The beauty of living on an acreage is there's room to move, room to grow, room for change. For Janine and Dan, the size of their property allowed them to build a new dream home to suit their changing needs and lifestyle.
They have lived in their Louth Park house for more than 30 years and love the location, but their 50-year-old home, while renovated, was keeping them busy. They had some preliminary plans drawn up to renovate, but they struggled to get something close to what they really wanted.
"Our vision board was 'modern coastal meets New Zealand lodge with a touch of Hamptons'," Janine says.
"Our design had to cater for having friends and family over, but also having the ability to lock down a wing of the house when it's just the two of us at home."
They spoke to Peter and Deb Kay, and sons Alex and Harry, at P&D Kay Constructions to see if they could achieve their dream home. The family-owned builder specialises in custom builds across Maitland and the Hunter.
"As we are on a property, we made the decision that we would design a brand new home and build on a favourite part," Janine says. "Some of our ideas were a bit left of centre - but Deb and Peter researched and made sure it could happen."
The finished design features four bedrooms; two ensuites, a main bathroom and powder room, plus an external powder room with shower; a pool room; and a large open-plan living and dining space that opens onto a stunning covered al-fresco area looking over the water and farmland beyond.
The new house is nearer to the lagoon on their land. The site is slightly further away from the road, and also takes advantage of the serenity of being closer to water.
The gabled entry is both grand and welcoming, and the use of natural stone feature walls and for the outdoor fireplace embody the lodge vibe they were hoping to achieve.
There is a sense of freshness inside and outside the home, from the exterior white weatherboards, to the wall and ceiling palette, aided by skylights and neutral tones. bold touches from cobalt and grey joinery, inky bathrooms tiles, warm timber flooring and feature iron brackets add personality and depth. It has successfully blended much-loved design aesthetics with its own touches.
"The house has such a relaxing feel to it. I find myself getting stuck looking at a particular angle of the house and being thrilled with it. We love driving in the driveway each day and just looking at our house. A big thing was that we didn't want it to look like any other house around and I think we have achieved this," Janine says.
One of the pros of building a new home was the ability to stay in their current home, on site, while the build was taking place.
"Living 100 metres from the building site meant that visiting at the end of each day was a highlight," she says.
"Alex and Harry were always happy to answer any questions or concerns. Their requests for onsite meetings to determine positioning of things and the finishing touches was so appreciated.
"There is so much detail to think about, and their communication was paramount to having a successful project."
It's an easy place to fall in love with, and due to Janine's attention to detail and the supporting team bringing those wishes to fruition, the beautiful home is just what they wanted.
"The best part was just seeing our vision come to life. We had so many 'wow' moments - seeing the stone go up was a definite wow moment - plus the large glass doors, the outside entertainment space, our outside fireplace, our bathroom ..."
For the couple it means they've ticked all the boxes and can now enjoy the next stage of life with family, friends, and, most importantly, themselves.
"It's just so nice to have a new home, with a few mod cons and to be living in a space that we spent a lot of time planning and dreaming about, and now we are living it. We love having our kids, family and friends around, but we also love spending time here on our own," she says.
"We throw on our Sonos, open up all the doors and windows and just enjoy every aspect of our new home. From the kitchen, to the living space, to the outdoors, my veggie garden and Dan's man cave and his pool room; it's providing us with so much peace, relaxation, but also fun and enjoyment."
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