Yarralumla residence wins national luxury home of the year

A knockdown-rebuild Yarralumla home has been awarded one of the top gongs at the Master Builders Australia Excellence in Building and Construction Awards, held in Adelaide on Saturday night.

The home was awarded the National Luxury Project Home ($1 million to $2 million). This is the second consecutive year an ACT home has taken out this award. In 2017, another Yarralumla home won the award.  

Master Builders ACT chief executive officer Michael Hopkins said, “It is excellent to see the incredible work of Canberra builders being recognised on the national stage”.

“For an ACT home to take out this award for the second year in a row really is a credit to the expertise and ability of the builders here in the nation’s capital.”

The home at 68 Schlich Street has a striking facade, with stone and ceramic finishes seamlessly integrating to give it a unique touch.

Inside, the home has an industrial-inspired open plan design with a void over two storeys and a mezzanine level overlooking the kitchen and living area.  

Features include high-gloss and hydronically-heated polished concrete floors, and a statement staircase upon entering.

A two-storey stone fireplace was imported from New Zealand and is a centrepiece of the home.

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A spokeswoman from Master Builders ACT said, “This exquisite home truly is the epitome of luxury and style with its master bedroom overlooking the outdoor pool, oversized stone benchtops, quality appliances, butler’s pantry, and two free-standing baths”.

The home was built by family-run business Brother Projects.

Brother Projects managing director Nathan Dutkiewicz said the owners presented them with designs for the project by Canberra design and architectural drafting company gr8 @mosphere.

“It took us 14 months from the start – where we pulled down the existing home – to finish,” he said.

“The client started with a brief around what they wanted to achieve with a few key elements and we brainstormed how we could achieve the best outcome and get a quality finish.

“The kitchen was a high-profile area in the home and the owners were pretty adamant about the products and finish in that area.”

In June, the home won three awards at the Master Builders ACT Building Excellence Awards, including both the kitchen and bathroom project awards priced more than $30,000.

Two other Canberra nominees also won national awards on the night.

Downer EDI Works took out the National Excellence in Workplace Health and Safety Award (commercial) and Manteena Commercial won the National Commercial/ Industrial Construction Awards (under $5 million).