Flowing Lines A Fine Art

Newcastle Herald

Saturday December 2, 2006

Alysson Watson

Old-world elegance combines with modern savvy, writes Alysson Watson.

THIS grand Art Deco beauty is a stand-out on the eastern Lake Macquarie waterfront, combining the scale of a modern home with the style of a bygone era.

Built in the 1950s by renowned builder Bill Hudson, the two-storey treasure has been rejuvenated by the current owner, an investor, over the past 12 months.

Although the makeover has brought the house up to the minute, with new plumbing and wiring and a modern kitchen and bathrooms, it celebrates the original features beautiful curved glass windows, squared, stepped cornices, decorative wrought-iron balcony railings and doors with bevelled and etched glass. It even has a dumb waiter.

Tiles cover most of downstairs, but the carpet chosen for the stairs and bedrooms is a deep red and black, in keeping with the original period.

Doors and their frames have been stripped back and shellacked as they would have been in the time of its construction.

With two balconies, the top one sitting higher than most along the Eleebana point, the north-west facing waterfront commands good views across to Marmong Point.

With jetty, slipway and boatshed under the house with divine curved timber doors and porthole windows the property is a boatie's dream and the water is clean for swimmers.

It's a great house for entertaining, as the view is paramount and balcony space expansive.

The entire front of the top level has been given over to an entertainment room, housing a full-sized billiards table and original billiard lights.

For a buyer less enthusiastic about the pastime, the room would have a myriad of uses centred around the spectacular view and sweeping balcony.

On the upper level are also two bedrooms and the main bathroom, which combines sleek modern fittings with the original sash windows.

The lower level also has two bedrooms at the rear and a lounge/dining area in front from which to enjoy the view and access the lower balcony.

The new kitchen, of red timber cabinetry, mocha CaesarStone and stainless steel appliances, tucks into a corner of the living level.

A laundry, bathroom and powder room are also on this level, which is entered from a private foyer.

The space under the house, running off the boatshed, offers possibilities for workshops and rumpus activities. It could simply become another entertaining area for boatie cohorts.

There's a tidy lawn and garden on the waterfront, and a large grassed area at the rear that could accommodate a pool.

ELEEBANA

Offers over $2.15 million

Address: 17 Paroo Ave.

House: Rendered brick and tile on 600 square metres.

Inspect: By appointment.

Agent: Paul Heydon, LJ Hooker, Newcastle, 4924 7000 or 0409 539 133.

BEDROOMS 4

BATHROOMS 2

GARAGES 2

© 2006 Newcastle Herald

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