For those who favour period designs and are blessed with a large block, a Victorian homestead-style abode is perfect
Harkaway Homes was born 36 years ago in the outer Melbourne suburb of Harkaway. Since then, many Harkaway homes have been built in and around the area, with one of the latest being this stunning Weathertex-clad abode from the Victorian Homestead range.
When the owners, Matt McNiece and his wife Sheree, began their home building journey, they knew precisely what they wanted in their next family home. “We wanted to build a traditional homestead-style house and after having quickly found our way to Harkaway Homes, we didn’t look much further because their homes exactly captured the essence of what we wanted to create,” explains Matt.
“We looked at all the ranges on offer and kept coming back to the Victorian Homestead for the profile, gables and verandah. This range offered a wrap-around verandah which was a very important element for us because we wanted to be able to access the home from every door. Plus the verandah and handrails really add to the external character and appearance of the house.”
“With Harkaway Homes’ 100 per cent flexible floor plans, Matt and Sheree were able to design a layout that worked for them and their four children,” says Tim Tobin, Managing Director of Harkaway Homes. “Their chosen design places a strong focus on the central living space and the Coolgardie — this is an indoor-outdoor room that is built out under the verandah roof line, extending the interior living areas.”
“One of the most appealing aspects of Harkaway Homes was the flexibility of their floor plans, which gave us the freedom to design a layout exactly to meet our needs,” says Matt. “Harkaway Homes was great, supporting us through this process, providing feedback and transforming our final plan into the perfect family home for our family of six.”
Having previously built two homes, this young couple had experience so they decided to be owner-builders for some aspects and engage a builder, Marjen Constructions (who built their first home 10 years ago), for other parts. Says Sheree, “We were comfortable being owner-builders, so this arrangement allowed us to manage parts of the build and then hand over other parts to Marjen Constructions, knowing the result would be high-quality workmanship.”
“Now the home is complete and the family has happily settled in, Matt and Sheree are able to truly appreciate what they have achieved together,” says Tim. Sheree agrees, saying, “Every time we drive up the driveway, we feel such an appreciation for how lucky we are to have such a beautiful home. For me, the Coolgardie is my favourite place to be. It is a great inside-outside living area for social occasions or just for eating breakfast with the early morning sun streaming in through the windows.”
And from Matt there is a final piece of advice, “If you already have the right block to build on and want a home with a truly authentic traditional look and an abundance of character, Harkaway Homes is the only answer.”
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