'The Devonshire'* Complete restoration of a historic Upper Hunter Valley residence.
This home once belonged to the first major of Scone. Built in the late 1800s it features high ornate ceilings with fireplaces, timber sash windows and french doors and had a more recent, low-scale extension to the rear. When purchased it hadn't been lived in for over seven years, time stood still, with all furniture in position and pictures on the walls gathering dust. The exterior could barely be seen amongst the overgrown garden of crepe myrtle, banksia trees, and grape vines. No perimeter fence existed and a carport crowded the rear of the dwelling.
After a huge demolition effort to clear out the house and garden back to the bare bones, the restoration of heritage features commenced and a modernisation of the rear of the property with new kitchen, bathroom, glazing and refinishing of flooring, walls and ceilings throughout, along with all joinery, lighting and fittings.
Featured in 'Hunter & Coastal Lifestyle' Magazine Edition 99.
*A Devonshire Tea (a British tradition of fruit scones with clotted cream and typically English breakfast tea). As this property was reimagined by an English architect in Scone, a quite wealthy country town - 'The Devonshire' seemed like the appropriate name for this dwelling.