After years of dreaming about making a sea change out of Melbourne, inside designer Tara Kennedy discovered a vacant block close to Torquay that ticked all of the bins.
‘I referred to as the agent — he instructed me it had simply offered,’ Tara says.
‘The very subsequent day, Stage 4 lockdown hit and the agent rang again to say the consumers had pulled out. We jumped on it. First impressions? It felt like we have been out within the nation, however solely 4 minutes from the seaside — better of each worlds.’
Tara and her husband Mick seized the chance to construct their dream household residence the place day by day might really feel like a vacation, taking notes from the basic, white-rendered buildings of the Greek islands and the vibe of relaxed resorts.
‘One of many huge causes I leaned into that vacation really feel is as a result of I had an actual concern of flying — so I by no means imagined I’d get the prospect to go to these sorts of locations,’ she provides.
‘As an alternative, I introduced the vacation to us. Each element was chosen with that in thoughts.’
The principle dwelling and kitchen space kinds the guts of the house, that includes hovering six-metre pitched ceilings and oak herringbone flooring, related to an expansive Palm Springs-inspired alfresco zone constructed round a crazy-paved hearth fireside.
It’s a real entertainer’s dream the place lengthy lunches can simply flip into sundown soirees, with views throughout the pool and spa.
Handmade finishes improve the luxurious ambiance inside, with limestone, travertine, and handmade Moroccan tiles peppered all through. The ground plan was created with household dwelling in thoughts, providing privateness for the mother and father’ retreat, a second rumpus room, and a self-contained studio dubbed the ‘barn’, full with a house workplace, kitchenette and a bed room for visitors.
‘What I really like most about the home is how a lot pure mild we get via all of the outsized home windows — it makes the entire place really feel shiny and open,’ Tara says.
The five-bedroom home is now available on the market for the primary time, and the house owners say they’ll miss 13 Leicester Avenue‘s serene gardens, calming location and family-friendly neighbourhood.
‘And the views… Waking up every morning to see the pool and gardens proper outdoors the window has been such a dream.’
13 Leicester Avenue, Torquay VIC 3228 is for personal sale with Suzy Jones and Lynne Hayden from Hyperlinks Property.
