Old meets new at Oliphant home in Barton

The meticulous attention to detail, excellent proportions and solid construction have allowed Canberra’s Oliphant homes to stand the test of time.

For architect Rodney Moss and his wife Christina, it was one of Oliphant’s early designs – a 1930s heritage-listed property in Barton – that offered an ideal starting point for their family home.

Designed in 1988, Rodney’s award-winning contemporary extension is concealed behind the original cottage facade. While the front rooms remain in their original condition, light-filled open-plan living extends out the back and onto the alfresco deck and swimming pool.

The home’s high-pitched roof – another hallmark of Oliphant’s work – gives Rodney his studio space.

They are the home’s third owners. Its first owner was Alf Stafford, the personal driver for a long line of prime ministers from Menzies through to Whitlam.

Alongside the beautiful design, the Mosses love the history of Canberra’s early homes and their links to the city’s foundation.

“We hanker for something that’s rooted in the past,” Rodney says.