How do you bring a tired little brick and tile cottage with art deco features into the present, while retaining its character and DNA? You call in the experts. In this case, a builder with an eye for detail and an architect with a sensitive vision. The result is a resounding success, with the modest house extended and opened up to become a modern family home – and with all of the lovely period features retained, celebrated and even emulated. A triumph of renovation, you’ll see the skilled work on show at the back of the house where a dark old porch and laundry have been replaced with open-plan and outdoor living areas. This is sunshine central thanks to clerestory windows and bifold doors that open onto a deck. You’ll also notice the curvaceous kitchen island – a nod to the period features, including curved walls, plaster ceiling roses and arched entrance. The house has gone from two to three bedrooms, has an extra living space, a second toilet and a lot of style. One look at the bathroom, with its deco sensibility, tells you this project was all about keeping the very best of the old and combining it with the new. It’s a template for a sensitive, compelling revamp in which the builders’ skills and craftsmanship are beautifully showcased.