A late Victorian terrace in Sydney’s inner-city, just 60sqm/646sqft, has been transformed through natural materials and adaptive design. Originally reimagined by architect Adele McNab for her young family, the home continues to evolve – now a creative hub for current owners Mariam Ella Arcilla and Mason Kimber.
“The central island acts as a campfire, drawing us in, so we can all congregate and chat about our day.”
“A simple and consistent material palette can make the home appear larger than it is.”
“Revitalising an existing terrace offers important future urban living by repurposing structures, thereby reducing carbon footprint and waste.”
Some “befores” are more dramatic than others. “The house wasn’t fit for anyone, particularly a baby,” remembers architect Adele McNab. She was pregnant with her first son when renovations on the 60sqm/646sqft late Victorian worker’s terrace – a style of row housing – began. But the original plan to bring in more natural light and create a fluid layout throughout the 3-metre-wide home took an unexpected turn: “As we started the construction process we came to realise that the house was in a much worse state than we imagined. Asbestos was found and the ceiling and floors were falling through.”
What followed was a complete gutting of the interior and a reshaping of the home. The layout was reconfigured; the staircase, replaced; a central courtyard was added; and, last but not least, the rear laneway building was transformed into a flexible studio space. McNab named it Riley’s Terrace, after her son. But this was only the beginning of the home’s evolving story. Today, the home is called Magenta House and is being creatively reinterpreted in the hands of its new owners, Mariam Ella Arcilla and Mason Kimber. Yet, it was McNab’s thoughtful balance of openness, flexibility, and material simplicity that made the house always ready to evolve – and able to welcome the new life Arcilla and Kimber would come to add to it.
“The whole terrace was designed to be flexible, accommodating living and working from home along with our growing family,” McNab says. Located in Redfern, an inner-city suburb of Sydney known for its layered history and strong community, the terrace draws on the raw textures and colours of its surroundings. The kitchen, grounded by a curved island topped with Golden Spider stone – its shimmering veining breaking up the simplicity of the surrounding materials – became the family’s central gathering place.
McNab created the courtyard adjacent to the kitchen to anchor the entire layout, bringing light deep into the house and creating a sheltered outdoor space between the two buildings – complete with an outdoor shower. She imagined the laneway building as a multipurpose zone – a home office, guest studio, or additional living space as needed. Upstairs, McNab created a private retreat, with integrated storage and a tranquil bathroom.
So it was when Arcilla and Kimber came into the picture. The property now serves as both their home and an ever-evolving community space – a place for gathering, knowledge-sharing, and creative exchange. Arcilla and Kimber have reimagined the house’s adaptable layout in their own way: the former sitting room is now a library filled with books on art, design, and food cultures; the laneway studio has become a DJ booth and shop showcasing artisan publications and products; and the kitchen and courtyard remain welcoming hubs, where the couple hosts supper clubs, talks, and informal gatherings. Their twice-yearly event, the Bin Alley Biennale, extends this spirit beyond the house itself, filling the laneway with music, food, and community celebration. For McNab, seeing the house embraced so fully is deeply rewarding: “What I love most is that they’re not trying to keep it exactly how it was, they’ve just embraced it for what it is, and I couldn’t have thought of anyone better to have lived here.”
For McNab, the best compact homes are those that feel good to live in – day to day, and over time. “Clever planning, storage, and flexible spaces are key to working with small spaces,” she says. Letting in as much natural light as possible, keeping the material palette simple and cohesive, and building-in thoughtful storage all help a home feel calm and adaptable, according to McNab. Flexibility is especially important: when spaces can shift and change, they remain useful through different stages of life. It’s a principle this terrace continues to embody, as Arcilla and Kimber add new layers through how they live in it. The way they continue to shape the space – hosting gatherings, running workshops, and welcoming guests – is a natural extension of McNab’s original intent.
Curious to see how Mariam Ella Arcilla and Mason Kimber live day to day in Magenta House? Explore their How We Live Small feature here.
