Home of the week: Swim your cares away

56 National Circuit, Forrest
$3 million-plus
4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 car spaces
Auction onsite at noon on Saturday, September 10
Luton Properties Manuka, Richard Luton and Sophie Luton 0418 697 844 and 0410 750 413

Canberra’s early residential architecture radiates warmth and this stately home in the leafy inner south is no exception.

Prospective buyers with a soft spot for properties with a little history will be charmed by this cottage-style house, from its high ceilings, cornices and picture rails to plantation shutters and several fireplaces.

It was designed in 1927 by Oakley & Parkes, the architects behind The Lodge, and extended in the late 1990s.

Unlike the cottages of many classic fairytales, this four-bedroom property offers plenty of space to stretch out.

Two living areas are either side of the entry. The first is the perfect study, featuring a cosy fireplace and a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf.

The spacious living room opposite also comes with a fireplace and leads into a formal dining room.

An open-plan kitchen and living area is drenched in natural light thanks to an array of windows facing the front and back yards.

The kitchen offers plenty of storage and bench space and has been tastefully updated with modern comforts without undermining the property’s historic charm.

The segregated master bedroom overlooks the backyard and connects to a walk-through wardrobe and a marble en suite complete with a seamless glass shower, large vanity and toilet.

One of the property’s show-stopping features is the indoor pool, beneath a striking grid of skylights.

The area is fully enclosed with french doors opening the space to the hallway, backyard and a private courtyard.

The remaining three bedrooms are also off the hallway, two with built-in storage.

They are serviced by the main bathroom, also covered in marble tiles and complete with a seamless glass shower, double vanity and toilet.

Outside, the front yard is just as big as the fully enclosed backyard. Both are surrounded by lush hedges and landscaped garden, adding a veil of complete privacy from the street and creating a backdrop of greenery from every aspect of the home.

A large laundry (with the washing machine and dryer included), a double automatic garage, ducted gas heating, reverse-cycle split system cooling, a ducted vacuum system and in-slab heating in the extended part of the house are among the other features.

Room for improvement: All the work has been done but new owners might like to add their own touch.

Need to know: Highest recorded sale in Forrest (past 12 months) was $3.3 million for 9 Dampier Crescent, in April, and 77 Arthur Circle, also in April. Recent sales: $2,585,000 for 17 Tennyson Crescent, in March; $2,094,000 for 32 Arthur Circle, in May, and $1,515,000 for 25 Furneaux Street, in April.

Surrounding area: Forrest is in Canberra’s established inner south and is the ACT suburb with the highest median property price. The area is close to the popular Manuka shops, Manuka Oval and Parliament House. The suburb houses Forrest Primary School and parkland and is close to several other prized schools.