A clever, artful and frugal extension has transformed a small State house into a light and airy home that evokes the spirit of a suburban encampment. An outdoor room serves as a generous transitional zone between the house and rear garden – indoor-outdoor flow is a phrase that actually means something here. The design and careful crafting, from recycled materials, of the extension has liberated the house and, presumably, its youngest occupants. If there are influences, they are well-chosen: mid-century New Zealand timber modernism and Japanese design.