SCHOOL ZONES:
Drury School, Rosehill College, ACG Strathallan.
CONTACT:
Scott McElhinney, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 027 210 8887.
A place their children would always want to come home to ... that and privacy were uppermost in Mark and Debi Rush's minds when they chose this lifestyle block to build their dream family home.
Although they desired a country lifestyle, they needed to be handy to the motorway as they run a business in the city. They found this 2ha block of flat land in Drury in 2007 and began building the year after; its design so impressive it would collect a silver medal in the Registered Master Builders 2010 House of the Year $1m-$2m build category.
The couple credit the design's success to their sister-in-law, Elizabeth Ellis, an American interior designer living in Australia. Her suggestions included the butler's pantry reached from both sides of the kitchen and the 3m gas-lift window server joining the kitchen to the al-fresco area, allowing a bench to stretch indoors to outdoors.
They also used the skills of Debi's brother, an Archicad designer and trainer for the 3D CAD architectural software. To formalise the plans, Mark and Debi hired Creative Arch Architects. Construction of the 509sq m seven-bedroom home, with aerated concrete panels and feature board and batten, was completed in May 2009.
"We wanted it to be underwhelming and unassuming from the road," explains Debi. "Even when you open the front door you don't get a glimpse of anything until you walk round the central island and get the wow factor."
The north-facing home's U-shaped centre is the indoor-outdoor entertaining area -- the 12m glass-fenced pool and kwila deck being the focus, connecting the home's three zones.
"Our kids are in the pool pretty much from October through to April," says Mark.
It's also here, in the open-plan living space with kitchen, dining, lounge, plus adjoining media room, that the family gather for meals and to watch TV and movies. On one side of this living space is the adult -- or parents' -- wing, with gym, master bedroom suite and private deck, outdoor fireplace and bath. On the other side is the children's wing, plus nanny's accommodation, of six bedrooms, three with en suites, plus rumpus room.
"The design gives us what we dreamed about in a house," says Mark. "It's modern and funky. The entertaining areas are important. We are quite social, a lot of friends and family come to the house. It has a lovely flow and it's private. We are at the end of a cul-de-sac so you don't have any traffic noise and we have no neighbours really close."
Debi adds, "Drury is a cute village and has everything ... and it's only two minutes away."
The children enjoy the swimming and riding lessons, jujitsu and soccer in Drury; and Debi says good cafes include Shed 16 and Blondies All Day, "and, of course, there's Drury's iconic pub, Murphy's Law". Karaka School is handy and there is a bus service to Strathallan.
Image 1 of 5: 290 Cossey Rd, Drury, belonging to Mark and Debi Rush
The family have relished their country lifestyle, landscaping the property so maintenance is minimal. Mark can whip around the lawns on the ride-on in an hour and Debi grows vegetables in the raised beds and greenhouse. A small orchard has plum, apple and pear trees. Four paddocks house the children's calves, which have rewarded them with regular competition wins at school calf days.
But now Mark and Debi are selling to expand their business. "We built this to be our final house but there are some opportunities with work that are too good to turn down," says Mark. "We will go along that route for a while; one day we will build our dream home again."
Time then for another family to live the country lifestyle ...making full use of this magnificent house and pool.
