Architect's family selling elegant heritage home in Reid after 90 years

A senior architect in the Works Branch of the Department of the Interior, Cuthbert Whitley designed many of Canberra’s government buildings and public housing in the 1930s and 40s, but there’s one house that received a little extra love – his own home.

Three generations of the Whitley/Nicolls family have lived in the home at 19 Currong Street in Reid, and after 90 years, they have made the heart-breaking decision to sell.

home.byholly sales agent Holly Komorowski says the sale is very sentimental for the family, with all the memories of childhood, family and friends encompassed within the bricks and mortar of this special property built around 1935.

“I know it’s difficult for the family to let it go, but onto new chapters and adventures,” she said.

Holly says the gorgeous heritage home has been fully renovated but retains many original features, including gleaming timber floors, two wood-burning fireplaces, sash windows, ornate ceilings and art deco tiles in the bathroom.

“The 1930s character is interwoven into the fabric of the new and the old,” she said.

“The property has been meticulously refurbished, while still retaining many key original features that speak to the integrity of the design and character.”

From the street, the Canberra red brick facade is striking against the established gardens creating an urban oasis right on the city’s doorstep.

Holly says the four-bedroom home embodies grace and style, delivering an impressive blend of period elegance, contemporary style, and family flexibility.

“The home presents with a modern flexible floor plan of four bedrooms, ensuite and bathroom, whilst retaining heritage detailing,” she said.

The updated kitchen is ready for a new family to create more memories, surrounded by the original 1930 kitchen cabinetry that has been perfectly integrated with a new island bench and modern Miele appliances set into a brick hearth.

The kitchen and casual living area opens out onto a covered all-seasons room overlooking the cottage gardens, a relaxing space for family gatherings any time of year.

The original, working fireplaces in the formal lounge and formal dining rooms are a stand-out features, adding to the genuine period feel and keeping the home cosy during winter.

Unwind in the master bedroom with a walk-in robe, external door and modern en-suite finished in luxurious Italian porcelain tiles.

The home has been updated and modernised for 2021, with a 21-panel solar system, gas heating and sustainable gardens.

The established gardens are curated and filled with edible and fruiting kitchen plants, as well as old fashioned plantings of rhododendron, camellias and dogwoods.

Holly says the thoughtful garden design offers privacy, alfresco areas to enjoy, planned garden rooms, productive kitchen plantings and vegetables.

“I think the edible gardens play a very big part in this property, with vegetables and fruit trees – it’s a really holistic way to live,” Holly said.

Nestled on a 1242 square metre block, the property also boasts a single garage with storage and roller door access, an attached carport and ample off-street parking.

The home is located in a premium position, opposite the Dirrawan Park precinct which three generations of children have called their playground.

“There is indeed something very special about this home with its foundations reaching right back to Canberra’s earliest days,” Holly said.

“It’s a little piece of Canberra’s history which makes up the fabric of our city.”

Marion and Walter Griffin’s 1916 plan for Canberra aimed to create healthy working and living environments for urban residents based on the international Garden City movement.

“Protected with a heritage-listed overlay, this wonderful home fulfils to this day his vision of a ‘Garden City’ plan,” Holly added.

To arrange a private inspection at 19 Currong Street in Reid, contact Holly Komorowski on 0434 973 987, and check out all the hottest listings at Zango.