Chester Cottage

Builder: Scott & Brad Male  |  Styling: Max Copolov  |  Photography: Alex Reinders  |  Year completed: 2024

Chester Cottage is an early stone and brick Georgian style Gingerbread cottage, built in the 1860s in Castlemaine, Victoria. The property is situated close to the highly regarded Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. The scope of works involved an extensive restoration, ranging from new concrete footings to corrugated roof, along with the addition of a full length sun room; Great effort was made to preserve all of the original Georgian architectural features, such as the cove ceilings and brick fireplaces.

The client’s brief was to create a sense of warmth in tone and texture, with finishes and furnishings that borrow from the building’s evolving history. My intention was to draw focus to the past by contrasting the traditional elements of the design with a sleek and contemporary flourish. I hope to have achieved this in the kitchen and bathroom areas, where a modern approach to tiling and whimsical coloured basins harmonize with the traditional tapware and freestanding bathtub. These spaces are furnished and styled with an eclectic array of the owner’s objects and furnishings that accentuate this blended style. An AGA cooker and hotplate was installed in the kitchen, along with modern amenities such as an integrated fridge and bar station with minibar in the sitting room. 

Particular attention was made to the quality of the finishes, such as copper flywire mesh on all windows, and motor-operated external window canopies to enclose the sunroom when desired. The original deep window sills had the dual effect of adding charm and integrity to the property, while also contributing to the internal rooms’ struggle for sunlight. Skylights were added to each bathroom to maximise natural light and help address this problem.