Fin - Land

Last year MR and I looked through this potential packed property at 37 Finlayson Street, Rosanna. I love the Golflinks/Elliston Estate and while this home is probably not one of the original Merchant Builder homes, I thought it had a lot going for it. Unfortunately I couldn't get MR over the line, despite my rough and ready rendering of how I would renovate the living spaces (it did need a lot of work). And so our search for the perfect Mid-Century home continues....

Soaring Roof Lines

Timber lined cathedral ceilings inside

'Before' RBID hypothetical 'make-over'

My rough photoshop rendering - AFTER RBID hypothetical 'make-over' (New floor tiles, replace joinery doors in kitchen, new paint colour scheme throughout and new mid-century style pendant light fittings)

All images courtesy Miles Real Estate

Need A Von Nida

Recently sold in the Rosanna Elliston or Golflinks Estate is this great home at 14 Von Nida Crescent, Rosanna. I got talking to one of the neighbours at an inspection and I believe the home was built for a staff member at Merchant Builders around 1972. The architects may have been McGlashan Everist.

Von Nida Crescent Elevation

Amazing hardwood timber ceilings throughout

Lovely North facing Deck - All Images courtesy Fletchers 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.

 

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.

Cremlin Crush

I must admit I have a crush on 3 Cremlin Court Rosanna. I have a crush on the whole Merchant Builders Elliston Estate really. 

"The Elliston Estate is representative of the prevailing town planning and the architectural ideals of the late 1960s which aimed to integrate the private or personal living environment into a broader community context. This has been effectively achieved at Elliston where the estate layout, creekside public open space, Australian native landscape and the reticulation of services have been combined to create a visually harmonious communal environment."

(Images courtesy Miles Real Estate)

Now I think the less said about the updated interior the better at this point but the house is sited beautifully in the bush garden, taking full advantage of the Northern aspect in the living spaces. It also boasts solar electricity and a rainwater tank making it a very sustainable package.