Want to hear a scary story?
The history of Adelaide’s northwest is littered with them.
From the ghost in the cellar of the Port Dock Brewery to the supernatural presence that some say haunts the McLaren Wharf.
If some of those walls could talk.
There’s also the tale of the antique dining table from Struan House, a supposedly haunted old 40-room mansion in Naracoorte, which was shipped to a 1880s dwelling nearby.
The light burgundy exterior of that old Fisherman’s Cottage would spook some people, too.
But it didn’t put off Tam, who bought the place on her own almost 10 years ago.
It was small, cold and dark, and maybe its walls do talk.
“When I was signing the conveyancing paperwork,” Tam explains, “I was told that the previous owner had purchased the property as a single woman and then had met her partner and had a little girl.”
“I remember saying ‘I hope that the house does that for me’.
“I met (partner) Jamie less than four months later and the following year we had daughter, Matilda.”
Insert eerie music here.
The arrival of Matilda, and the need for more space, was the catalyst for the recent renovation – but it wasn’t what brought the idea to life.
Enter Freddie and Jason.
Um. Now we’re getting a little spooked.
Freddie is the family’s Labradoodle, and Jason is Tam and Jamie’s brother-in-law, the architect whose plans gave them no other choice.
“For fun and just for a bit of education as to what we might like to upgrade to one day, we asked Jason to work on a design for us so we could get an idea of how we could extend the place," Tam says.
“We figured that would help us work out if we needed to upsize and move one day or if we could turn this house into what we needed.”
Turns out it was the latter.
“It only really became a serious plan because Jason produced a design that was so perfect for us,” she continues.
“We didn’t actually give him much of a brief, but he obviously knows us very well, knows how we live and was familiar with the existing house and block.
“By renovating we could get what we wanted and stay in this location. Once we saw his plans, we instantly wanted to live in that new space.”
It would be four years before work started on the renovation but it was time Tam and Jamie used to make all their selections and design choices before the build began.
It made for smooth sailing, and eliminated the stress of on-the-go decision making, when the time came.
The old kitchen was converted into a guest bedroom, while a new kitchen was added as part of the new lower-ground extension, which also features sitting, dining and outdoor living spaces, along with a dedicated laundry.
Upstairs, the new master suite - which includes ensuite and robe - and Tam's new home office, are the highlights.
And the new works well with the old, an integral part of the pair’s vision.
“It was really important to us to work with the original part of the house and not take a bulldoze-and-build-new approach,” Tam explains.
“We have always loved the house and wanted to build on that rather than replace it. The older part works really well with the new section but has a darker, cosier feel to it.”
The heated, concrete floor pays homage to the original worker’s cottage, while that haunted table from Naracoorte, and a cricket locker from Adelaide Oval, headline Tam’s eye for antiques.
Bold splashes of colour are also prominent throughout, and Tam enjoyed the renovation journey so much, she's now studying interior design.
“I love blank canvases, light and white walls but love to fill those spaces with colour, sentimental objects, warmth and life,” she says.
“I like to mix furniture that is new as well as antique pieces with a story and some history.”
Importantly, much-needed warmth and light now fills the north-facing extensive addition, thanks, largely, to the floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that let the sun light in.
It's also as a result of the timber batten balustrade that draws your attention upstairs.
It’s beautiful to look at and, like much of the design, is practical, helping to facilitate the new-found light and aide the air flow downstairs where there is no air conditioning in the extension.
Staying on the theme of practical-yet-visually-striking, the angled wall of the main bedroom is as much a necessity as it is a design feature.
And the selection of the Laminex green slate finish shows Tam's effective use of colour.
“The positioning of the upstairs wall adheres to council rear boundary offset requirements but, without that wall being sloped, there wouldn’t be space to position the internal staircase in the spot where we have it and the whole kitchen layout would be different,” Tam explains.
“So it was a clever architectural design decision made out of necessity rather than aesthetics.”
Another two big ticks for brother-in-law – not hockey-mask-wearing antagonist – Jason.
The more you explore Tam and Jamie’s home, the more you realise this isn't just a home for a family, but one made by family.
On top of all the work the couple put in, there are quilts made by Tam's mum, blankets crocheted by one of her sisters and ceramics and the kitchen pendant light produced by the other.
“It means everything,” she says.
“This home brought me Jamie and Matilda and it has been designed by family and has been filled with other things that my family have made.
“It is a place that we love to spend time and somewhere that we plan to stay for a long time yet. I love how happy Jamie looks when he comes home from two weeks working away. The house still has the same good feel to it that it did when I first bought it.”
Not everyone was happy, though.
The unique shape of the upstairs addition, which was lined with Revspan cladding, was designed to fit with the space provided by the block and council restrictions.
But not everyone loves the way it looks.
“Apparently one of the neighbours complained to council about ‘the shipping container house’,” Tam laughs.
“I was offended for about half a second and then thought that was an awesome description given the location and the fact we live in an old fisherman’s cottage.”
Jason might come for that neighbour.
Words: Jordan Pinto
Editorial styling/curation: Ashleigh Pinto
Photography: Shannon Wark for Place Journal
TAM AND JAMIE'S PLACE
Built: 1880s
Land: 400 m²
Bed: 3
Bath: 2
Architect: Habitat Collective
Interior Design: Tam and Jamie
WHAT THEIR PLACE TAUGHT THEM
Take your time.
Don’t rush decisions or selections. Taking time allowed us to choose trades and finishes prior to the build beginning. So barely anything had to be rushed or chosen on the fly. Taking time to make considered choices early is more likely to alleviate stress during the build.
Pick the right people.
Finding trades who you like and respect and who are willing to communicate with you makes for a more enjoyable process. It’s OK to pick a builder but to also choose some of your own trades.
Scroll through to see what their place looked like before