ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY
This beautiful sprawling estate in Dairy Flat would look right at home in a French or Italian village setting.
Vendors Graeme and Jenny had owned a historic house in Devonport for 20 years before their move to a beautiful sprawling estate at Dairy Flat in 2012.
Since then, this clever, artistic couple have devoted their time and skills to creating a home that would look perfectly comfortable in a French or Italian village. Although the dwelling was constructed in around 2000, it exudes a much earlier elegance.
“Perhaps we watched too many episodes of Escape to the Country,” laughs Jenny.
The pair were extremely lucky to come across local artist, Ross Lewis, early on in the project. “We call him Michelangelo because he was just incredible,” says Graeme.
“The doors were originally eggshell yellow, and he painstakingly repainted them to look like oak. He also cleverly planed the adzed beams in the kitchen so that they appeared genuinely aged.”
The 443sqm home is set across two levels and the impressive entrance hall has soaring ceilings. The French country kitchen is classy and understated with bi-fold windows for passing food outside, European-style, and a scullery for extra storage and workspace.
Relaxed open plan living and dining is complemented by formal lounge and dining rooms and all of these areas open to the charming courtyard and gardens. Also on this floor is a separate laundry, home office and double garage, along with a self-contained guest wing with a bathroom.
Upstairs is the luxurious, ultra-chic master suite, with leafy garden views. It has its own bathroom, a fabulous dressing room and, in addition, two further bedrooms on this floor form their own wing – along with the main bathroom.
“We have a new arrival in the family, so it’s been perfect for the baby and parents to have their own space while
The 443sqm home is set across two levels and the impressive entrance hall has soaring ceilings.
they’re staying,” says Jenny.
The property is an absolute suntrap and Jenny says she and Graeme enjoy their morning coffee on one side of the house, then later, their evening wine on the other.
Meanwhile a separate minor dwelling is also ideal accommodation for guests, working from home or any of a number of other purposes.
As keen stewards of nature Graeme and Jenny have planted over 5000 natives and grasses on the property, and many are now well-established.
They both look forward to the regular arrival of a pair of geese each September, who lay their eggs, have babies and leave again.
“They’ve been coming for seven years now,” says Jenny.
Agent Ailsa McArthur, from Bayleys, says that everybody who sees the house is struck by its quiet serenity.
“The peacefulness engages you further as you cross over the little bridge, to the redwood forest, which is now quite mature and there’s just such a characterful, country feel about the whole setting.
“The property is utterly private, yet amenities aren’t far away – Albany is about 12-13 minutes’ drive, or you can turn left and go to Silverdale, which isn’t nearly as busy.”
With two ponds, a paddock, raised vegetable boxes and an olive grove, this is the ideal lifestyle block, however there is the added potential for subdivision.
Sale: By negotiation
Contact: Ailsa McArthur, Bayleys, 027 298 4000; Chelsea Allen, 021 163 9389