Meet the owners of Annandale House by Welsh and Major

Could you tell us a little about your family and your background?

We are a family of four. We emigrated to Australia from South Africa twenty-five years ago and have since had two children – Indigo, who is eleven years old, and Guinness, who is eight. Our family has two working parents, energetic kids and an active social life. Our days are busy and we wanted a home that could cope with that activity in a relaxed way.

Why did you decide to engage an architect?

We felt we had waited so long to own a home and we really wanted it to be something we loved. The existing house was a weatherboard cottage with a number of rooms that had been added over time, with no real thought about the way inhabitants of the house would actually live in it. It was also a tricky site in terms of the way our neighbours had built on either side. We felt we needed experienced people who could assist with getting the most out of it. We also believe that good design affects the way you live and that you should always put yourself in the way of beauty.

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Annandale House by Welsh and Major.

Image: Michael Nicholson

How did you discover Welsh and Major Architects?

We searched on Google for award-winning architects who are local and specialize in small sites. This led us to discover the work of Welsh and Major Architects.

How did you prepare for your first meeting with the architects? Had you done some research into what you were looking for?

Over a period of time, we kept a scrapbook of images that we liked and jotted down our thoughts on what we might want. The scrapbook helped to form our brief to the architect.

What was your brief?

We wanted a place that felt raw and relaxed, yet sophisticated. We didn’t want it to feel too precious and we wanted spaces to be mutable and multipurpose. There is a small nod to our country of origin in the rawness of the design.

The builder is integral to a successful project. Did you have much involvement in the building process?

We were very lucky with our builder, SFN Constructions. The architects and the builder also had a great working relationship, so even though we were playing a project manager role, they resolved a lot of things together without us. SFN brought a level of structure, discipline and expertise to the project. Building in the inner city is always difficult, especially when you are right on top of your neighbours. Our site was tricky and they both worked well together (and with us) to deal with issues as they arose.

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Annandale House by Welsh and Major.

Image: Michael Nicholson

Is the result achieved by working with an architect what you expected?

It’s better than we expected. There are parts that we envisaged through all the discussions about design and how we live, but the architects added another level of thought and some lovely surprises. The end result demonstrates that not only were they great designers, but they also really knew our family and how we wanted to live.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of using an architect?

We had a few false starts with other architects, but when it worked, it came down to the architects’ design/aesthetic, their knowledge of the local area, their experience of working with a small, inner-city house and flexibility. Chemistry between the architect and client is also important – it’s vital that you “get” each other and what you are trying to create without needing too much explanation. Finally, if both parties are enjoying the process and what is being created, you will get a better result. With Welsh and Major Architects, we felt they cared about our house as much as we did. In hindsight, we really benefited from the fact that they were a small and growing practice – it felt like they gave us more.

Would you engage an architect again?

Absolutely. Even though we were glad to be finished, it was hard to say goodbye to Welsh and Major Architects. We keep threatening to find a new project so we can dream and create together again!

Read the review of Annandale House.