Home of the week: Modern living with a dose of character in Crace

13 Ivory Street, Crace
$800,000-plus
4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 car spaces

Finding a modern house can sometimes be a balance between sleek, comfortable design and a dose of character.

If you can’t have one without the other, this striking property in Crace could be worth an inspection.

It’s no surprise this is an owner-builder home: you can see this in the property’s level of detail.

The house was also a finalist in the custom-built category of the Housing Industry Association’s 2015 awards.

The pallette is fairly neutral, with spotted gum timber floors, lush carpets and a stone feature wall adding warmth and interest.

Thought has gone into tying different materials together, such as matching metal detailing at the front of the home and in the kitchen.

An entry leads to a partially-secluded study nook and a living room which could used as a formal lounge or rumpus room.

The open-plan living and dining area is located at the rear, where a striking, custom-built ethanol fireplace subtly divides the eating and lounging areas.

The nearby kitchen includes a large island bench and breakfast bar, Blackbutt timber joinery and stainless steel appliances.

This area seamlessly flows to a covered timber deck which – thanks to glass sliding doors, a bordering wall and a protective screen – is just as much a part of the house as the yard. It’s a clever addition as the weather cools or for owners hosting large groups of guests.

Glass sliding doors near the meals area open onto a second, smaller covered deck and the low-maintenance backyard.

The large master bedroom is segregated at the front of the house and includes a powder area and a spacious en suite. A walk-through wardrobe with plenty of shelving and hanging space is hidden behind a feature wall.

The remaining three bedrooms are located at the opposite end of the house and include mirrored, built-in wardrobes.

Like the en suite, the main bathroom is covered in floor-to-ceiling tiles and features a glass-less shower and a large mirror above a modern vanity.

This room also comes with a free-standing bath.

A two-car garage with extra storage and a workshop nook, in-slab heating in the bathrooms, ducted heating and cooling throughout, NBN connectivity and a location close to Crace’s shopping precinct and parks complete the package.

Need to know: Highest recorded sale in Crace in the past 12 months was $1.47 million for 7 Langtree Crescent in October. Recent sales: $1.25 million for 92 Langtree Crescent in December; $1.1 million for 13 Carrawa Street in February, and 

$690,000 for 6 Durong Street in March.

Surrounding area: Crace is in the growing Gungahlin region next to the Barton Highway and Gundaroo Drive. The suburb is home to its own shopping precinct, Crace Central, plus parks and reserves. Crace is less than 10 minutes’ drive from the Gungahlin Town Centre.