The Stallion Box Subiaco

Wadjuk Noongar,
Subiaco,
WA
This home will be open for in-person tours on the 17th May 2026

About this home

Australia’s Most Iconic Outhouse Conversion. Architect designed 110-year-old heritage outhouse conversion at the rear of historic Fairview estate.

Unique light filled spaces and breathtaking luxury. Indoor and outdoor showers, crystal chandeliers, exposed brick, recycled jarrah barn doors, underfloor heating and antique lead lights make this a truly special tiny house heritage conversion. Polished warehouse finish concrete floors, an antique teak jali window, custom-designed furniture and steel beams make this space both unique and memorable.

Design by Shenton Park architect, Sam Teoh into a multipurpose space in 2019 and restored with a heritage grant from the City of Subiaco because of its rarity. Three buildings, the original laundry, woodstore and toilet were repurposed using recycled materials, including recycled bricks, jarrah and stained glass.

Built in 1915 for Scottish Ice Engineer John Kennedy from the Perth Ice Works, Fairview is a particularly fine example of the architectural style typical of historic Subiaco and the late Gold Boom period. Its heritage significance reflects the development and settlement of a wealthy suburb. Located on a prominent elevated corner block at the top of the hill, the Queen Anne Federation home is listed as a place of cultural heritage significance by the National Trust. In September 1923, lawyer and West Australian Hunt Club President John Peter “Roaring Jack” Durack, from the famous Kimberley pastoral family who lived at Strathmore on nearby Chester Street, purchased a magnificent black stallion named Midnight. Too embarrassed to bring the stallion back to Strathmore and tell his wife Pleasance, one dark moonless spring evening he brought the horse down the back laneway and hid it in the utilitarian outhouses of Fairview which had enough space for a frisky stallion and backed onto the rear laneway. He chose Fairview because of its proximity, downhill walk and relationship with Fairview’s first owner John Kennedy.

Story of Repurposed historic 115-year-old kitchen tiles: https://youtu.be/d-7hPR4bLUw

Story of historic repurposed bricks: https://youtu.be/DM8tAWvYAFs

The story of Midnight and The Stallion Box Subiaco: https://youtu.be/DOVxFGjVyVM

The story of the restoration of The Stallion Box Subiaco with the use of local heritage grants:  https://youtu.be/4MI6T2RFpL0

Q & A

What motivated you to build or retrofit sustainably?
Passionate about good design, repurposing of materials, saving old buildings, tiny house living and anything with a good patina
Getting a heritage grant from the City of Subiaco to save the three old buildings which were in a poor state of disrepair. Engaging a good architect who understood the brief. Hunting down and saving repurposed materials. Understanding how the multipurpose space could be used. Engaging a good landscape designer. Having a clear vision.
That the 110 year old sewage pipes needed replacing.
To restore an old Whaling Station ruin in Bremer Bay, WA.
Back to 2026 Homes
Type: Tiny home
Project: Renovation or extension
Architect: Sam Teoh
Builder: Hepworth Constructions
Size: 35m²
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2

Sustainability Features

Building Materials & Envelope

Draught-proofing/air sealing
High-performance insulation
Sustainable or low-impact materials
Recycled or reused materials

Heating, Cooling and Ventilation

Passive heating/cooling (north-facing glazing, cross ventilation, thermal mass, shading, etc.)

Energy and Appliances

Efficient lighting (LED, daylighting, solar skylights)
Other energy-efficient appliances

Water & Waste Systems

Water-efficient fixtures

Landscape & Biodiversity

Permaculture garden
Edible garden
Wildlife-supporting habitat

Climate Resilience

Bushfire
Cyclone/storm
Heatwave

Accessible & Flexible Design Features

Design for flexible use
Design for multigenerational living or dual occupancy
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