2 Monash Street, Newstead VIC 3462

November
This unique, beautifully restored, late Victorian home has tremendous appeal to the discerning buyer with its touches of French provincial style and historical detailing.

Entry to the home into the front hallway with its hand painted wallpaper border sets the scene for a visual feast. The main bedroom has lining board ceilings, stone detailing above the fireplace and carefully preserved newspapers as a fascinating decorative feature.

The second bedroom has French doors to the return verandah with light bouncing from the white painted lining boards and polished wooden floors. Attention to small details such as light switches, keyed locks and window coverings add to the charm.

The rustic kitchen is lined with zincalume and has the original woodstove still in situ but augmented by the professional cooker and range hood. Detailed illustrated front pages of newspapers covering Royal Ascot and The Boer War feature under protective panels.

Adjacent to the kitchen is the small parlour or breakfast room which has been partially lined with the remnants of the original 50s linoleum and memorabilia of the original owners daily life. French doors at the end of the room open onto the screened sitting out porch where you can enjoy the fresh air without local insect life.

At the rear of the house is the spacious living room with vaulted ceilings, timber windows on three sides to maximise light and a hand built stone wall adding thermal mass and textural appeal. The white tiled floor of the room features a large area of beautifully hand painted French tiles. A freestanding wood heater warms the room while the split system keeps it cool in Summer and the ceiling fan keeps the air circulating. The living area has double glass doors that open onto the private rear courtyard area and the surrounding garden.


The bathroom is in keeping with the period - the deep bath has been lined with rippled tin and has an oversize period shower rose and traditional trombone bath taps. The washbasin and cedar washstand echo bathrooms of the era. There is a separate toilet and discrete laundry area.

The surrounding garden has been developed to cope with the extremes of the Central Victorian climate with roses and other hardy perennials forming the basis of the plantings. Outbuildings have been planned to echo the features of the house or the era. Structure has been imposed with the use of gravel paths and decorative arches that lead the eye. Water for the garden is augmented by the tanks that can be tapped for watering.