Black Ribbon House

Black Ribbon House is a renovation and addition to a century-old Queenslander in Brisbane, last properly updated in the 1970s and ready for a long-term reset to suit a growing family. Studio 15b raised the original cottage to expand the footprint upwards rather than outwards, working with the constraints of the small lot.

The brief asked that the new build read as a continuation of the old, not as two separate houses bolted together. The original dark-stained timber windows, doors and trims became the cue. A new dark timber feature wall now leads visitors through the plan; dark timber stairs stitch the old and new wings; and matching dark joinery threads through the interiors to tie everything back to the heritage fabric.

The rear's natural slope was put to work. Lifting the back of the house above the existing flood overlay also allowed a stepped lower level, giving the kitchen, living and dining areas generous ceiling heights. The living room reaches 4.2 metres, supporting a tall wall of glass that opens to the landscaped rear and pool. Re-pitching and extending the existing rear roof opened a double-volume void above the outdoor living area.

Black Colorbond capping frames the rear elevation: the detail that gives the house its name. Completed in 2020 over two levels.

Architecture and interior design by Studio 15b. Photography by Angus Martin.