While the front lawn, reigned over by a glorious oak tree, is immediately on display, you don't see much of the house because of the fenced front pool. Mary says; "People are often surprised when they come in because you don't actually see the depth and the character of the home until you come inside".
The house is weatherboard atop a plastered-over brick base with a slate staircase leading up to the side portico entrance. The portico has a couple of the clear glass leadlight windows Hooper favoured, larger versions of which feature throughout the home.
A corner bay window is a lovely feature in the front lounge, which also has bevelled glass doors. Previous owners had transformed the once wood-panelled room into a lighter space, with creamy marble-surround gas fireplace.
The neighbouring second lounge had been created from the original large cantilevered sun porch. Mary and Allen renovated it further to improve flow to the pool surrounds, making the room split-level, adding French doors and extending the deck.
This room and the neighbouring master bedroom share a picturesque outlook over the gas-heated pool-spa, which is defined by fences and a pergola dripping with Boston ivy.
The roomy master suite has deck-side French doors, a dressing room and an en suite with double basins and a double shower.
Guests are most often put up across the hall in a bedroom next to another bathroom.
Mary says the home is a great entertainer. "We've had functions where we've had 50 to 60 people but it doesn't feel crowded because there are so many spaces in this house. It's a lovely place to have friends and family around."
The chocolatey-brown wood flooring which features in the foyer continues through the rear kitchen-dining room-family room.
Mary loves to cook and the couple installed a designer kitchen with wide Gaggenau stainless oven four years ago. They chose a vibrant purple for the kitchen island's sides to add colour to the neutral mix which includes a pale marble splashback and stainless and stone benchtops.
A bank of leadlight windows around the family area of this room admires the pretty private backyard. The laundry is tucked around the corner.
Upstairs has sea views, an office, a family bathroom plus three more bedrooms, all with good wardrobing. Dormer windows add interest to two bedrooms while the other faces the distant night-lights of the museum.
Mary says they're selling because "this home deserves another family now our children have gone".
