On a corner site, the circa 1910 home has a mix of villa and bungalow elements. It has a high stud and plenty of light via sash windows and French doors.
A high hedge provides privacy from the street, and entry is via a wide hallway complete with board-and-batten ceiling and chandelier hanging from a ceiling rose.
On the left side of the hallway, the main bathroom -- tiled with glass shower -- sits among three bedrooms, two of them occupied by children Morgan and Gabby. All the bedrooms have built-in cupboards and storage. The third bedroom is used as a playroom for the kids and has a cosy window seat that overlooks the terraced backyard.
On the other side of the hallway the living areas flow from formal lounge to dining area to kitchen, which opens to a wraparound veranda and patio.
Coffered ceilings feature in the large lounge, which has panelled walls and picture rails among its character features. Carpet in the lounge gives way to wooden floors in the dining space and adjoining galley kitchen, which has copious storage plus stainless steel benches that provide plenty of workspace when entertaining. Fiona says the easy flow from the kitchen to the paved patio is great for outdoor dining.
With hedging out the front and the backdrop of a veranda adorned with grapes, the patio is an intimate space, which Fiona has set up with an outdoor lounge suite, dining table and chiminea for when things get chilly.
She says, "This becomes an extra room and it is great for when we have people over because they can spread out."
Downstairs, the master bedroom is away from the hustle and bustle of the living spaces, and that's the way Fiona likes it.
"The kids are at an age where they can do their own thing so I often chill out down here with a magazine and look out to the garden; it's quite relaxing."
French doors open the room out to the private back garden, which Fiona says has plenty of room for a swimming pool, and an internal access garage could be added to the house at the end of the drive if new owners wanted to develop the property further.
A large en suite with bath and walk-in shower sits behind the master bedroom. Also on this level are a separate laundry, which has been fitted out to cope with the demands of a family, and an office with its own entrance off the driveway.
Although Fiona is looking to downsize, she plans to stay in the area because of its central location, good schooling, and dining and shopping options.
Fiona says, "It's a neat location here; on Sunday morning the kids get on their scooters and we go up the road for brunch."
