Small Block Home Design · Mt Lawley, PerthChertsey
House.

Project overview

Compact living,
generously designed.

Chertsey House challenges the idea that a small block means a compromised life. On just 150 m² in Mt Lawley, an existing garage was reimagined as a complete three-bedroom, two-bathroom home: light-filled, adaptable and genuinely liveable.

Rather than a series of compromises, the home is a carefully planned sequence of spaces where every square metre has a purpose, every room connects to light and air, and rooms can adapt as the household's needs change.

The design

Every square metre,
with a purpose.

Small footprint, generous living: a former garage turned into a complete home that rethinks what compact inner-city living in Perth can be.

Private and social zones are separated across levels, so the home can follow the rhythm of everyday life. Living, dining and kitchen sit on the ground floor and open to the outdoors, while the bedrooms sit privately above. This vertical arrangement makes the home feel larger than its footprint.

Natural light is the main design tool. Glazing is positioned to bring in sun and daylight while keeping privacy, and a palette of warm timbers and clean whites keeps the interiors bright and calm through the day.

"A small block isn't a limitation. It's an invitation to design with more intention."

Reusing the existing garage structure made the most of what was already on site. With careful planning, adaptable rooms and a strong link to outdoor space, Chertsey House shows that compact living in inner-city Perth doesn't have to mean sacrifice.

As Perth's inner suburbs densify, small block homes, garage conversions and laneway houses are becoming more relevant. They deserve the same design care and attention to comfort as any larger new build.