A family on Sydney’s northern beaches are loving their newly renovated home and single-storey life
With a flexible single-storey floor plan, this light and luxurious home on Sydney’s northern beaches suits the needs of everyone in the family
Sometimes, life throws a curve ball, which forces even the best-laid plans to change. Such was the case with Jenny and John Geeves, who, in the mid 1990s, built a stunning hillside home in Newport on Sydney’s northern beaches.
“It was a beautiful split-level house with fabulous ocean and bush views and a lovely gum tree growing up through the back deck,” says Jenny. “A lot of heart and soul went into the design.”
Then, in 1997, the couple’s first daughter Sophie was born prematurely, leaving her with significant disabilities. And as Sophie got older, Jenny and John realised that the home of their dreams had the capacity to become a nightmare.
“Sophie has cerebral palsy and uses a walking frame, so the stairs presented a real challenge for her,” says Jenny. “By the time she was about five, we realised her physical capabilities weren’t going to get any better, so we started looking for a single-level property that would be more user-friendly for her.”
As beautiful as their home was, the family – which by then had expanded to include daughter Chloe, now 17 – were ready to move into something that would be easier for everyone to live in. “I wasn’t sorry to say goodbye to it,” admits Jenny.
In 2003, they leapt at the chance to buy a single-level fibro cottage in the nearby suburb of Avalon. The three-bedroom house was fairly small and dark – but it was also 500 metres from the beach and local shopping strip and, most importantly, on a level block with no steps inside or out.