How a luxe makeover added $1.5m to Newtown home
A luxury renovation and extension took a character home straight from the 1950s to the top of the market in blue chip Newtown.
The luxury renovation of a character house in central Newtown has been rewarded with a sale price close to $2.5m.
The five-bedroom house at 17 Austin St had been sitting untouched for decades before the owners snapped it up almost five years ago.
The kitchen and wallpaper appeared straight out of the 1950s in the period facade complete with a return veranda and feature turret.
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A contemporary rear extension that added new living spaces, a swimming pool and a top-to-bottom renovation worked with the fall of the block to create a fresh five-bedroom residence.
Whitford, Newtown agent John Moran said the “beautiful renovation” was a key attraction during the campaign that ended last week when the buyers posted their best offer.
“It’s an amazing house. A beautiful reno, a big family home, the pool and the landscaping,” he said.
The location was also a drawcard, offering proximity to Newtown’s main shopping strip on Pakington St, along with local primary and secondary schools being close by.
The renovation added more than $1.5m to the value of the property.
Mr Moran said despite the renovation, the house remains understated from the street.
The five-bedroom, two-bathroom residence is essentially a new home that offers a beautiful blend of old and new, he said.
As a result, it’s well hidden from view behind a charming original weatherboard facade that remains largely unchanged.
All the heritage signatures are still there in the bedrooms and front formal lounge (or potential fifth bedroom), from high ceilings and skirts to picture rails and open fireplaces.
Built-in wardrobes have been added, including a his and her set in the spacious main bedroom, along with a modern ensuite, family bathroom and powder room.
A clever courtyard and a high wall of glazing that rises up to meet a raked timber-lined ceiling that mirrors the finish of those found in the original rooms creates a sunny living area, even though it’s a south-facing yard.
The large sliding doors topped with extra windows bathe the open-plan hub in natural light and connect it to the pool, lawn, a paved entertainment area and a built-in barbecue.
A designer kitchen, featuring stone benchtop, a butler’s pantry with a second sink and family-sized oven, is the centrepiece of the dining and living area.
It adjoins a sunroom, or flexible additional multipurpose room, with its own sliding doors onto the patio and internal access to the property’s garage.
Originally published as How a luxe makeover added $1.5m to Newtown home