Jan Juc: Couple’s epic reno of their bushland house turns it into cool pad with a ‘holiday vibe’

A couple whose epic renovation of their Jan Juc house included laying 17,000 cobblestones themselves are selling their ultra-cool property that has ‘no white and no plaster anywhere’.

1 Toadhall Lane, Jan Juc, has been renovated by its owners, Jasmine and Michael Saba, across almost a decade. Picture: BWRM.

Jasmine and Michael Saba have transformed their 1980s-built Surf Coast house into a mega-cool pad that fits perfectly into its bushland setting.

The wife and husband first inspected the 1.34ha property at 1 Toadhall Lane, Jan Juc, about nine years ago.

“I fell in love with it straight away. I thought, ‘I can work with this’,” Saba says.

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Their renovation efforts have been somewhat epic, from spending months laying 17,000 cobblestones to removing an interior wall’s bricks to clean them before rebuilding the partition.

Retaining the home’s original charm was part of their plan and they were adamant there would be “no white and no plaster anywhere”.

The Sabas spent their first years at the home tending to the site’s many trees, which had been left unmaintained, plus constructing a 25m x 10m shed, retaining walls and fencing.

A simple and stylish kitchen equipped with Bosch appliances. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

The mineral pool is popular with relatives and friends who like to visit. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

Silvertop Ash timber has been used throughout the house. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

With a background in visual merchandising and a love of design, Saba now operates Torquay’s Surf Coast Upholstery along with her husband.

She said that her creative background helped in applying principals of scale, colour and texture to the home’s renovation.

When it came to the renovating the house, the couple used Silvertop Ash timber, textured tiles and earthy tones throughout, adding a modern feel to the raked ceiling and large windows.

The oversized sliding cedar doors and casement windows were crafted by Belmont’s Pickering Joinery, while carpenter Loki Smythe from Construct by L.A.S also worked on the residence.

Owner Jasmine Saba. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

BEFORE: The house as it looked prior to the Sabas’ renovation.

Another picture taken before the renovation was completed.

AFTER: Large windows and doors take in the surrounding green views. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

Other features include Bosch kitchen appliances, a Cheminees Philippe fireplace in one of the living two areas, an interior courtyard, solar panels and an electric car charger.

They updated the internal sauna’s stones and steam system and moved an open fireplace with a copper flue from the main bedroom to the new pool house.

When it was difficult to get tradespeople during Covid lockdowns, the Sabas handlaid 17,000 cobblestones themselves after work and on weekends.

One of the four bathrooms. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

An entertaining area sits at one end of the pool. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

And installing an outdoor mineral pool and entertaining area with a built-in barbecue and fireplace has proved popular with friends, who enjoy staying over.

“For me and everyone else who visits us, it’s just really serene, easy to live here, peaceful and also super private,” Saba says.

“We just feel like there’s a holiday vibe the whole time”.

They are selling with plans to downsize and travel.

A bold splash of colour. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

Lay in bed and read, have breakfast or simply enjoy the views. Picture: Nikole Ramsay.

Natural Real Estate’s Olivia Swann says that it was rare to find such a large acreage within five minutes’ drive of Jan Juc’s major surf breaks, that’s also close to schools, shops and eateries.

“We sell a lot of homes in our area and all the staff who have ben through have said it’s the coolest house they have ever seen,” Swann says.

The house is for sale with a $5.7m-$6.2m asking range.

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Originally published as Jan Juc: Couple’s epic reno of their bushland house turns it into cool pad with a ‘holiday vibe’