As lovers of and regular travellers to Italy, the owners of this incredible Tuscan style property had a dream – to bring a taste of Tuscany back to Australia and create a place where family and friends could come and stay and experience the look and feel of an old Italian village in all its charm and glory, without the need for a long, exhausting overseas flight. Positioned amongst beautifully landscaped gardens on an acreage property just 40 min north-west of the Sydney CBD, this new home is extraordinary in more ways than one.
Constructed by Turrell Building, the owners’ vision has come to life in a home that has been built to the standard of the highest quality modern home whilst including an extensive amount of traditional handcrafted detail and rustic finishes that give the residence an authentic, aged appearance and its Tuscan style aesthetic.
A considerable amount of thought, planning and preparation was required to adapt modern design and construction principles to achieve a traditional finish adapt modern design and construction principles to achieve a traditional finish that in the past would have only been achieved by hand. This included the use of compressed foam on the exterior, which has achieved the look of rendered brick whilst being thermally three times more efficient and easier to work with when creating all the small details that add immense character to the project.
There is also no shortage of one off custom designed and recycled items used throughout the home. All the timber from the demolition of the original home was repurposed and used in the build. Many items were also brought back from the client’s many trips to Italy, sourced at auctions or quite often even found on kerbside clean-ups.
To ensure plenty of space for guests, because “you’re never too old for a sleepover”, the 651sqm home incorporates 6 bedrooms – each with their own en suite. The bedrooms are connected in the most spectacular style, via an external ‘hallway’ which has been finished as a gorgeous cobblestone street.
Soaring ceilings with lime washed spotted gum exposed beams and spectacular floor to ceiling, custom-made steel feature windows, ensure the main living room is drenched in light. Rusticated parquetry flooring and a feature stone fireplace add to the warm, inviting feel. Each of the 6 bedrooms have their own unique look and feel, incorporating both antiques and recycled items or distressed materials which add to the aged, authentic appearance.
Feature stone walls combined with Juliet balconies, lanterns, French doors and recycled shutters to complete the quaint village look, allowing guests to become totally immersed in their ‘European’ experience.
Other features of this extraordinary Tuscan style residence include, extensive wrought iron balustrading which was handmade on site, imported Spanish terracotta roof tiles and multiple rustic barn-style doors, which were handmade on site from materials recycled from the original home. The front door, which was also hand-crafted on site is a huge talking point, as it was made from timber from the original Sydney Harbour Bridge.
In the ultimate partnership between builder and client, Turrell worked closely with the owner throughout the entire process. Their shared passion for the project and commitment to the outcome has resulted in the perfect little Italy experience, which in 2021 will be opened up to the public as Guestlands Bed and Breakfast.
Building on the North Shore, Northern Beaches and Hills District, Turrell specialize in extensions, renovations and quality custom homes, from rustic to contemporary, Hamptons to minimalist, Turrell Building will bring the vision for your dream home to life.
A 3/362 Galston Rd, Galston NSW 2159
P 02 9653 1003
E enquiry@turrell.com.au
I @turrellbuilding
W turrell.com.au
