This classic Federation-era farmhouse had suffered from the usual ad-hoc additions and the clients wanted to rework the spaces to make it function better for modern life, as well as fit with their sharp sense of design whilst enhancing the traditional character. The main living space was expanded, with large east-facing windows to catch the morning sun, a massive fireplace of local stone, and a stunning marble-topped island in the open kitchen. Off to the side through a glazed screen is a generous back-kitchen, the essential ingredient where serious cooking is done. An office, laundry and bathroom open from a new back hall with an access path direct from the garage. The post-war laundry block was craned into a new location in the garden for guest accommodation. To complete the transformation we added a new formal entry, located where the alignments of the original hall and the modern pergola intersect, overcoming the archetypal problem that no one ever used the old front door.