House of the Week: This mini manor in Kew is quite marvellous

16 Mount Street, Kew

$3.1 million +
5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 car spaces
Private sale
Agent: Eva Gyorodi, RT Edgar 0411 850 171
Inspect: Contact agent

It’s not every day we feature a chateau in Kew; but Melbourne is nothing if not eclectic in its housing styles.

Plus these sorts of houses, while being formally presented and quite beautifully appointed, are also a bit of fun. They respond to a particular desire to have something grand, but not on a grand scale; mini mansions, if you will, a scaled-back model of the classic manor house.

While Kew is known for some of the most beautiful large homes around Melbourne, it has also cornered the market on these opulent, smaller sizes too.

16 Mount Street is an excellent example. On a quiet strip, a stroll from at least two of Melbourne’s more prestigious private schools, it presents a meticulous French provincial-style facade to the street.

Beyond the ornate front door, your eye is taken by the glorious glow of the herringbone parquetry floors that flow off down the central hall to the rear section.

Before that, there is a fine bedroom to the front left with a large walk-in wardrobe and very sleek stone en suite with twin oval basin vanity.

Across the hall, a door leads into the large double garage for direct house access, while down a step or two there’s a powder room and laundry on the left and a light-filled, attractive study with pool views on the right.

The rear open plan is a breezily stylish affair – the light and air filtering through anchored by the handsome heft of the Calacatta marble kitchen island bench. The glossy white cabinetry adds a shimmer, and you can cook either here or behind in the comprehensively fitted-out butler’s kitchen.

In front, the dining and living areas have a lovely line of windows on the left showcasing a pretty side garden. On the right, the walls of glass open on to a terrific covered al fresco area complete with barbecue, pizza oven and fridge to feed the hungry swimmers emerging from the small but sparkling pool adjacent.

Upstairs, a fine large retreat goes with three generous bedrooms zoned to the south end of the level and serviced by a chic bathroom and separate powder room.

Back at the north end, the main bedroom is an opulent cracker. You get space, light and a sublime, fully tiled en suite with stand-alone bath and double shower, as well as a huge walk in robe/dressing room. It might be a mini manor, but it’s quite marvellous.

Need to know

Built 2016 on 411 square metres.

This is the first time the property has been offered for sale and the highest recorded house price for Kew (past 12 months) was $11.5 million for 19 Grange Road in December 2016

Recent sales

$2,265,000 for 45 Stevenson Street in March 2017; $1,815,000 for 24 Stansell Road in March 2017; $1,476,000 for 2A Churchill Street in March 2017.