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The West Australian
Real Estate/Luxury Homes - 1 March 2008

Old home gets a five-star makeover

Renovators John and Julie Pitcher have turned a charming 1940s Nedlands cottage into a spacious home with a contemporary extension that never fails to amaze first-time visitors.

The Pitchers make it their mission to buy old houses and create living spaces inside that one would never expect from looking at the façade.

This has certainly been the case with this property, where the attractive front elevation of the 1940s home belies the modern, spacious family home inside.

"My wife and I design the houses ourselves,"
Mr Pitcher said.

"Basically, what we have done in this house is completely gut and re-done the interior."

"We've redesigned it so that there is an easy flow throughout the entire house.  I find a lot of old houses don't have a good flow and can be quite small and dark inside but we've really changed that with this one."

Although modern, the extension is sympathetic to the style of the house, particularly in regards to the colours used.  The Pitchers have chosen neutral tones and natural timbers that give the house an open, inviting feel.

Entry is to a roomy hall with high ceilings and blackbutt floorboards.  To the right double doors open to the home theatre or formal living room, part of the original house.  The high ceilings have detailed cornicing.

On the left of the hall is the big home office, a former bedroom that also features elaborate ceiling details.

Nearby is the main suite, with a big walk-in robe.  The original bathroom has been turned into an elegant en-suite with fully tiled walls, twin vanities, a toilet, glass-fronted shower and porcelain floor tiles.

There are four minor bedrooms, three with built-in robes and all with commercial-grade wool carpets.

The bathroom off the front hall has a big spa bath, twin vanities, built-in storage, a frameless glass shower, porcelain tiles, fully tiled walls and chrome fittings that give it a sleek, contemporary look.

The laundry also is fully tiled and has contemporary fittings.  Nearby is a toilet.  There is also a powder room by the main living area.

At the end of the passage steps lead down to the hub of the home, the big extension with an open-plan living, kitchen and dining area.

Mrs Pitcher designed the spacious kitchen, the focal point of which is the big island bench, with a stone benchtop that offers plenty of preparation room.  The kitchen has white cabinetry, stainless-steel appliances and a glass splashback.

To one side of the kitchen is the dining area while at the far end of the house is the big lounge.

The Pitchers have paid great attention to detail throughout the renovation project and the house has state-of-the-art appliances, top-quality finishes and touches such as high skirting boards.

The living area faces north, so receives lots of light year-round, and enjoys an encompassing view of the outdoor area from all aspects.

A 9m x 4.5m swimming pool has been installed in the backyard.  By the pool a stone feature wall with a sheer descent waterwall provides an artistic focal point for the garden.  The gardens are reticulated and there are two areas of buffalo lawn plus low-maintenance tropical garden beds.

The big deck has a timber floor and an outdoor kitchen with a barbecue, granite benchtop, sink and bar fridge.  A plasma TV mounted to the wall can be swung around so that it faces the pool, outdoor dining area or the garden.

Bi-fold doors between the kitchen and the outdoor entertaining area can slide to the side to completely open up the space between indoors and outdoors.

The home sits on a 1012sqm block and has ducted reverse-cycle air-conditioning.  There is plenty of built-in storage throughout and the house has a five-star energy rating.

Maya Anderson

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The Sunday Times
Prestige Property Magazine - 17 February 2008

Five-star quality

This five-bedroom Nedlands home has been given such an overhaul by John and Julie Pitcher that it's hard to believe that it was once a modest 1940s cottage.

John and Julie Pitcher have a passion and flair for redeveloping houses, and their latest project in Nedlands is no exception.

Built in the 1940s, the five-bedroom home was once a modest cottage.

A complete overhaul and extension to the house has seen it transformed into a contemporary home ideally suited for 21st century living.

Designing homes that provide great lifestyles are what the couple are all about.

"It's not a formal ornate house, it's a home that you can live in and enjoy,"
Julie says.

Whilst the original façade has undergone a facelift, its street presence is not imposing.

"What you'd expect to see behind the façade isn't what you get,"
she says.

Inside, the home has the "wow" factor.

"Some of our friends call it the resort,"
she says.

