House of the Week: A handsome take on the ubiquitous box in Elsternwick

457 Kooyong Road, Elsternwick
$3.9 million
4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 car spaces
Private sale
​To inspect, contact agent Adam Joske, Gary Peer & Associates 0414 337 979

Elsternwick ticks along – always solid, with appealing housing stock, always flying happily under the radar alongside its big-ticket neighbours St Kilda and Brighton.

Its charms though are plenty – the buzz of eclectic Glenhuntly Road and the gorgeous old cinema to name a couple – tucked away not far from either city or sea.

457 Kooyong Road is a gleaming piece of work. A display home for a major Melbourne builder, it’s such a fine pile it’s little wonder you’d want to show it off to everyone.

The facade is a sublimely handsome take on the ubiquitous box with contrasting shades and a projecting rectangle floating atop the entry.

The oversize pivot door swings open to a a roomy study overlooking the front garden with plenty of storage and desk space. Across the way a slip hall tracks a line direct from the double garage, past the laundry, butler’s pantry, cool room and out to the kitchen proper.

Before getting here though there are some superb areas off the central hallway to discover.

A large, formal sitting room is on the right with a magnificent view over the broad side courtyard.

From here the sightlines travel across to the family room at the rear and the all the beauty that lay in the backyard beyond.

Before that though set across to the left is the handsome kitchen – a tall array of timber cabinetry anchors an airy space with stone benchtops and one of the best splashbacks ever.

In front is the large dining room and then it’s out via full-length, floor-to-ceiling glass to the terrace, where you can survey the pool and poolhouse/studio with its own bathroom. A covered entertaining area includes a firepit.

Back inside and up there are four excellent bedrooms, a central bathroom and powder room. The main bedroom takes up the entire southern edge and includes a massive walk-through wardrobe and marble trim en suite.

A dramatic cinema room completes the upstairs as well as a house with substance and style as well as sparkle and shine.

Need to know: Highest recorded house price in Elsternwick (past 12 months) was $4,904,000 for 44 Elizabeth Street, November 2016. Recent sales: $2 million for 87 Orrong Road, January 2017; $1.95 million for 14 Prentice Street, January 2017, and $2.76 million for 45 Hoddle Street, December 2016.