House of the week: Brighton

2a Emily Street, Brighton
$3.5 million +
6 bedrooms,  4 bathrooms,  2 car spaces

Auction 1pm, Saturday August 29
Agent James Paynter, RT Edgar – 0418 390 133
Inspect Saturday 10am-10.45am  and 2pm-2.45pm

Shards and points and angles and rolls. It could be art, it could be alpine awe, but here in Brighton, it’s architecture and what tremendous fun it is. This place is a  cracker, from the challenging multiple height peaks of its facade to the superb rear garden full of brilliant spaces. It’s love at first, second and third sight.

Inside that singular facade the wide, timber-lined hallway introduces spaces full of light and life. Concrete flooring takes hold underfoot to either side beyond the entry and creates two distinct living spaces. To the left, an easy informal sitting room, to the right, a superb lounge with a wall of north-facing glass, a low stone hearth and fireplace.

Follow the hall to the rear but don’t forget to look up as the fabulous ceiling rolls and arcs overhead to the open-plan area.

Out here, it’s all light and fine, elegant space. The kitchen sits to the rear with twin stone benches and smooth, uncluttered surfaces. Behind the kitchen are the stainless steel benches and excellent storage of the generous butler’s pantry.  A sliding door takes you out to a deck and pretty entertaining area.

The dining and living rooms are  illuminated by expansive glass that brings the leafy outside in. It’s so green and lush you’d think you were more than a stone’s throw from buzzing Bay Street. A TV room sits over in the far corner and this ground level is completed by a powder room and laundry, under which lies a massive cellar.

Upstairs are four bedrooms, each superbly appointed with storage and all but one have either a stand-alone en suite or direct access to the central bathroom. You could easily turn that into six by slinging a bed into both the large study and teenagers retreat.

At the end of the passage is the main bedroom, a lovely, restrained space that boasts a smooth en suite as well as a large walk-in robe and leads out to a tree-top terrace.

When you get outside you’ll find a raised-edge pool, an in-ground trampoline, spaces to hide, shade or sun yourself,  as well as a bungalow with kitchenette and bathroom and a chook shed, completing a garden with just about everything. Love, love, love.

Need to know
Last traded for: $3,025,000 in 2010. Highest recorded house price in Brighton (last 12 months) $8,525,000 for 38 Dawson Avenue in November 2014.
Recent sales: $2.31 million for 12 Montclair Avenue in August 2015; $2.64 million for 183 Church Street in August 2015; $3.25 million for 27 Laburnum Street in July 2015.

Room for improvement
A car turntable? Wait, there’s already one here.