This Award-Winning Family Home Is For Sale In Northcote
On The Market
The kitchen is the heart of the home.
The sculptural staircase stands as a divider between the key living zones on the ground floor.
Seamless access to the outdoors makes the home ideal for hosting.
The lush backyard.
Timber decking on the balcony accompanies the bedrooms upstairs.
The main bedroom overlooking the 20-metre-long swimming pool!
The view of the home from the rear.
The creative facade takes notes from mid-century modern architecture.
When Nick Stamford first came across 27 Cunningham Street over a decade ago, the then vacant 520-square-metre block was the perfect place for his family to build their home from scratch.
‘We were attracted to the large block on what’s arguably Northcote’s best street,’ Nick says.
The brief to Austin Maynard Architecture was to build a house inspired by mid-century modern architecture; somewhere that was ‘just right’ in terms of its size, without sacrificing on liveability either.
What they came up with has since become known as THAT House, which has all the features you’d come to expect of a conventional family home, but with a twist.
‘The home was designed with the kitchen at the heart, visually connected to all living spaces without being a cavernous open-plan design — broken-plan living was the term the architects came up with,’ Nick adds.
‘It’s really a series of flexible living spaces with visual barriers rather than walls.’
The home’s unique appeal starts with the modernist-style facade, where floor-to-ceiling glass windows can offer glimpses of the striking interiors for curious passersby. Or if privacy is preferred, the views can be blocked off by ingenious horizontal blinds that are hidden in the floor and extend upwards.
Inside, there are no traditional hallways or passages. Instead, every inch of space has been maximised as part of the free-flowing dining, kitchen and living spaces, shaped around various gardens.
A captivating steel staircase overlooks a courtyard with a tree growing through the centre, as sliding doors connect seamlessly to the lush backyard, complete with a 20-metre swimming pool.
Joinery is cleverly integrated or concealed into the timber-panelled walls, paired with concrete and spotted gum flooring throughout. Upstairs, the three bedrooms capture calming views of the decking and inviting gardens below.
‘Whilst it is not a huge house by current day standards, it feels extremely spacious through its use of glass, connection to the garden and abundant light,’ Nick adds.
‘The home is fantastic for entertaining, with the connected spaces offering flexibility, from an intimate dinner party to large gatherings. We have held many parties, up to 70 people, and the home handles it with aplomb.’
It’s easy to see why the project won the Residential Architecture Award at the Victorian Architecture Awards 2016.
But after 11 years, the family says the very best part of the property has been its location — something they’ll miss as they plan to downsize from the four-bedroom residence.
‘The home is also on a quiet street (effectively a no-through road), so it’s very quiet, yet less than five minutes’ walk to High Street shops, bars, cinema, 2 train lines, trams and buses,’ Nick adds.
Now, it’s up for sale for a new family to enjoy!