House of the week: Windsor

39 Duke Street, Windsor
$3.6 million-plus
5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 4 car spaces
Auction at 11.00am, on Saturday, March 19
Inspect from 4pm-4.30pm, on Saturday
RT Edgar, Mark Wridgway 0419 510 777

Isn’t it everyone’s dream to live in a ruby red brick pub, in the atmospheric back streets of inner Melbourne, with a pool on the roof?

Meet old Melbourne, and new. This gorgeous relic is as robustly handsome as they come.

But new Melbourne demands certain things, and off Chapel Street, down the Windsor end, sharp, smart and shiny has become de rigueur.

Pass under the portico of the deeply lovely neo-Gothic tessellated brick facade into a generous foyer. Welcome to the Red Lion Hotel.

To the left is a generous bedroom with an angled corner fireplace and half height privacy frosting on the glazing.

Across the way, the main bedroom is a massive space with a natty little sitting area to the front, sectioned off by a glass wall, one suspects as much for street noise abatement as privacy.

Opening off behind here is a large walk-in wardrobe that leads to a neat en suite and laundry and back out to the central hallway.

Beyond here, past the stair to level one is where things get pretty interesting.

The open plan living and dining area is a lofty, broad stunner. Soaring ceilings, the heft of a brilliant brawny beam that crosses the space and a north-east corner of glass create something special.

Beyond the glass there’s a deck that leads down to the impressive indoor garden and around to the four-car garage with laneway access.

Wind back around and find the small but stylish kitchen tucked into the north-west edge of this downstairs section.

Back off the living room, you’ll find two excellent bedrooms and between, the sparkling central bathroom that services them.

If you thought the kitchen was a tad on the petite side for such a grand space, the answer lay upstairs.

It’s almost like a second house up here with another massive bedroom, bathroom and gorgeous living/dining area boasting those wonderful sets of arched windows over Duke Street.

The more substantial stainless steel and stone kitchen is up here and it’s needed for what lies outside.

The rooftop deck is simply breathtaking; floating on the top of town. You get a covered entertaining area, then step up to what seems acres of space laid with artificial turf, decking, oh, and that brilliant blue swimming pool. City lights your backdrop, the world your oyster.

If it gets too overwhelming, have a quick sauna, a refreshing dip and then sit by the citrus grove – that’s what I said – that provides a gorgeous green oasis up high. We’ll not see another like it. Make mine a double.

Need to know: Built circa 1860s. Highest recorded house price for Windsor (last 12 months) was $3,020,000 for 51 Hornby Street in February 2016. Recent sales: $1,015,000 for 2 Lewisham Lane in December 2015; $957,000 for 36 Lewisham Road in December 2015, and $1.29 million for 15 Erica Street in August 2015.

Room for improvement: There are a few finishing touches to be done here, perhaps some reconfiguring, but don’t sweat it, have a swim instead.