The long view

Years of dreaming and careful planning have gone into the creation of this spectacular home in Sydney’s south.

- Matilda Ringrose

ENTRANCE A fishpond by the entrance was designed to send positive energy into the home.

REAR GARDEN The homeowners engaged landscape architects Site design Studios to redevelop and expand the existing garden.

POOL Daybed designed and built by owner. Skarpö outdoor armchairs, Ikea. “The initial design did not have the ‘squaring [square ring] structure over the pool,” says the owner. “We suggested including this architectural feature to give the house a grander presence.”

Some things are worth waiting for, and the opportunity to build your dream home is one of them. After their 2007 purchase of a property on the edge of the glittering Georges River in Sydney’s south, the homeowners spent years making plans and gathering ideas for how they’d like their ideal house to look.

Having formed a clear picture of what they wanted, the couple then called on architect Peter Couvaras and interior designer Sally Farrugia to execute their vision. “We were after a contemporary home that took maximum advantage of the water views and followed the shape of the wedge-shaped block,” says the owner. “We sat with Peter and, taking into account ideas we’d collected over many years, he drew up three concept sketches.” Everyone agreed the best way forward was to demolish the site’s existing structure and start from scratch.

Today, passersby have little clue as to what lies beyond the battened gate. From the street entrance, a long path leads to the front door and the home’s uppermost level, which is accessed by stepping stones positioned over a pond.