Fellows House | Jak Architecture

What appears from the street as a classic Australian brick home - complete with 70s awnings and a modest suburban façade - holds a very different story within. Both the clients and JAK were committed to retaining the exterior and existing footprint as much as possible, driven equally by budget and a shared desire to revive rather than replace. This alignment from the outset allowed the interiors to become the project’s expressive heart, while the exterior stayed largely untouched. Only upon reaching the front door does the house offer a subtle hint of what’s to come, where a new formal entry gently “peels” from the existing brick skin, signalling the contemporary layers that sit behind it.

The project began as a small internal renovation with a rear addition, but as the brief evolved, so did the plan. Ultimately, the footprint was retained, with key structural adjustments made to improve flow and adapt the home for two families who share it as a weekend retreat. Existing concrete balconies were converted into interior rooms, marked by a rich red-brown brick laid in stack bond - a deliberate complement to the original running-bond red brick. This approach allowed the additions to feel connected yet clearly contemporary, celebrating the character of the existing home while subtly redefining it.

A major shift came through the creation of a new northern entry, which replaces the original long hallway and delivers visitors directly into the living spaces. This simple move freed up valuable internal area and allowed the sleeping wing to be closed off, improving privacy and functionality. The northern side was completely reworked to create an open kitchen, living and dining space, alongside a playful bunk room for visiting families and children.

Inside, the brief was to craft a beach house that didn’t take itself too seriously - colourful, robust, and joyful in a way that suits shared weekend living. The retained exterior, finished with new fascias, gutters and downpipes in Manor Red, provided a strong tonal cue for the interior palette. This inspired a series of considered details where old meets new: curved brickwork that merges the original façade with the new entry, and carefully resolved intersections of gutter, downpipe and hood, all expressed in matching Manor Red. Close collaboration with builder Kapital CM ensured these small junctions and transitions were handled with precision, allowing a humble home to feel quietly elevated.

With such a bold exterior colour story, the interiors responded through a refined but confident palette. Laminex became a key material throughout - not only for its durability and cost-effectiveness but for its rich, tactile colour range. Moroccan Clay and Burnt Ochre were chosen for their ability to complement the existing brick without directly matching it, bringing warmth and personality to the kitchen, living spaces and fireplace hearth. These tones carry the exterior language inward, stitching the house together through material continuity.

Shared by two families as a holiday home, Fellows is designed to be relaxed, robust and easy to live in - a place where sandy feet, large gatherings and the rituals of shared weekends feel entirely at home. The renovation respects the charm of the original house while introducing a new clarity and openness, resulting in a playful and enduring reinterpretation of a familiar Australian classic.

Lead Architects: Jackson Wylie, Ben Webb, Sylvie Goetz, Mike Parlapiano

Builder: Kapital CM 

Photography: Pier Carthew

Styling: Jess Kneebone