Earlwood is affectionately known by many locals as a hidden gem. The suburb is located a mere 10 kilometres south-west of central Sydney and is bordered by several waterways that feed into Botany Bay, lending it an almost island-like quality. Earlwood stands apart from the high property prices and limited space of nearby hipster suburbs such as Dulwich Hill and Marrickville, and it also escapes the consistently onerous heritage and development controls demanded by many of the inner-city councils.
The owners of Shed House, a family of five comprising two furniture makers and their three children, initiated a conversation with Breakspear Architects after discovering and deeply admiring an earlier house 128), contains a rigorous band of rooms that internalizes a garden to create a hidden little oasis for its occupants. Inspired by this remarkable achievement, the owners sought to capture a similar essence in their own dwelling.
