50's/60's residential house design  

Would love to
help -- you'll find others with the same problem, at the link below -- look for the message board.
Perhaps others here can help ? Do you have photos of your house that you can direct us to?
SDR
http://www.lottaliving.com

Another
resource:
http://www.designcommunity.com

If you
retained an architect, I would think he or she would strive to make a seamless extension, by copying exactly the materials and details of the present structure. Certain roof shapes do not lend themselves easily to addition, in which case a clear break is indicated -- but there is always a way to make the new match the old, which is something a responsible designer can do, leaving his ego at the door, if necessary ! Then, it is a matter of seeing that the client's needs are met, and the technical and legal requirements are properly addressed.

Thank-you SDR...I now have a starting point!!!
I looked at that "Lotta living" site...WOW, it has been very inspirational. The only drawback being that most of the houses pictured are American & everytime I show hubbie something I like, he says it looks like "the Brady bunch" residence! I'll have to work on him. I live in an area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia that was once a holiday destination in the early to mid century, hence alot of homes in our area are small, cheaply made, fibro constuction etc.,so I'm now looking at using "Hebel" as an outside material & possibly putting in a chimney & fireplace to suit the era. I will take photos & post them soon once my batteries to my camera are recharged. Cheers, Michelle x

Would love to
see what you have. While it seems extraordinarily difficult to post pictures directly to this forum (someone accomplished it once, I believe -- unfortunate for a design site, some might say !) you can link us to a photo album of your own, perhaps. . .
Am not familiar with the term "fibro" -- or the siding material you mentioned. Dratted international disconnect ! We are here to learn !
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sdrdesign/album?.dir=a57f&.src=ph&store=&p...

"Hebel" is a relatively new construction material...
which is aerated concrete, and is apparently light as a feather! & easy to work with. It can be used for all types of applications, panels, columns, retaining walls etc. You then render or bag it & then paint. (pop "Hebel" in your google or similar search engine & that will bring up websites with info on it. Product info etc.)
Fibro or fibro cement sheeting is a "Hardie" product, but fortunately we don't have the dangerous asbestos one that everyone is suing "Hardies" for. We did though have the asbestos roofing & had to have it professionally removed with people in space suits, have it wrapped in plastic & buried somewhere. We now have colourbond (painted tin) roofing.
I'm still working on the photos, I'm not that great when it comes to computer technology, still in the process of becoming a convert!
WATCH THIS SPACE!, cheers, Michelle x
http://www.csr.com.au