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The owners of this California bungalow had never even heard of Manifold Heights before they saw this home come up for sale in 2016.
Landscaper Daniel Knight and his partner Melanie were living in Melbourne’s west and hunting for a new family home in Geelong West. After months of searching, their online real estate searches suggested 12 Central Avenue in the next suburb over.
‘It was love at first sight,’ Melanie says. ‘The beautiful facade, wide frontage and leafy, quiet street were what attracted us initially. We knew we wanted to lovingly renovate it and saw the potential in it immediately.’
For a house built in the 1930s, it was also in great condition and the family felt it was important to retain as much of its existing charm as possible.
‘We kept the original windows, doors, and timber floors, and restored the beautiful large ceiling rose in the lounge room,’ Daniel says. ‘We altered the entire floorplan — as it was very much like a rabbit warren — and renovated room by room on evenings and weekends.’
When their family grew, they engaged the help of Dylan Barber Building Design to create a double-storey extension that would capture a glimpse of the bay.
It’s brought the best of both worlds together, combining the charm of the old bungalow at the front with a contemporary living, kitchen, and dining room at the rear. The new high ceilings are lined with warm-toned timber, while burnished concrete floors and a Cheminees Philippe fireplace add to the interior’s inviting ambience.
But the pool and lush backyard — created by Daniel’s business, Knight Landscapes — is the cherry on top of the four-bedroom house. ‘The garden feels very private with high hedges and timber batten screen fences in place,’ Daniel says.
The family has spent almost eight years in the property, and after pouring a lot of blood, sweat and tears into it over the years, they’ve decided it’s time to sell and move onto their next ‘adventure’!
Now, it’s someone else’s turn to enjoy afternoon dips in the pool, entertaining in the alfresco area, and discover the family-friendly neighbourhood of Manifold Heights for themselves.
12 Central Avenue, Manifold Heights, VIC 3218 is for sale with Jeff Begg from Jellis Craig Geelong.
