This property, built two years ago, has all the hallmarks of the generation of designers and builders who are defining the style of houses being built this decade. It is a style that shakes of the shackles of the past and moves on to the trim, compact living spaces that time-sparse families favour these days.
The pest is not forgotten, however. That reminder comes from one of the materials used prominently in this house – marble. And in this house, the marble that is used is the real McCoy.
The statuarietto marble (kitchen splachback) and bianco carrara (bathroom feature walls) are what geologists define as marble, which is limestone that has metamorphosed from pressure and heat within the Earth’s bowels. It is an old and highly valued building material.
The use of marble is a link not only to an architectural past but also to nature, as marble is a natural stone as opposed to new-age engineered stones.
You will first meet this architectural statement at the entry, which has travertine marble tiles stretching all the way to the lounge / dining zone that is in open plan with the kitchen. Above this entry is a void naturally lit by a huge picture window on the second-storey level.
Viewed from the road, this upstairs window (with fixed, timber louvres) takes up about half of the second-level frontage, giving the house a strong style statement.
The entry is the conduit to the downstairs living zone: study, bathroom and an open-plan dining / lounge that opens to a timber deck via a full wall of glass sliding doors. The kitchen, which is in open plan to the dining / lounge room, is delineated by a long (about three metres) island bench inset with twin sinks.
A walk-in pantry provides additional storage and working space in this kitchen, which has a 900 millimetre Bosch hob and 600 millimetre under-bench oven. In line with the sleek design, the cupboards and soft-close drawers have no handles to interrupt the contours.
The space in this living zone extends outdoors to a large timber deck with glass balustrades overlooking the playing fields of Trinity College. A second deck, on a lower-level terrace, houses the in-ground swimming pool, which has views of the green fields.
A flight of stairs, with glass balustrade, leads from the entry to the upstairs living zone, which has three bedrooms (including the main), the laundry, a lounge area and two bathrooms (including the en suite to the main bedroom).
This two-story house, built with a north-south orientation, has a five-star energy rating and shares a wall with its mirror-image twin next door. It is on a quiet street with family-friendly neighbours, the vendor says.
Schools nearby include Marcellin College, Heidelburg Primary, Templestowe Valley Primary and Yarraleen Preschool. Shops, including those in Macedon Square and Westfield Shoppingtown, are also nearby.
This is a neat, streamlined package with high-end finishes and chiseled good looks, close to trains as well as access to the Eastern Freeway.