From Closed-Off To Connected: A Family Home That Finally Makes Sense

May 11, 2025
A contemporary kitchen with wood cabinets and white countertops, also includes a variety of seating options in the form of built-in benches.

When Steffen Welsch Architects stepped into this decades-old Melbourne home, they were met with a challenge: a layout built in three disconnected stages. The kitchen was tucked away, the rooms were divided by narrow corridors, and while the footprint was generous, it lacked cohesion and functionality for modern living.

Steffen Welsch Architects has shared photos of a renovation they completed for a California Bungalow home in Melbourne, Australia.

Rather than extending the footprint, the architects reimagined the interior. By removing walls, they created a cohesive central living space where kitchen, dining, and relaxed gathering areas flow seamlessly together, forming the social heart of the home.

A contemporary interior with wood flooring.

Letting go of the traditional “one room, one function” approach, the architects designed a space that invites connection, where family and friends can cook, dine, and relax together.

A contemporary kitchen with wood cabinets and white countertops, also includes a variety of seating options in the form of built-in benches.

Around the kitchen, built-in benches and flexible seating areas create a space that’s as welcoming for casual chats as it is for family dinners.

A contemporary kitchen with wood cabinets and white countertops, also includes a variety of seating options in the form of built-in benches.

Recycled Vic Ash timber flooring from Urban Salvage complements the kitchen cabinetry, while Glacier White Corian countertops keep the space feeling crisp and bright.

A contemporary kitchen with wood cabinets and white countertops, also includes a variety of seating options in the form of built-in benches.
A contemporary kitchen with wood cabinets and white countertops, also includes a variety of seating options in the form of built-in benches.

A built-in breakfast nook offers garden views and a quiet place to start the day, while open shelving above the kitchen bench brings texture and personality to the space.

A built-in breakfast nook with wood seating and views of the garden.
A built-in breakfast nook with wood seating and views of the garden.

Here’s a video with the architect talking about the home.

Here’s a look at the old floor plan, the new floor plan, and the sections.

Architectural drawings of a home that received an interior renovation.

Architectural drawings of a home that received an interior renovation.

Architectural drawings of a home that received an interior renovation.

Architectural drawings of a home that received an interior renovation.
Photography by Tatjana Plitt | Drawings by Steffen Welsch | Architects: Steffen Welsch Architects | Builder: Merrick Construction | Building Surveyor: Metro Building Surveying | Structural Engineer: Maurice Farrugia and Associates | PV and Services Supplier: Envirogroup