Comfortable Living

The owners of this property got connected to Trentham about 10 years ago, and initially bought and renovated a weekender. After spending more time there than in their other home in Melbourne, they decided to build a new house in the same street.

This is when they found SOS Architects who wanted to venture out, to design and build more homes in country areas. A very important specification by the owners was that the new build had to fit into the character of the street and give a nod to traditional Victorian proportions but with a modern application.

With a European background, the owners enjoy both a cooler climate and four seasons, however they wanted a house built for a comfortable indoor environment, using insulation, hydronic heating and triple glazed windows. That’s when they came across Paarhammer.

“We really liked the option of upgrading from double glazed windows to triple glazed, and enjoyed the pleasant experience of collaborating with Paarhammer” one of the owners says. Very happy to recommend both the architects and the window manufacturer, he continues “Selecting a good architect and a good window manufacturer are crucial when building a home. They can make your house special and it is money well spent”.

While many people only build one house, or maybe two in their lifetime, these owners relied on the knowledge they had gained from previously building four homes. Their past experiences have taught them that making a conscious decision to choose quality is most important.

The completed home uses the length of the block and runs east/west with all living areas having northern exposure. Tall French doors and tilt & turn and fixed windows in the Architectural Range were used with triple glazing. This achieves a constant comfortable temperature of 21 degrees all year round due to the considered lay-out, insulation and triple glazed windows and doors. While the summer sun does not penetrate the rooms at all, the winter sun comes in almost 3 meters and warms up the house.

Upgrading to triple glazing is offset by savings on curtains - unless required for privacy – and on energy costs while increasing comfort levels, and the owners of this property see this as very worthwhile, just like specifying locally manufactured and highly sustainable products.

Architects: SOS Architects