Exeter House by Luke Moloney Architecture

Exeter House is a modest first home for a newly married couple, designed to achieve much with little on a tight budget. Set on a Southern Highlands block with southern views, the house is planned in sections: open to bushland views to the south, with high northern windows for sun and privacy.

The house follows the land’s contours, nestling in rather than fighting the slope. Three bedrooms, a study, and two bathrooms flank a central living volume. Documentation was kept light to save costs, with close collaboration between architect, engineer, and builder. The couple painted the house themselves; family pitched in, and economical choices shaped the build. Sustainability is embedded through careful siting, solar and battery capacity, rainwater harvesting, cross ventilation, double glazing, and a smaller-than-average footprint.

A small project, powered by collective faith in achieving a lot with less.