House of the Week: a house for the ages

2 Gawler Court, Mont Albert
$2.2 million
5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 car spaces
Private sale
Inspect on Saturday from noon-12.30pm
Agent Fletchers, Tim Heavyside  0403 020 404

It’s safe to say we’ve not seen  anything like this for quite a while. Spectacular in its Edwardian way – a brilliant return verandah, lofty pressed metal ceilings, luminous leadlighting and divine fretwork – there’s something else afoot here too. The deeper you go, the more this house surprises.

The side entry is gained via that lovely verandah. Beyond, the central foyer is a broad, square affair off which flow the principal rooms.

To the left is the fabulous formal dining room – with a magnificent fireplace that boasts a leadlight and timber overmantle and a sublime angled box bay window over the verandah.

The main bedroom sports an excellent royal blue colour scheme against its exquisite strapped ceilings and another incredibly handsome window seat. This is supremely pretty – then there’s the dressing room.

This is something else. Burnished red and copper mosaics mark out the smallest room. The long, stylish stone bench, wall-to-wall mirrors and airy high window are bordered by handsome timber veneer cabinetry that frames a lovely old fireplace. A singularly fabulous room.

The en suite is a sparkling green mosaic tile picture. A ceiling window flows overhead and falls down to a set of opaque louvres by the sensational sunken bath. Incredible.

Next left off the foyer is the equally stunning lounge with deep olive walls, fireplace and the most splendid broad mahogany ceiling. It’s another jaw-dropper.

Things settle a bit from here – at the end of the entry passage is a perfectly pretty bathroom. A hall banks east and takes in a bright yellow bedroom and finishes at a wide sunroom with a large picture window.

The kitchen/family area over in the south west corner is a fascinating space, the cabinetry set into the column and arch of the old range. It’s fairly prosaic stuff – just simple white laminate with a single sink adjacent. What’s interesting is the old gorgeous timber workbench that serves as the kitchen’s island.

It’s bright and pleasant here and out beyond the family room a deck presides over a terraced side yard that accesses the under house garage and storage.

Around back to the west, the garden has plenty to offer and although red brick covers much of the space, it’s generous and full of potential.

Back inside and upstairs two further bedrooms, though winsome and appealing – timber lined ceiling and walls – they are a little underwhelming. Some love and expansion would see this level completely blossom, rightly taking its place amongst the other beauties in this uniquely engaging home.

Room for improvement: This could be a house for the ages  – it requires just a bit of a kitchen, upstairs, garden tweak. See more at 

Need to know:​ Built in 1907. Last traded for $910,000, in 2005. Highest recorded house price for Mont Albert (past 12 months) was $2.91 million for 9 Agnes Street, in February 2016. Recent sales: $2 million for 55 View Street, in June 2016; $1,666,000 for 71 Victoria Crescent, in June 2016, and $1.65 million for 35 Kingsley Crescent, in May 2016.