FEATURE LISTING: A country lifestyle in city-side Medindie
Located just a short drive from the Adelaide CBD, this Arts and Craft villa feels like it could be in the English countryside. After 12-and-a-half years of calling Braemar home, its owners are now looking to find it a new custodian.
If you think you’ve seen this turn-of-the-century villa somewhere before, you are not mistaken.
Affectionately known as Braemar, 6 Palm Street, Medindie, can be seen in Tim Minchin’s comedy TV series Upright. But for current owner Maria Caruso, it’s where she’s called home for the past 12-and-a-half years, initially attracted to the property by its distinct countryside feel.
“It felt like it was a home from Escape to the Country and we brought our three children here and they fell in love with the house instantly – we bought it on the spot,” she says.
Maria says she was also attracted to the historic charm of the dwelling, adding that it is best seen in person to appreciate its beauty fully.
“It’s just a stunning house,” she tells SALIFE.
“There are so many beautiful things about this house and I’m still discovering them to this day.”
Set on 1656 square metres, this Arts and Craft dwelling includes four bedrooms, four bathrooms, space for four cars and a manicured European garden.
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Constructed circa 1905, Braemar was built for Misses Anne, Mabel, Susan and Lilla Hornabrook by renowned Adelaide architects English and Soward and prominent Sydney architect E. Jeafferson Jackson.
Maria says the exceptional quality of the building meant it only needed cosmetic upgrades, including redoing the kitchen and bathrooms, repainting, re-carpeting and polishing the floorboards.
“The beauty in the house was that it was so big and grand,” she says.
“It’s great because the bedrooms are a wing of their own, so if you are entertaining, nobody gets disturbed, which is a really good feature.”
The original footprint of the grand residence has remained largely unchanged, with Maria owning a copy of the original plans of the house when it was built.
The exterior façade features brackets, corbels and exposed rafters that support the multi-gabled roof of terracotta tiles with tall tapered chimneys.
Other standout elements include two slat-hooded bays with leadlight casement windows, while inside you will find original fireplaces, plaster arches, coloured leadlight, exposed timber beams and jarrah ceiling boards.
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The layout of the house blends both formal and informal living, with formal living and dining rooms and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area.
A spacious verandah and outdoor entertaining area lead to the manicured garden, with its pool, rumpus room and alfresco dining area.
Maria says they landscaped the garden in a French and English countryside style, with Japanese topiary balls, ornamental pears and a feature tree perfect for an afternoon picnic, while a palm tree in the front yard lends itself perfectly to the location of the house on Palm Street.
When asked about her favourite part of the property, Maria struggles to pinpoint a single element.
“There are different elements of the house that I love in different ways,” she says.
“Probably the cellar for the fact that it has all my wine; the dining room when you have beautiful, elegant parties; the sunroom on the side when I’m doing paperwork; I love my walk-in wardrobe – it’s very pink and pretty.”
But after a decade of calling Braemar home, Maria is now looking for a new family to become its next custodians.
“I think I’ll miss all my plants in the garden,” says Maria.
The sale of 6 Palm Street, Medindie, is being handled by Sally Cameron of Toop + Toop.
