Leafy hideaway

TAKING CUES FROM THE HAMPTONS STYLE, THIS LUMINOUS HOME SUITS ITS FAMILY PERFECTLY

- JACKIE BRYGEL

HOME, SWEET HOME When Adam and Jody (Adam pictured above with daughters Ruby, left, and Lily) first bought this property in Melbourne, the home was worlds apart from the spacious and light-filled dwelling it is today, and this is something that visitors can sense from the moment they arrive at the front facade, painted in the aptly named Dulux Tranquil Retreat. Back then, there was a compact 1920s cottage on the site but after almost a decade of living there it no longer suited their family or lifestyle. So, rather than move or renovate they decided to embark on a new build. Custom door painted in Dulux Black, hardware from Handles Plus, exterior trims in Dulux Vivid White and Jati outdoor setting.

They say all good things must come to an end. But in the case of Jody, Adam and their two teenage daughters Lily and Ruby, returning from a recent holiday felt like anything but a letdown when they walked through the door of their new home. "We had a wonderful time away, but when we came back we all said, 'We're so happy to be home again!," says Jody.

It's easy to see why. Nestled in a pocket of Melbourne's inner-east, the home is imbued with a sense of style and provides the warmest of welcomes to family and friends. "We love entertaining and were having people over every weekend when we first moved in, which was fabulous," shares Jody. "It's a house that makes it very easy to do so."

When they bought the property in 2011, it was the site of a 1920s weatherboard, but after almost a decade living there, they felt it was bursting at the seams. "Rather than demolish the home, we were able to sell it on a website to new owners in the country," says Jody. "The home was cut and delivered in sections and then put back together."