The front of the home incorporates the study/fifth bedroom, theatre room and two bedrooms.  The master suite is complete with a specially designed walk-in wardrobe and en-suite with double vanities.

"We've designed the wardrobe so everything has a space,"
John says.

The en-suite features all porcelain fittings and floor-to-ceiling tiles.

As you enter further into the home, the stunning landscaped gardens and pool are visible through an expanse of windows.

"Despite the amount of glass we have, we've still got a five-star energy rating,"
John says.

A second bathroom with a spa bath is concealed to the right of the central hallway while the laundry and powder room are on the left.

Two additional double-sized bedrooms provide ample space for a growing family.

A combination of blackbutt timber flooring and 100 per cent wool carpeting run through the home.

The open-plan kitchen, dining and lounge room are the hub of the house.

From this expansive room, glass stacker doors open on to the breathtaking alfresco entertaining space, pool and garden.

The undercover outdoor deck is constructed from Queensland hardwood timber.

Essa stone benches in the kitchen are complemented by Smeg stainless-steel appliances and white gloss lacquer cupboards.

"We've designed the kitchen bench to have an overhang so people can pull up a stool and socialize around it,"
John says.

Panoramic windows in the living room provide views to the pool and garden.  A built-in outdoor kitchen features a barbecue, fridge and sink.  A plasma television mounted on a swivel bracket is included in the sale.

"We put on music videos and watch them outside or you can turn the TV round and watch cricket in the pool," John says.

Reticulated off a bore, the gardens are very low-maintenance, Julie says.  Two lawned areas provide space for children to play.

Surrounding one of the garden's boundary walls, tall established trees provide privacy from neighbouring properties.

Glass pool fencing allows for uninterrupted views of the pool and water feature.

With more than six years' experience in redeveloping properties, Julie and john say they love what they do.

"We have a genuine interest in what we do and we get a lot of satisfaction from seeing the final result,"
John says.

Maria Noakes

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Claremont/Nedlands Post – Real Estate
1 March 2008, Page 62

Character '40s home gets top TLC

When the owners bought this 1940s home less than a year ago, their neighbours expected it to be demolished.

The tiny two-bedroom home had plenty of art deco features but the layout was poor and the whole property needed TLC.

But the owners, who are serial renovators, saw its potential and transformed it into a modern family abode with a pool, five bedrooms, floorboards and an amazing alfresco area.

"Renovating is our passion,"
said one of the owners.

"We like to keep the character of homes but modernise them."

"Everyone can put a coat of paint on, but we go a step further and use top quality finishes and fittings."

On a 1012sqm block, the home is packed with features, but winning the tussle for attention is the outdoor entertaining space.

It has something you don't see very often – an outdoor TV that can swing around to face the pool.

"It's not your standard household plasma TV, it's specially made for outdoors,"
said the owner.

The alfresco area has a 80sqm timber deck overlooking the pool and slate water feature, a built-in Turbo barbecue, sink and granite benchtops.

There are two grassed areas, one easily big enough for a game of backyard cricket.

Silver bi-fold doors lead to the open-plan living area, where the focus is an Essa stone kitchen.

The kitchen has a 4m island bench, Smeg appliances, three extra-deep sinks, a pull-out spout, white glossy cupboards and glass splashbacks.

Although there is a trend to orientate living areas to the north, the owners did the opposite so they could enjoy the winter sun.

Windows were designed with different shapes and sizes to maximize the outlook to the alfresco area and to garden features on the northern boundary.

The front of the home has a main bedroom, en-suite, study (or fifth bedroom) and a home theatre.

Adjoining the beautifully decorated main bedroom is a walk-in robe with plenty of built-in cabinets and a mirror at one end to accentuate the space.

The en-suite, like the main bathroom, is finished in style with twin floating vanities, shadow-line ceilings, full height tiles and a heated towel rail.

Among the extras are five-star energy from an independent consultant, an outdoor sound system, reverse-cycle air-conditioning and three toilets.

The selling agents are Eoin Douglas-Smith, from Shellabears, and Adrian Gurney, from Oxygen Property.

Julie Bailey

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