Fashion designer places colourful touch on Kaleen family home

It started life much like every other family home in north Canberra. Think big block, brick construction, tall, wood-trimmed windows and a cosy front porch.

But there’s no missing 50 Diamantina Crescent in Kaleen today, heading for auction on Saturday, 19 November.

The ‘Monument Grey’-themed block is stamped with dashing red patches and vibrant wood decking to make it “exquisite”, according to LJ Hooker real estate agent Troy Thompson.

“The red really goes well, and in some cultures, red is the lucky colour.”

And that’s just the outside.

“From the moment you step inside the main four-bedroom residence, you’ll notice the style, space and quality finishings on offer,” Troy says.

It’s all thanks to the current owner, a bonafide – and “colourful” – fashion designer.

She renovated the original design of the 1974 five-bedroom home several years ago, even adding a studio to the rear of the main floorplan.

“She used this as her design workshop, but it could easily be used as an extra bedroom for a relative needing a little more privacy, a work-from-home office space, or even a studio for clients if you want to run a home business,” Troy says.

A grand double timber door marks the opening to the welcoming entrance, which flows through an open-plan living area, flooded with natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

There’s the option to create a formal dining and lounge area off the kitchen, with the adjacent family room left for day-to-day living.

The revamped kitchen sits in the middle of the floor plan, minimalist in style but practical. It features ample bench space and storage, a breakfast bar and quality appliances.

The master suite is set off from the main living area on a separate side of the house to the other three bedrooms for added privacy. It’s handsomely equipped with a built-in wardrobe and ensuite.

The other bedrooms come with built-in wardrobes, with the main bathroom – complete with modern finishings and bathtub – in the middle.

Towards the rear of the 916 square-metre block is the studio apartment, with its own ensuite and built-in wardrobe. High ceilings and windows imbue spaciousness.

Now we come to what Troy describes as an instant hit among those coming to inspect the property.

“People love the outdoor area, with its deck and pergola,” he says.

“On lovely days, you can just see yourself out there. And it does bring an extension to the indoor living area.”

Visitors also appreciate the use of synthetic grass, especially after near-endless rain and weekend-destroying mowing.

“You’ll never have that maintenance problem here. The owner wanted the property to be low maintenance so it would always present well with minimal effort.”

Both the primary residence and studio open out onto the vast outdoor deck, complete with a covered area perfect for entertaining. Step down into the backyard, and there’s a private corner with a decorative metal garden wall and built-in fire pit.

Year-round comfort is taken care of by ducted gas heating, reverse-cycle split-system air conditioning, and an oversized double garage with additional storage inside. There are also two large garden sheds and plenty of space for additional off-street parking.

Then there’s the location.

“It’s across the road from the Kaleen High School and playing fields, so there are no houses in front of it,” Troy says.

Highly regarded for its outstanding community, quality greenspaces and amazing proximity to all points of the Canberra compass, there is a reason Kaleen is an ever-popular area. Diamantina Crescent, in particular, is no more than 10 minutes from the Belconnen Town Centre and 15 minutes from Civic.

In summary, Troy describes the home as the perfect combination of “high-end residence, adaptable floorplan and unbeatable location”, and that has attracted more than 50 people to inspections so far.

Inspections are scheduled from 2 pm to 2:30 pm on Saturday, 12 November, and Sunday, 13 November. The home will be auctioned on-site at 2:30 pm on Saturday, 19 November.

To learn more about 50 Diamantina Crescent in Kaleen, call Troy Thompson on 0408 694 917 or Olivia Fairweather on 0478 653 447, and check out all the latest listings on Zango.