A second storey and panoramic ocean views have turned a modest family home into an ideal residence.

When the Old Dart’s wintry skies and pebble beaches are but a distant memory, what does an emigrating Pommy family aspire to Down Under?

For many heading to Perth, it’s sun, sand and surf and a prized view of WA’s enviable coastline.

Such was the motivation behind the ambitious renovation that transformed this unassuming Joondalup family home into an entertainers’ delight with an elevated 180-degree coastal panorama.

“Part of our brief was to create a grand entrance with an impressive two-storey void” said Brain Stanley, Summit Home Improvements sales and marketing manager.

This was achieved with minimal disruption to the ground floor by converting an existing study into a handsome timber stairwell, and replacing the modest entry with one far more visually challenging.

The 20-year-old brick-and-tile home’s front elevation was bland, but the renovation changed it into a genuine head-turner by dramatically cutting across the roof plane and introducing a commanding tower-like element.

Skilful use of materials has resulted in a virtually imperceptible blending of the timber-framed upper storey with the masonry below it.

The addition allowed the owners to relocate their main suite upstairs, retaining five other bedrooms downstairs.

A new tiled balcony, well protected from the weather by glass walls and metal balustrading, has openings both from the main bedroom and the parents’ retreat.

All three areas enjoy a sweeping vista to the distant Indian Ocean.

“We plan to stay in this house for a long time, so the views have made a big difference,” one of the owners said.

Furnished in the manner of a home theatre, and boosted stylistically with a coffered ceiling, the retreat admits northerly light through a matching trio of small square windows, sufficiently raised as to obscure the street view.

A bar and a powder room attached to the ensuite ensure that this centrepiece of the renovation will be a focal point for entertaining.

The addition has allowed the family to maintain generational lifestyles, as the original family zones at ground level are now largely given over to teenage activities.