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The wish list of Brisbane empty nesters Peter and Jacquelyn was simple. They wanted an affordable new home with plenty of room to accommodate their grandchildren, and Peter’s honey-manufacturing business. Architect Paul Butterworth found the sweet spot — delivering ‘Honeyworks House’ on budget and surpassing the couple’s design expectations.

 

Central to the brief was a desire to create safe, light-filled spaces in which their young grandchildren could play. Mindful of the couple’s modest budget, we devised a way to deliver the pair ample space, along with little luxuries.

 

The home basically comprises two metal boxes, conjoined in an L-shape configuration. A burnished slab and plasterboard walls were chosen for their high function and low cost. Then, the bulk of the budget was deployed to fill the box-like shapes with beautiful fixtures and fittings. 

 

Elegant tapware, custom lighting, timber veneer cabinetry and luxurious stone products all combine to transform everyday living into a truly joyful experience. Meanwhile, the multi-purpose room features a queen-size bed concealed behind a wall of rich Tasmanian blackwood. Other thoughtful features include a two-way mirror in the powder room, designed to showcase both the home’s entry and its central courtyard.   

 

Sustainable design

 

In total, three outdoor spaces are easily accessible to the residents and visitors of Honeyworks House. In addition to the internal courtyard, the back garden also plays a vital role in this family home. Here, Peter nourishes his business interests with a honey harvesting, spinning and bottling facility. Meanwhile, plots in the back garden grow watermelons, corn, grapes, passionfruit ... and a healthy array of other fruit and veg.  

 

The front garden too is a highly productive space. We ensured the landscape design incorporated plants to attract bees to the property. This is, after all, an apiarist’s address! 

 

An advocate of sustainable design, Paul recycled some of the brickwork from the original home that was demolished to make way for Honeyworks House. The salvaged white concrete breeze blocks not only provide a visual point of contrast but also help circulate cool air throughout the home’s interior.