Thouse in the suburbs it had been a little unloved and there was no
garden to speak of. It was, however, a solidly built house of brick under a corrugated iron roof with three bedrooms, one bathroom with a separate loo and a narrow verandah on two sides. The new owners had the foresight to see the potential – which many might have missed – to fashion what is now the ideal home for their needs. They bought the house in 1983 for the princely sum of just over $47,000 but their investment of time, vision and, of course, money, has allowed the owners to create a jewel of a home that
caters perfectly to their requirements and their lifestyle.
The house was probably built in around the 1930’s, most likely one of the original farm houses in the area. The house is set on an acre of land and there were some other outbuildings included – a separate, selfcontained
cottage and domestic quarters. (Workshops and other outbuildings were added over the years – including a greenhouse for organic vegetables for the table.)
The house was originally a family home for the owners and their two children, however since the children have spread their wings one bedroom remains as a guest room a cottage – now extensively renovated – serves as the perfect accommodation for when their children return home for a holiday or there
are other visitors. The house is now the ideal, manageable size for the couple.
The owner travel a lot so they’ve installed two very good property totally secure whether they’re at home or away. It’s the perfect ‘lock up and
go’ solution.
The whole property can function totally off grid with solar systems set up for the house, the cottage and the domestic quarters, for power and hot water. There’s even a solar system to heat the swimming pool! The owners originally started setting up the solar systems around 15 years ago, long before solar became mainstream, and they’ve continued to upgrade over time. The system can now run just about everything including the borehole, the workshop
machinery, and even appliances, like the dishwasher and the washing machine, as well as the internal cooling and heating arrangement. There is however a large generator as back up for when there are a number of cloudy days in a row, and there’s the option to switch back to the ZESA supply in emergencies.
They have even used a special lead free paint on up to make sure that their harvested water is clean and pure. The borehole gives them the opportunity to maintain a manicured, lush garden all year round. They have installed an
underground irrigation system so there’s no water wastage. They’ve chosen an organic approach to the whole garden, including their vegetables and herbs, avoiding the use of any rely on their compost heap and a dilution of
manure from their resident chickens, to keep the garden healthy and thriving.
As a result of their eco-friendly approach they enjoy an abundance of bird life, as well as fruit bats (and other indigenous wildlife) in their little patch of heaven.
The cottage was renovated and updated by knocking out walls to open up the kitchen and living space. An interesting feature is the big slabs of teak timber used as lintels. The a very comfortable bathroom and bedroom.
In fact, it’s so well set up that the owners camped out there for a while during some renovations on the main house.
The swimming pool was added about 30 years and is really an integral part of the home now. The pool has recently been resealed with a product called Poolcrete in the pool (and the mosaic bench outside the cottage) were created by Ingrid Tucker.
The pool was designed to be as close to the main house as possible, unlike other pool additions where the pool is often far away from the main entertainment area. Its right outside the master bedroom, separated
only by a generous verandah, so the owners get maximum enjoyment of the facility and the patio is ideal for al fresco dining and entertaining. On warm summer evenings or early mornings the pool’s literally just a few steps away.
Well-known landscape designer Graham Williams designed and built the
unique wavy wall that separates the pool from the driveway and garden and adds a kind of quirky charm.
At the front of the house the old narrow verandah, that ran across the
front and down the west side, was adapted and redesigned. The front
verandah is much deeper now, forming a second outdoor lounging
space and also a kind of welcoming portico beyond the front door.
Its roof is supported by solid Cypress columns (not laminated) the
same as the verandah on the pool side. (The Cypress columns were
supplied by Justin Rorke.) On the west side the verandah has been
separated and enclosed and now functions as the dining room,
complete with a new floor, new ceiling, new window frames and
bespoke furniture. The floor here is Cypress tongue and groove on
top of the old red oxide cement floor, and the ceiling is now neat
that used to open out to the old verandah have now become open
archways successfully incorporating the dining room into the living
space. A cabinet, designed by the owners and built by Adam Seager.
In the lounge the coffee table and side tables were designed by the
owner and made up by the late Tony Stephens, who also made the
from the old Noel Wesson’s, so each piece has bit of history.
The external footprint of the original house has not changed much, apart from the addition of the verandahs, and the internal layout, besides the kitchen, is largely still the same. But the kitchen has been radically re-imagined and a new room fashioned from the old tiny kitchen, the pantry and a passageway all combined to create a stylish and functional working space. Cabinets,
made to order by Romeo Kitchens, provide ample storage and granite counter tops from Home Improvements make for an elegant, uncluttered feel. There’s a centre island with wooden bar stools for informal meals or for a
sociable spot for guests to sit and chat while the cooking is going on.
A lot of the ceilings in the house have been replaced with modern plaster board and most of the floors have been replaced, apart from the original parquet in the home the front door have Cyprus strip floors while
the lounge has modern ceramic wood look tiles. But the owners have maintained some of the old fashioned farmhouse charm by stripping off layers of paint from the old Oregon pine doors and frames and in some
places replacing the door panels with hand blown, slightly imperfect, glass panels.
Throughout the home personal family photos, original artworks and beautiful objet add interest and character. The owner is keen restorer of vintage cars
and also an avid all round handyman so he’s built himself a large workshop to cater for his many hobbies. The workshop is meticulously ordered and very comfortable.
He also has all the machinery and equipment necessary to while away the
hours indulging in his various pastimes. It’s a little home away from home that reflects the owner’s personality well.
Careful attention to detail and good vision has helped to polish what was a slightly rough-hewn house into a polished gem that precisely accommodates the owners’ needs and lifestyle.
The owner is keen restorer of vintage cars and also an avid all round handyman so he’s built himself a large workshop to cater for his many hobbies. The workshop is meticulously ordered and very comfortable.
He also has all the machinery and equipment necessary to while away the
hours indulging in his various pastimes. It’s a little home away from home that reflects the owner’s personality well.
Careful attention to detail and good vision has helped to polish what was a slightly rough-hewn house into a polished gem that precisely accommodates the owners’ needs and lifestyle.
text: Michael Nott
photos: Structure & Design and the owners
