Narrow houses seem to crop up all over the place these days, but generally they are found in dense urban environments—like Tokyo and Vietnam—or in cities like New York and London. That is not the case for this skinny, two-story dwelling—dubbed the A&M House and designed by local firm Marston Architects—in Australia, which lies just north of Sydney in the town of Fairlight.
To conserve space, the designers did away with all semblance of traditional doors and dividers inside the house, deploying instead a series of interior sliding glass doors, curtains, and more to partition spaces and allow for flexibility and an open, airy vibe.
In the ensuite master bedroom, for example, the bedroom and bathroom are simply separated by a curtain. Circulation through the house and from floor to floor takes up very little square footage; a stairwell and hall are relegated to one side of the house.
When it comes to creating light-filled, seemingly expansive, it helps that the house maximizes daylight with strategically placed skylights throughout and finishes like white-stuccoed walls, limestone floors, oak seating, and slatted wall paneling (also oak). It may seem a bit cliché, but a bright, neutral color palette can in fact go a long way in creating a sense of openness.