Maple House provides a sweet taste of home and holiday vibes, just minutes from Hobart’s CBD
Maple House is spacious yet cosy – perfect for a large family or a solo traveller wanting a city getaway. And it leaves a lasting impression, striking the perfect balance between home and holiday
Tasmania
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As I pull in through the picket fence gate and my tyres roll over the crushed white gravel driveway, there is an overwhelming sense of familiarity with the property, like I’ve always lived at the home.
Nestled among a street lined with Federation homes is Maple House, a delightful weatherboard family home built to fit in but styled to stand out by homeowners of over 20 years, Hugo and Milly Hubbard.
The husband and wife duo lived in the property prior to turning it into accommodation, and now live interstate, but decided a home base in Tasmania would allow them to easily visit friends and family with their young children.
The exterior of the home has been meticulously renovated and maintained, with a crisp, clean palette of white, grey and black helping the home to stand out against neighbouring brick homes.
Modern touches greet you at the front step however, with a remote-controlled gate and keyless touchpad door lock giving you a sneak peek into the smart but practical home with all the creature comforts that lay beyond its black heritage front door.
Entering the home brings the familiar wave of returning home after a long day – of kicking off your shoes and dropping your bag at the door to journey into the comfort of home.
Light welcomes you in every room of the house, with all of the three bedrooms – one with a double bed, one a king bed and one with two single beds – using classic single and double sash windows to bring the idyllic streetscape into the home while maintaining the home’s heritage values.
A children’s bedroom placed in the middle of the home gains extra kid-friendly points due to the perfectly-placed skylight which brightens up the day, while also providing ample views for a child from the comfort of their bed to stargaze into the night.
A cosy living room complete with an easy-to-use electric fire sets the scene for a place ideal for family game nights, drinks and nibbles with friends or simply a date night on the couch with a movie.
To the rear of the home is the impressive full kitchen, complete with dishwasher, oven, stovetop and double sink for whipping up a culinary storm, with a solid timber dining table.
The well-stocked cupboards – much to my delight – included platters and cheese knives, letting me pull off the ultimate charcuterie board for entertaining a friend.
Off this space is a delightfully moody bathroom with a full shower, bathtub, vanity and complementing hand-shaped jade green tiles over the vanity and spread through the shower – a nice contrast against another heritage feature lovingly restored in the home, an exposed brick fireplace.
Finally, you reach the breath of fresh air and the hidden oasis for this suburban property – a full cottage-style garden with swathes of lush lawn and mature trees shading a relaxing fire pit area and paved patio.
There’s a sweet sunroom-meet-self-contained-playroom for children to escape into, as well as an attached laundry.
The property answers to every possible need or whim for any guest; from spare toys for kids and children’s cutlery and dinnerware to three types of wine glasses and complimentary locally-roasted coffee pods for the coffee machine.
The homeowners also provide the little touches that help elevate a home stay to a getaway, with a bottle of wine waiting for you on arrival, a seamless check-in process sent over text, timed heating, underfloor bathroom heating and spare throw rugs made in Australia from recycled materials.
While the home offers that suburban oasis feel, you are only a five-minute drive from Hobart’s CBD and a five-minute walk from all of the necessities including supermarkets, chemists, bottle shops and your pick of retail therapy in Sandy Bay.
Even better is the fact you’re almost on top of one of Hobart’s most popular cafes, Giddy Up Foodstore, which was a worthy stop before I checked into Maple House.
What Hugo and Milly have managed to create at Maple House over their 20-year ownership is a home filled with the best contradictions.
It is spacious yet cosy, perfect for a large family or a solo traveller looking for a city getaway, it is located in a spot that makes it easy to get out and explore while also encouraging you to indulge in a day spent indoors. And it leaves the lasting impression as both a familiar home while also being a holiday home.
The author was a guest of Maple House
MAKE A NOTE
Maple House is a three-bedroom family home in Sandy Bay, a five-minute drive from Hobart’s CBD and close to Sandy Bay’s main strip of restaurants and shops. There is a two-night minimum stay, with prices starting from $250 a night. For more information visit Maple House on Instagram or airbnb.com/h/maplehousesandybay
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