If you are looking to create that stunning first impression when you come off the street into your terrace then look no further than structural wall removal for money well spent.
Built in the Victorian era, most Australian terrace houses were traditionally workers cottages where the principal functions of the divided ground floor was 1) To create the option of more private bedrooms and 2) As a replication of those built in England (where the climate was much colder) to shut out the cold when the fire place was in operation. This made dark and gloomy rooms a compromised side effect of the original design.
Before structural wall removal this terrace house was dark and gloomy and quite typical of a bygone era
The kitchen, which is one of the main features of the common area on the ground floor, was hidden away from both the living and dinning room and the cook was excluded from any social interaction when entertaining.
After structural wall removal the same kitchen receives light from the front door and windows and is easily accessed from the living and dining areas and now becomes that interesting showpiece worth venturing to as the keeper of the house is entertaining.
Consider here that all important first impression from the front door.
Before structural wall removal the single skin wall at the front door blocked the view of the Victorian fireplaces and made the place look dark and narrow.
In this particular wall removal job the entire floor was also re-worked. Running the floor joists from front to back allowed the new polished brush box floor boards to run along the width of the terrace making it appear even wider as the directional lines draw the eye from left to right. As a result, the front room feels much larger as does the entire common area. The short nib at the front door is retained for privacy.
The existing decorative cornice and ceiling roses remain intact and the new opening height is the same as the existing opening height to form a complementary relationship.
The front threshold was also replaced with white bullnosed Calacatta Oro marble and laid in to be perfectly flush with the new brush box flooring.