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| Rooney House |
| Reg meets builder Tim Rooney and checks out the Popov house he's built. |
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Architect Alex Popov and builder Tim Rooney have collaborated on projects for over ten years, so when it was time for Tim's new house, Alex was an obvious choice as architect. With Alex's initial design and Tim's modifications along the way, they've created an unusual U-shaped home.
Owner and builder Tim Rooney bought a 3300sqm, palm-filled block in Avalon in 1995 and began rough designs immediately. The plans had to take into account the streetscape's heritage listing and therefore maintain the street's rural appearance. The plans took a year to complete, and council approval took another two years. The house was then built in stages, and modified along the way. They eventually moved into the completed home in September 2000.
Building the home in stages presented a more affordable option for Tim, Kirsty and their young family. And it was certainly worth the wait. When asked about his favourite aspects of the house, he responds enthusiastically 'Just living there! The pool, the whole thing – it's just nice to live in'. Tim wanted to live in a resort, he wanted to wake up with that feeling you have when you're on holidays. The aim was open, airy, minimalist spaces flowing into the backyard, courtyard and pool areas.
Tim describes the home as unique, inside and out. Timber steps the size of sleepers add a Japanese feel and lead up to a slatted gate in the wall. Once through the gate the visitor walks across a bridged water feature that leads to the solid wooden front door. Inside the entranceway, the visitor looks straight through a glass door into the courtyard intersected by the lap pool. It's a dramatic view that Tim particularly loves.
Another favourite feature is the sail across the entry courtyard. Tim says that 'as well as making it look special, the evaporation from the pool creates a cooling effect'. The sail covers the centre of the U at the entry, and draws the heat out through the courtyard. The sail is manually operated, and can be drawn or retracted.
The house is all on one level and open plan, yet each area has its own separate function. It's designed to change with the Rooneys' needs - the kids playroom can become another bedroom later on, and the home office can become a self-contained teenager's retreat. The left side of the house contains the master bedroom and ensuite, guest bedroom, music room and home office. The middle section has the formal lounge, entry, dining and kitchen areas. The right wing is the kids' space, with two bedrooms, playroom, bathroom, laundry and TV room.
The interior design is minimalist with neutral colours. The floors throughout the home are made of white limestone with off-white walls. The spaces are open with a minimum of clutter. Tim describes himself as 'a true minimalist. The main materials used in the home are brick, cedar, glass, concrete and steel. |
More Info
The house was built by Tim Rooney's construction company (new houses only):
The Construction Connection
PO Box 334 Avalon NSW 2107
Tel: 02 9973 2070
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