Call me crazy, but if I owned this house I would not sell it.
Owners Sarah McLeish and Scott Nicholas thought the same thing when they built it seven years ago; but times change. People change. Families change. And now it’s time for the baton to pass.
This tranquil sanctuary in Church Block Estate is a stone’s throw from Torquay’s main drag, but still shrouded in bushland. So close in fact, that Sarah thinks she can go a week without getting in her car (even with two children). The mid-century inspired home is less than 800m from the centre of town and across the road from the Spring Creek Nature Reserve, meaning it is surrounded by bush. Despite this, there is easy access to walking and running trails, off-road cycling, river kayaking as well as being walking distance to the beach.
If the location isn’t enough of a selling point, the house itself is an architectural and interior delight. Battens along the deck lend privacy as well as filtered light, carving out a distinct silhouette for this house among the treetops, in keeping with the surrounding bush. ‘We love spaces that connect to the outside,’ Sarah says of the architecture. ‘We wanted places to sit and infuse the warmth of the sun on cool days, and to catch the breeze on hot days.’
Natural timbers and white finishes bring a clean but warm brightness to the open spaces, funnelling landscape views through at every vantage opportunity. A floor plan consisting of two large living spaces, four bedroooms, an office space and two bathrooms are spread across two buildings, the master wing separate from the rest of the house.
The scalloped, green tiled splash back, an outdoor shower and secluded master wing are among the most exciting features of the house, but Sarah says she will miss the master bathroom the most. ‘We love baths and can open the louvres and the door leading to the deck and feel like we’re amongst the garden,’ she laments. ‘But we’re excited about wherever our next adventure leads us!’
Feel like this chance-of-a-lifetime home might be your next one? View the listing here.
