11 Aphrasia St, Newtown, is on the market for $3.9 million to $4.2 million.
History repeats itself in a beautiful Newtown townhouse, where an impeccable new renovation continues a long legacy of transformative additions.
The two-storey two-storey dichromatic house known as ‘Kelvin’ was first built on a much larger plot overlooking Corio Bay in 1873, but the house was almost doubled in size two decades later with an equally large extension.
Now seller Ian Critchley has once again contributed to the evolution of the historic five-bedroom home, set among 1,020 square meters of English-style gardens.
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A nine-month renovation stretched to five years thanks to Covid-19 interruptions, but it was worth the wait. Mr. Critchley’s passion for older homes is reflected in his respect for historic details and quality imported accessories.
He said most of 11 Aphrasia St, Newtown, had not been touched since a restoration in the 1980s and was in need of updating when he bought it in 2019.
The biggest change is at the rear, where the old extension kitchen has been demolished and replaced by a new open kitchen with dining area and adjacent conservatory.
Builder Andrew Murphy of Murphy Built installed five sets of French doors to connect the extension to enchanting gardens, designed by landscape architect Bethany Williamson, which now wrap around the house.
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The gardens have the appearance of a rural English estate.
Behind transparent double doors in the kitchen is a coffee station.
The renovation preserves the original style of the house.
“You can sit there in the summer when it’s not cold but not super hot either, with all the doors open and it’s fantastic,” Mr Critchley said. “It feels like you’re living in the garden.”
Like any old house, Kelvin provided a few surprises, including the discovery of a fireplace when the old kitchen was dismantled. It is now in the conservatory.
The seller says all the original features – from cornices to arches and bay windows – have been retained, alongside modern luxuries such as new travertine tiled floors and a French Lacanche gas range with four ovens and extractor hood.
The study with the original bookcase and fireplace is Mr. Critchley’s favorite room.
Decorative wallpaper throughout the house.
A glass greenhouse and outdoor entertainment areas are surrounded by lawns and flower garden beds.
The house is hidden 50 meters from the street, so it feels like a private estate.
Mr Critchley said a hardware dealer first built a slab hut there, which was later replaced by the first part of the large house overlooking the bay. The later addition from 1890, on the right, explains the characteristic facade of the house.
“When it was extended in the 1890s they added another section, but they couldn’t do it exactly like the first because they had run out of Geelong sandstone, so it has taken on a more hawthorn brick look,” he said.
“It’s a very eclectic design. They thought that instead of making something that looked like a bad copy, they would make it completely different.”
Jellis Craig Geelong agent Marcus Falconer is calling for expressions of interest on December 17 at 12pm at 11 Aphrasia St, Newtown.
Price expectations are $3.9 million to $4.2 million.
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