Practical teenage retreat with ensuite 3.6m x 7m at Preston, Melbourne VIC
From a disused shed to a teenage retreat
This property at Preston, an inner suburb of Melbourne, had an old shed on a slab. The idea was to get rid of the shed and replace it with a fully approved ‘teenage retreat’ meaning a bedroom with hangout space or rumpus and private ensuite as more living space and accommodation for the growing family. With help from our network partners in Melbourne, it was relatively easy for the family to increase their liveable space and enhance the property value. With rents increasing and more ‘kids’ living at home for much longer, backyard studios are more popular than ever.
Over the years, we helped many customers in Melbourne before rentable granny flats became as easy in VIC as in NSW and QLD. Even before the change, there were ways to add extra accommodation to properties in Melbourne, and this handsome little project is just one example where a practical teenage retreat with ensuite replaced a near-useless old shed.
With the old shed removed, the available space allowed for the habitable structure to be 3.6m x 7m in size. Although we offer veranda and deck kits to go with our pods, it was decided to have eaves extended on only one side, where a small timber porch and steps lead straight from the brick-paved garden pathway to the wide sliding door into the pod. The pod blends softly into the garden setting with the choice of Colorbond Pale Eucalypt (muted light green) for external cladding combined with Classic Cream under the eaves.
The sliding stacker door and awning-style windows in White Birch (creamy off-white), chosen from our range, continue the calm colour palette and the added insulation of double-glazing is ideal for Melbourne where it gets very hot as well as very cold.
Inside, the choices are all about easy-care practicality. The open-plan room can be used for teen gatherings (movies, gaming, etc) with floating floorboards, plasterboard lining, and plenty of space for visiting guests or impromptu sleepovers. A simple ensuite is added for convenience and potential as an external bedroom suite or home office with facilities.
Whether you’re in Melbourne or any other location (NSW, VIC, ACT, QLD), if you want a granny flat, backyard studio with facilities, or teenage retreat like this one – ask us how you can get your project customised to suit your needs exactly at the lowest possible cost.
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