House of the week

46 Daly Street, Brunswick West
$1,300,000+
Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 Car spaces 1
Built 1915 Renovated 2003

Auction 12.30pm, Saturday October 24
Agent Andrew Simondson, Collins Simms – 0412 999 128
Inspect Saturday 10.45am – 11.30am

Winsome and wonderful – West Brunswick bursts forth glasses down, pins pulled, end of story. We’ve found a genuine contender for our favourite house this year, in an arguably unlikely spot. West Brunswick – not quite as hip as its Sydney Road neighbours, but working its way into an increasing number of property hunter’s hearts.

It’s hard to believe that this place was renovated close to twelve years ago; its beautiful shape and elegant admittance of light is quite timeless. It presents a handsome face to the street with a pretty portico, high oval window and framing front garden. Inside a wide hallway takes the eye to acres of glass out back, but first there are two rooms opposite each other off the entry. On the right is a gorgeous sitting room that looks out over the garden and features the first look at the fab little mailbox window inserts that repeat in most of the rooms.  

Across the way is the main bedroom, effortlessly lovely, with a generous walk in robe and en suite that boasts another of the ‘house’s fine features – the brilliant use of glass to bring the outside in. Further along the hall under the stairs is a powder room and then a laundry that leads out to a linear study / office with separate front entry. Out into the sublime rear section the house folds out and the fabulous glass finds its best expression. A southern wall accommodates a great glass pane that defines the shape of the large living room.

Sliding full-height doors on the eastern and northern sides create a brilliant see through box for you to contemplate either the garden or the gourmet over in the kitchen. A natty little study area precedes the fine-looking kitchen and meals area, similarly peering back and through to the loafers on the lounge. A small passage takes you through to the fabulous dining room, a little superb glassy pavilion of its own.

Out in the garden, it’s green and lush. Tall trees, plenty of ambling space, a cubby and the rear right of way just add to the ‘rightness’ of this place. Back inside and upstairs there are two delightful bedrooms, split by a central bathroom with a rather funky, Tetris-like red vanity. Cool. A deck also sits between the two rooms, taking you out into the Brunswick air. There is a cherry on the top here too – as if it needed one – a rooftop deck with 360-degree views of our beautiful metropolis.  

There are great houses, and then there is this place in West Brunswick. Do yourself a favour.

Need to know: last traded for $103,000 in May 1988. Highest recorded house price in Brunswick West (last 12 months). $2,365,000 for 117 Melville Road, Brunswick West in April 2015

Room for Improvement: There’s plenty of living space here so turn the front lounge into bedroom four.