O'Malley mansion inspired by White House

One of the most famous residential buildings in the world was the inspiration behind the design of this O’Malley mansion.

Owners Con and Anna Tsoulias travelled to Washington in the late 1980s and fell in love with the regal Georgian-style architecture of the White House. Con, whose family have been builders in Canberra since the 1950s, didn’t shy away from the challenge to recreate a mini version of the White House upon his return.

“It was our dream family house. It had to be built to excellent standards and we didn’t compromise on the money spent on it,” Con says.

Con and Anna chose an 1800-square-metre block in one of O’Malley’s most prestigious streets, Pindari Crescent, to recreate their slice of the presidential lodgings.

“I was the head builder on the project. It took nearly 18 months and every day there were nearly 40 men working on the property,” Con says.

Gold-plated taps, Morano glass chandeliers imported from Italy, granite and Spanish marble floors, a log fire place, spa bath and saltwater swimming pool are among the many luxury features in the six-bedroom, six-bathroom property.

“The workmanship is second to none, with everything individually made to suit the home. Even the ironwork on the stairwells was custom-made by engineers,” Con says.

He and Anna have downsized to a property in Canberra’s inner south to enjoy their retirement. The house has views of the Brindabellas to Woden and Black Mountain. It has an undercover garage for five cars and a large storeroom.

All the bedrooms have en suites, and the home has several indoor and outdoor entertaining areas. For casual entertaining, guests and family can relax in the pool house after a swim, while a meal is being prepared on a Brazilian barbecue.

No. 12 Pindari Crescent, O’Malley, is for sale through Ray White Canberra agent Margaret Reynolds. Price guide: $3 million + Inspect: By appointment EER: 2.5

Most home owners get the fever at some point to remodel their homes, and many want to attempt the job themselves.

Not Peter and Amanda Spiller. The couple resisted tackling renovations on their ex-government home in Stirling and called in building professionals from the outset.

“Having good quality renovations helps a property’s long-term saleability so we have made sure that at every part of the project we have done the right thing and used the right tradespeople,” Peter says.

The four-bedroom property, which the Spillers bought six years ago, was built in the 1970s and needed a complete design overhaul, Peter says.

“We had everything redone including the kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, bedrooms, windows, fencing, garden and the garage.”

Peter’s job with a bank put him in contact with local tradespeople for the renovations.

“I was able to use a lot of the small businesses that I deal with at work and we loved the result of their high-quality workmanship.”

The home is in a quiet cul-de-sac adjoining a reserve and has light-filled living and entertaining areas. It is within walking distance of several schools.

No. 6 Dale Place, Stirling, will be auctioned  on Saturday, April 30, at 11am, through Luton Properties Dickson agent Christine Shaw. Price guide: $650,000 + EER: 1.5