Renovated home filled with soul

There are plenty of personal touches in this rare single-level Sanctuary Cove abode which has undergone a recent overhaul, writes Lisa Hughes

PETER and Brenda Ramsay confess to being addicted to renovating. And, after building or overhauling more than 16 properties in their lifetime, including several expansive manor houses in the UK, from where they originally hail, they’ve managed to learn a thing or two.

Their vast experience is evident in their latest project, a single-storey abode with more than 12m of golf course frontage in the elite enclave of Sanctuary Cove.

The couple picked up the property in 2010, viewing it as a place to where they could soon retire.

In reality it wasn’t until a decade later that they moved in and set about carrying out an extensive renovation.

The makeover transformed the property with “good bones” into a modern and luxurious home, which the Ramsays have filled with personal touches.

“We travel a lot and many of the ideas for this house came from our time spent in America, with some Italian influences in there too,” Brenda said. “We love Europe and spend a lot of time in Spain, France and Italy.”

Single-level homes are a rare find among the multi-storey mansions of Sanctuary

Cove, yet with the house spread comfortably over its large 1,154sq m block, this house more than measures up when it comes to size and amenities.

The covered alfresco area is the perfect place for entertaining – rain, hail or shine.

In fact, the Ramsays, who are avid opera fans, have hosted several fundraisers in their back yard, with the stars of Opera Queensland entertaining an audience of up to 60 people beside the picturesque pool and decorative arbour.

Soaring 4.8m cathedral ceilings accentuate the sense of spaciousness in the home, yet Brenda said there were also plenty of cosy rooms and nooks to be found.

She has created this feeling of cosiness through the tasteful use of wallpaper in many of the rooms.

“I adore wallpaper but it’s hard to find in Australia and so very expensive,” Brenda said. “Most of the ones in the house have been sourced from a little shop near where I used to live in England.

“I would spend hours in there pouring over their books of new designs. The one with the Roman heads in the dining room I have been waiting to use for 20 years.”

The pair have spared no expense in turning the house into a home, which features a striking Hamptons-style kitchen with commercial-grade appliances, engineered oak flooring, travertine tiles, wood fireplace, whisky bar and pizza oven, to list but a few of the features.

But of it all, Peter said sitting on the lounge and looking through the patio doors to the pergola and pine trees of the golf course beyond was what he would miss most.

“It’s a really pretty spot, it’s very emotive. I will miss that wonderful view,” Peter said.

The Ramsays are moving to fulfil their dream of a life similar to that portrayed in the UK TV series Return to the Chateau.

They are seeking an acreage block in the hinterland where they will build a multigenerational home with their children.