|
[ back ]
Meet the Cowleys
 If ever there were a couple who don't believe in letting the grass grow under their feet it must be the Cowleys. Amanda, a primary school teacher, and Andrew, owner/operator of a new advertising business, have bought two houses in the past couple of years. They have just finished renovating one which is now their residence and they are starting work on the other that will be turned into a B&B. Both houses, positioned side by side in inner Launceston, were considered a major headache to renovate by other potential buyers.
Built sometime in the 1920s Andrew estimates, their house was overnight accommodation for train drivers. Later it was to become the office of an engineering firm. And just before being bought by the Cowleys it was used as a squat.
 "The house was trashed. There were rotted boards, rotten carpets. Smashed windows boarded up. Glass everywhere, and the roof was falling in. There were burnt patches where people had lit campfires inside the house," said Andrew.
[ back to top ]
Clean living
 In the extended living area the Cowleys have opted for clean architectural lines, foregoing the larger skirting boards, cornice work and picture rails that give the rest of the home a cosy cottage atmosphere. Retaining the high ceilings found in the rest of the home, but with the addition of down lighting, the area lacks any clutter. The extension immediately gives the feeling of spaciousness but cleverly retains a homely warmth.
The space is designed so that the kitchen is the hub of the household. The rostered chef of the day can talk to their partner in the informal living area, but can also carry on a conversation with dinner party guests who are seated in the formal dining room within the original area of the home.
[ back to top ]
Climate control
With an easterly orientation, the room is exposed to strong sunlight early in the day. Andrew realised that during the summer, it would have been very warm in the morning, and conversely, winter evenings would have been rather chilly. Factor in twelve-foot-high ceilings and it was obvious that climate control was going to be a major issue in the new space.
To meet this challenge, they talked to Amanda's brother, Stuart Prewer from HM Bamford Heating, an Aurora Preferred Supplier. Because of the need to both heat and cool, the main source of climate control Stuart suggested was a heat pump. This is located in the main living area.
"I was a bit sceptical at first because of the high ceilings, but Stewie explained that it was all a matter of where you located it on the wall. He said it needed to go about head height. Now I don't want Stewie to hear that I'm praising him too much," smirked Andrew. "But it's worked really well. He also gave us a few tips on how to control the temperature better."
[ back to top ]
The comfort level of the heat
"It's difficult to explain. I've been a person who has lived most of my life with woodheaters. When you come in from the cold you rush straight to the fire to warm yourself up and when you're away from the fire you feel too cold. But now I don't even think about how warm it is when I get home. It's just the right temperature. I never think in terms of being hot or cold any more."
[ back to top ]
Economy
"I realised if we had a fire, we would have had three loads of wood. So when we thought about it we were probably quite a bit ahead."
Regardless of the heat pump's economy, because of their lifestyle Andrew and Amanda are attracted to its convenience: it's fast and efficient and there's no cleaning up. But the main reason that they like their heat pump is the constant temperature that it can maintain over both summer and winter.
[ back to top ]
|
