Compact Living · Mt Lawley, Perth WA
Chertsey
House
Project Overview
Compact living,
generously designed.
Chertsey House challenges the assumption that a small block means a compromised life. On just 150m² in Mt Lawley, Studio Origami converted an existing garage into a complete 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom family home — light-filled, adaptable and deeply liveable.
The project redefines what compact living can be — not a series of compromises, but a carefully crafted spatial experience where every square metre is purposeful, every room connected to light and air, and every space flexible enough to evolve with how the family lives.
Concept
Small footprint, generous living — transforming a former garage into a complete family home that challenges every assumption about compact urban living in Perth.
Every square metre
purposefully designed.
The spatial arrangement separates private and social zones across levels — allowing the home to evolve with the rhythm of everyday life. Living, dining and kitchen occupy the ground floor, opening toward outdoor space, while bedrooms sit privately above. The vertical organisation makes the home feel larger than its footprint suggests.
Natural light is the central design tool — generous glazing, carefully positioned to maximise solar access while maintaining privacy from the laneway. The interiors feel open and bright throughout the day, with a material palette of warm timbers and clean whites reinforcing the sense of space.
A small block is not a limitation — it's an invitation to design with greater intention.
The home demonstrates that compact living in inner-city Perth doesn't require sacrifice. With thoughtful spatial planning, adaptable rooms and a strong connection to outdoor space, Chertsey House offers a genuinely complete family living experience on one of Perth's smallest residential footprints.
Design features
built into every detail
Garage Conversion
An existing garage transformed into a complete 3-bedroom family home — reducing construction waste, embodied carbon and cost while maximising the potential of the existing structure.
150m² Block Efficiency
Every square metre purposefully considered — a spatial plan that delivers a full family home on one of Perth's most compact residential footprints without compromise on quality or liveability.
Split-Level Zoning
Private and social zones separated across levels — bedrooms above, living below — creating a natural rhythm between gathering and retreat that makes the home feel larger than it is.
Natural Light Focus
Generous glazing carefully positioned to maximise solar access and natural light throughout the day — making compact spaces feel open, bright and connected to the outside.
Adaptable Spaces
Open, flexible environments designed to evolve with how the family lives — rooms that can serve multiple purposes as needs change over time.
Warm Material Palette
Timber linings, clean whites and considered finishes — a restrained material palette that reinforces the sense of space and creates a calm, quality interior environment.
Karrinyup · Perth · Western Australia
Certified Passive House design in Karrinyup, Perth WA
The Hillview House is one of the first certified Passive Houses in Karrinyup, Perth — demonstrating that world-leading energy efficiency and beautiful residential design are not competing values but inseparable ones. Designed specifically for Perth's warm temperate climate, the home achieves up to 90% lower energy use than a standard Perth home.
Certified Passive House construction requires an airtight building envelope, continuous insulation, thermal bridge-free detailing, high-performance glazing and mechanical heat recovery ventilation — all working together to deliver year-round indoor comfort without reliance on ducted air conditioning.
Studio Origami designs certified Passive House homes across Perth and Western Australia — including Karrinyup, Scarborough, Floreat, City Beach, Cottesloe, Subiaco, Nedlands, Claremont and the Perth Hills. Book a strategy session to explore what's possible on your site.
Mt Lawley · Perth · Western Australia
Compact home design on small blocks in inner-city Perth
Chertsey House demonstrates what's possible when compact urban living is approached with genuine design intelligence. On a 150m² block in Mt Lawley, the brief was to convert an existing garage structure into a complete 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom family home — light-filled, adaptable and built to last.
As Perth's inner suburbs densify, small block homes and laneway houses are becoming increasingly relevant. Studio Origami brings the same design rigour and performance focus to compact projects as to larger Passive House builds — because good design is not a function of size.
Studio Origami designs compact homes, garage conversions and small block dwellings across inner Perth — including Mt Lawley, Highgate, Northbridge, Inglewood, Maylands, Bayswater, Victoria Park and East Perth. Book a strategy session to explore what's possible on your block.
Inspired by
Chertsey House?
Book a 90-minute Passive Home Strategy Session with Izabela — walk away with expert guidance and a personalised Project Clarity Document.
Follow the journey
See our work
in progress
Projects, details, materials and ideas — follow Studio Origami on Instagram for an inside look at Passive House and healthy home design in Perth, WA.
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