192 Bushby Street
A charming Late Edwardian home situated in the desirable Fairfield district of Victoria, and just a few minutes’ walk to the Dallas Road waterfront: Evoking a gentler, less hectic period of our history, this lovely home has been skillfully updated, sensitively integrating old world grace with modern convenience.
Approach this residence down a lovely tree-lined street, where you will find a fascinating collection of significant and picturesque homes. Facing the residence, you immediately notice the black shutters against a pristine white background, providing a Continental atmosphere. Oversize windows, including a generously proportioned bay window, announce that his three-storey residence is a light-filled home. The front gardens are filled with ornamental shrubs and carefully pruned cedars. Well-established rhododendrons provide rich colour in spring. To the right of the home is an elongated, off-street parking area bordered by a privacy fence. A short flight of stairs leads up to the entrance to this engaging home; an enclosed “sun porch” style vestibule welcomes you.
To the left of the entry hall is the drawing room, or sitting room, where afternoon tea may have been served while live music was performed. The main floor of this residence is clad in original hardwood flooring. A wood-burning fireplace with rich green tile surround and hearth invites the creative spirit in you to restore it to its original Edwardian splendor. Built-in bookshelves on either side generate a comfortable, warm ambiance.
Returning to the entry hall, we are aware of the North European chandelier attached to the ceiling with a decorative medallion. Across from the drawing room is a smaller, or more intimate sitting room, currently used as an artist’s studio. This space could severe equally well as a home office. Filled with natural light, this bright room has a view over flowering Japanese cherry trees, and a distant view of the water. The heated tiled floor provides even heat during the cooler months. Fitted with built-in bookshelves, this room suggests a private study, or even a cosy library.
At the end of the hallway, we immediately find ourselves in the informal, bright and cheerful Great Room, with a dining-living room configuration. An electric fireplace with brick fascia provides both continuous clean heat and space on the mantelpiece for the display of your treasures. The dining area features a decorative chandelier, and lovely views over the gardens. The adjacent country-style kitchen is both functional and compact: everything is within easy reach. Just off the Great Room is a convenient two-piece powder room. A door from the Great Room opens to a delightful sun porch, which leads down to an inviting back garden, a true private oasis – in effect, a “Secret” garden, a lovely surprise in this urban setting.
Featuring three separate patios, one with flagstones of irregular size, shape and colour sourced from a local quarry, another with a surface of reclaimed brick and situated beneath an elegant rose arbor, and the third surfaced with cement slabs, the perfect place for you to decompress after a busy day.
The gardens are overflowing with hosta plants, bamboo, 90-year-old lilac trees, silver birches, mountain ash, fruit trees, and a pair of antique rose bushes. The whimsical nature of the garden is further expressed in a beautiful Tuscan wall mounted fountain. The garden is without question a jewel, an embracing and protective place where you can relax and gather your thoughts.
The upper floor of this delightful home is accessed by a carpeted staircase which is flooded with natural light by virtue of a large window above the landing. The bright upper floor enjoys the same original hardwood floors as the main floor below. The guest bedroom has been fitted with a pair of 100-year-old portholes, a delightful nautical touch with hints of an earlier seafaring occupancy. The nautical theme is repeated in the stairway to the lower floor. Access to the insulated attic is through the guest bedroom. Yet one more very spacious bedroom enjoys glimpses of the ocean.
The spacious master bedroom suite offers lovely views over the gardens; particularly arresting is a beautiful flowering Japanese cherry tree. The principal, five-piece bathroom is remarkably spacious, and is noteworthy for its attractive tiled floors, generously proportioned bathtub with tiled surround, and a vanity fitted with his/hers washbasins.
An additional bedroom, currently used as a study/home office with distant water views, is kept warm and cosy with baseboard heaters.
The lower floor is accessed down a staircase flanked on either side by wallpaper made of 100-year-old nautical maps. To the left of the bottom of the stairs is the utility or laundry room which features a Kenmore washer and dryer. A door leads outside to the inviting gardens. To the right of the bottom of the stairs is a spacious, one-bedroom open concept in-law suite with private entrance. A bathroom with tiled floor and a raised soaker bathtub with decorative tiled surround is complemented by a hand-held shower. The vanity is fitted with a wall-mounted faucet and washbasin. The living/dining area of the suite has a laminate floor, an attractive electric fireplace and a magnificent black onyx tiled counter top with double sink, a Maytag refrigerator, and thermal windows. A baseboard heating system provides clean, even heat. The whimsically designed bedroom has a view straight into the garden.
This appealing home has so many features which many modern homes lack: style, grace, panache, and amazing potential. As an investment in peace of mind, this lovely residence has few competitors; as an investment in real terms, the possibilities are legion.