Mid-century Stirling masterpiece with a private botanical garden
Set on a generous block of more than 3000 square metres in leafy Stirling, this mid-century marvel features an award-winning extension by architecture firm Swanbury Penglase.
For strategic consultant Miriam and her husband Joe Whitford, a health and safety manager, it was the mid-century aesthetics and the perfect location that drew them to 33 Garrod Crescent 13 years ago.
“It was a fantastic location, but what we loved were all the mid-century features,” says Miriam.
This includes the pitched ceilings with exposed beams, the sunken lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the garden, and the north-westerly aspect of the house, which brings in an abundance of natural light.
Miriam says they were also drawn to the location of the property, being just 400 metres from Stirling with its numerous shops and cafes, including The Stirling Hotel and the Matilda Bookshop.
Originally built in 1978, the house was extended in 1992 by David Bagshaw from Swanbury Penglase, adding the sunken room, designer kitchen and dining room.
This extension was awarded an Award of Merit by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (SA Chapter) in 1996.
On a block of more than 3000 square metres, the house includes four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a carport with space for two cars.
While Miriam and Joe loved the mid-century features of the home, they have carried out their own upgrades while staying true to its original 1970s architecture.
“What we tried to do was to make it that real mid-century modern look,” says Miriam.
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“We’ve really tried to make it a blend of modern and to celebrate the 70s era.”
This means terrazzo tiles in the entryway and bathroom, as well as amber coloured wood, much like the wood panelling often seen in homes of this era.
Miriam says she has a passion for interior design, enlisting her sister Annemarie Pyne of ap+interior design and Doreen Begovic from Original Lifestyle to help her realise her vision.
A must-have was to create a new master suite, with its luxurious ensuite, wall-to-wall wardrobes and expansive windows looking out onto luscious, green canopy, which Miriam likens to a private botanical garden.
“Our whole vision was to bring a modern-day master suite that celebrated the garden,” says Miriam.
“By moving it to the other side and extending the house, we made sure we delivered on that, and it is one of the most breathtaking parts of the house now.”
The couple also put in a new laundry, added extensive storage space, and repainted throughout, while designer features such as the Haiku fans and David Trubridge Designer ‘Coral’ bamboo light pendants add an extra touch of sophistication.
As for the kitchen, Miriam and Joe have sympathetically upgraded the space while honouring the original, award-winning kitchen from 1992.
These days, the kitchen features a hand-finished Donata steel workbench, solid timber benchtops, a 900 millimetre St George oven with gas cooktop and an integrated Miele dishwasher.
Miriam says it was also important to ensure the property would be warm throughout the chilly winter months.
This has been achieved with a Norwegian-designed Jotul combustion fireplace, a commercial-grade Daikin ducted system and underfloor heating in the bathrooms.
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Outdoors, Miriam and Joe have brought the property’s winter creek back to life, put in new decking, solar panelling and two 11,000 litre rainwater tanks.
They also landscaped flat lawns – a feature Miriam says is important in the Hills, where many properties are on a slope.
With his passion for gardening, Joe has planted natives to attract Australian wildlife. He also built a new waterfall and a bridge from recycled timber.
In the garden, visitors will spot koalas, kookaburras, rosellas, common bronzewing pigeons, superb fairy wrens, native finches and wild ducks.
Rumoured to have once been part of a nursery, the garden includes 15 gigantic rhododendrons, camellias, magnolias, azaleas, ferns, Japanese maples, daffodils and more.
“When our son was born, we put in an autumn blaze right in front of the house, which is now enormous and one of the most stunning features in autumn,” says Miriam.
Miriam says her favourite part of the property is the sunken lounge.
“The sunken lounge in winter in front of the Jotul fireplace is beautiful, and you feel like you’re in a hidden oasis, but in summer, entertaining on the deck overlooking the whole garden is absolutely spectacular,” says Miriam.
“Then, we love entertaining in winter around the firepit.”
Although Miriam and Joe are reluctant to sell, they have decided to move closer to the city, with their son starting high school.
“Every owner who has had the pleasure of being a part of this house has done a spectacular job of handing it on in a better condition,” says Miriam.
Miriam says she will miss hearing the winter creek from their master suite the most, as well as having a perfect place to entertain friends and family.
“It’s been a very hard decision because we will never live in something so spectacular again,” she says.
The sale of 33 Garrod Crescent, Stirling, is being handled by Martyna Thomas of Thomas Real Estate.
