Coatesville: Creature comforts

Live the city life in the heart of the countryside, writes VICKI HOLDER.

From a farming background, Matthew Marsh wanted his children to live the relaxed, country lifestyle he remembered.

He worked in the city, but he and his wife, Jane, made it possible when they bought one of the larger lifestyle properties in Coatesville.

Three years ago, they built a modern plastered home that treated them to all the creature comforts of a sophisticated city dwelling. Engulfed in a peaceful valley, it offers mesmerising views of the rolling green hills and surrounding woodlands.

A large pond sits at the end of an expansive lawn. Some town folk might find the extent of the lawns daunting. For Matthew, however, they represent a chance to hop on the tractor and pretend he's a farmer for an hour or so. The end result is a suitably tamed, orderly, park-like environment, which always looks inviting as people approach the property along the drive.

The Marsh children adore the wide, open spaces, where they ride their bikes in safety all over the hills. In summer, they have fun when they rig up a water slide down the slope - they gather speed for a cool splash in the pond at the bottom.

The many trees around the property provide opportunities to build tree huts. And in the Marshs' two large paddocks next door, the children rear calves and lambs as family pets. They also ride the neighbour's horses and their bikes in Riverhead Forest nearby.

Matthew has been transferred to another job out of town, so now the Marshs are leaving behind not just a hard-to-beat lifestyle in a great community, but a home they believe is just about perfect in every way.

Designed with large, centrally located living areas between two bedroom wings, the house lets Matthew and Jane escape from the children to their own private haven, with a walk-in wardrobe and spacious black and white tiled bathroom. Bifold doors in the bedroom usher in gentle breezes for summer ventilation.

The windows are dressed simply with timber blinds, while aubergine taffeta drapes at the doors add a luxurious touch and work with the colour of the wall behind the bed. A smaller bedroom next door gives the option of a nursery or an office.

The children feel spoilt with their own comfortable television room that's well away from their parents. Fitted with computer connections, the room was designed to convert into a study area when the children were old enough to appreciate such a space.

Jane selected the colours for the children's bedrooms to match the tiles on the floor of the bathroom opposite. Alex's room sports soft orange fabric in the drapes against a blue feature wall, while Ryan's takes on a yachting theme with crisp white roman blinds entwined with rope. The guest room in the children's wing soaks up the all-day sun as it looks out over the patio.

Painted hot chilli red and dramatically lit with halogens, the high, pitched entry feels warm and welcoming. When the glazed doors to the formal lounge and dining area are open, a log fire burning on the hearth at the far end of the room draws guests through to sit and relax in comfort. Bifold windows and doors on either side of the room ensure the area is cool in summer.

The same idea has been applied in the family area. Matthew says when the bifold doors on both sides are left open in summer the room feels like a big deck.

Glossy, deep-green cabinetry in the kitchen makes a dramatic contrast against the red walls in the entry. Jane says guests love to sit at the big, curved island bench as she prepares refreshments. "I often have to prise them through to the lounge," she adds. The kitchen is a practical design with smart new appliances, including a Bosch dishwasher and a double Westinghouse oven. Timber shutters in the wall give a glimpse of what's happening in the lounge.

News of Matthew's transfer has prompted the Marshs to complete everything that wasn't finished around the house. Now looking ship-shape, it's ready for someone else to enjoy.

Vital Statistics

ADDRESS: 430 Sunnyside Rd, Coatesville.

FEATURES: Three-year-old home on lifestyle property; four bedrooms; office; two bathrooms plus guest bathroom; two living areas; children's TV room; triple-car garaging; small barn; private road access; dam with water lilies; two paddocks for grazing.

SIZE: Floor area 278sq m; land area 5ha.

AUCTION: 2pm, February 15, on site.

AGENT: Lynn Honnor, The Professionals, Albany Real Estate, Coatesville. Ph 415 9206 bus; 021 931 058 mob.