House of the week: Perfectly positioned with expert design in East Melbourne

“I’m high on the hill, looking over the bridge, to the MCG.”

While  singer-songwriter Paul Kelly generally spends more of his time looking into the cracks and characters of our town, the houses of East Melbourne are more than worthy of a tune or two.

This classic Powlett Street beauty lets you gaze across Jolimont’s pedestrian bridge to our mighty stadium from its front gate, but it’s what’s beyond the heavy wrought iron that humbles and delights.

From the lacework-fringed facade, enter the tthe broad entry hall with the easy refinement of the formal rooms across on the right.

The first of these is the living room with long windows over the veranda and a handsome grey marble fireplace.

Beyond, the formal dining room has a black marble hearth and a classic Victorian window that allows a generous look over the side courtyard.

Pass the stair, with a powder room tucked beneath, and beyond the laundry, ante room with bar and outside access and you come into the stunning rear section. It’s as good a space as we’ve seen for a while – a sleek kitchen with a massive marble island bench and lots of smart storage that rises to the ceiling.

Three windows bring in the light from the side courtyard and to the rear you’ll find the living room – clad in bluestone, with a wall of glass over the back garden.

It’s just as good outside. A private sanctuary with a deck that rolls away to reveal a plunge pool/spa with surrounding mature garden providing a beautiful green frame.

Upstairs you get that classic mid-hall split and to the front the library, which overlooks the balcony. This could easily be a main bedroom with a large dressing room already adjacent.

Behind here the current main bedroom is a lovely space with a bright, stylish en suite, and heading back and taking the stairs to the rear you get an office with clever moveable walls to create a bedroom when desired.

Further on there’s another bathroom and the final bedroom with its own terrace overlooking a magnificent rear yard. Simply beautiful.

Monique Depierre of Kay & Burton Hawthorn has the listing. 

Need to know: The house was last sold for $1.06 million in March 1999 and the highest recorded house price in East Melbourne (past 12 months) was $5,686,000 for 61-63 Grey Street in December 2016. Recent sales: $4,275,000 for 127 Gipps Street in May 2017; $4.15 million for 138 Powlett Street in April 2017, and $2,621,000 for 25 Grey Street in February 2017.

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