I want this house....

I want this house at 51 Seymour Road, Viewbank.... I want it bad!

Designed by Darlinghurst based Interior Designer Don McQualter - Retail designer for Scanlon & Theodore, Zimmerman & Mambo - it oozes a style and sophistication that belies its Viewbank address. Although I must admit I do love this pocket of the suburb having only discovered it late last year when I inspected the 'Seymour Spectacular'.

It's not exactly 'mid-century' but its design certainly employs the principles initiated by Modernism in the 50's & 60's. Alas, it is probably too grown up for me anyway. It is certainly too grown up for my bank balance ;)

Perfect kitchen!

Love the lowline fireplace, dark windows and orange rug!

Holiday feeling...

N  E  1  4  10  S?  All images courtesy Jellis Craig Ivanhoe

Banks Road Beach House

Love the Vertical Cladding & Skillion Roof

Okay so its a looong way from the beach, but 27 Banks Road Eltham North is exactly the sort of beach house I fantasize about every Summer! It's the 50's style, vertical board cladding and crazy slate floors... Strip off the twee fretwork and brass light fittings and you've got yourself a mid-century beauty.

Oh the Crazy Slate flooring - Love IT!

Don't Fret - All images courtesy Morrison Kleeman Real Estate

Devlin the Detail

MR went to check out another pocket sized home at 9 Devlin Court, Rosanna last week.
Located in the Golf Links Estate, it has the Merchant Builder stamp all over it.

Oh I do love a dark exterior paint colour to contrast with brickwork!

Timber Ceiling - tick.  Fireplace - tick.

Images courtesy Miles Real Estate

 

Mini Finlayson

A couple of weeks back, MR and I checked out 17 Finlayson Street, Rosanna. Awesome location - in the Elliston Estate right near the Golf Links/doggie park. We were super keen as a potential house for ourselves but when we inspected the house, as we feared, the South facing backyard meant that even on a sunny day the interior is shaded and cold. Coupled with teeny tiny secondary bedrooms, compact living areas and Finlayson being a semi-busy road we decided to stay put for now. But it certainly does have stacks of potential and I think if MR and I had an opportunity on this place for our first home, we would have tried to buy it at all costs!

Unassuming entrance off Ferrier Court. Gorgeous bricks but just two slot windows to Northern side - baffling!

Teeny tiny meals area and generous kitchen.

Master bedroom & living spaces...

South facing courtyard garden - All images courtesy Miles Real Estate.

 

Spring Meadow

Remember the story about the ugly ducking who grew into a beautiful swan? Well I certainly think this property at 3 Meadow Court, Viewbank is an ugly duckling.... but with a little vision and a lot of elbow grease it could have a swansong!

Think painted brickwork (not rendered!!), a few repairs, a smack-up-to-date colour scheme and some native planting and landscaping - and new window coverings internally.

Linea Studio UK Corkellis House - Source of external inspiration for Meadow Court

Great spacious original kitchen!

Funky original wallpaper! All images courtesy Rendina Real Estate

Wacky Bachli

Its been a while since my last post but Spring has kept me busy checking out lots of cool mid-century homes in Banyule. 

MR and i took a stroll through the Golf Links park over the sunny weekend and stopped off at the inspection for 6-8 Bachli Court, Rosanna.

All current images courtesy Hocking Stuart Ivanhoe

We had often wondered what the house's story was. Although parts of the home seemed in keeping with the merchant style of the golf links estate, others seemed out of step, almost castle-like with angles and forms that aren't familiar to mid-century architecture. After an opportunity to walk through the house and a review of the floorplan, it was clear that the rear section with upper floor had been added at a later time. Although the materials used in the addition were sympathetic, the reworked ground floor had a disorienting layout of rooms. 

Floor Plan Hocking Stuart

After a little research online, I managed to find that the original house (House 'A') was designed by feted architect Charles Duncan and built in 1968-69. The open fire in the living room is entirely reminiscent of the one at 27-35 Seymour Drive, Viewbank so I should have twigged! There are even some photographs taken by Peter Willie in the State Library Archives showing what the original house looked like. Below I have paired the State Library photos with the current sale campaign photos. As you can see, some fairly substantial additions and changes have been made over the years but in line with the materials and character of the original design.

Original entry - Single level dwelling with garage set back from entrance. Dark exterior colour scheme.

Current entry - Upper floor added, garage brought forward.

Original Living - Trademark Charles Duncan fireplace. Beams painted dark.

Current Living - Mantle added to fireplace(?) Beams painted light. Brick planter box to LHS fireplace has been removed.

Original Living - Brick dividing wall between living room and kitchen.

Original kitchen - Small basic original kitchen space.

Current Entry/Dining Area - Probably original kitchen area where current entrance table is. Brick dividing wall between living room and original kitchen has been removed.

Original Rear of Home - Single level dwelling only

Current Side of Home - Taken from an adjacent angle but it shows how the home has dramatically changed form over the years.

Current Family Room/Kitchen - Wacky angles but sympathetic material palette to original parts of the home.

Current Ensuite - Strange 'Speedboat Bath' in very open plan ensuite! - Sympathetic material palette.