in its aesthetic, the addition maintains the spirit of the original home in materiality, detail and – perhaps harder to pin down – vibes.

Inside, white shiplap is paired with warm timber detailing, exposed beams repeat above the open plan kitchen and dining room – mimicked again in the vertical lines of the exterior cladding.

Want to learn more? You’ll be able to tour the home, plus join the homeowners and architects in conversation, on Saturday, August 31 as part of DesignFreo: On Location.

Image credits: Jack Lovel