The owners of this spacious family sanctuary by Signature Homes set out to create a relaxed holiday feel, and the stunning results have more than exceeded their expectations.

WORDS Anna Scaife PHOTOGRAPHY Mick Stevenson

When Marianne and Mike decided to build, they were already certain who they wanted to work with. Impressed by a nearby home built by the Signature Homes team, the couple knew the building company was the right choice for them.

Opting for a home design package from Signature Homes, Mike and Marianne worked with the team to create a beautiful home to complement the premium site and their desired lifestyle. From there, Signature Homes managed the whole process from start to finish, aiming for a seamless delivery that’s on time and importantly, is guaranteed at a fixed price.

It's like a private sanctuary for us

Adam Baylis of Signature Homes says, “We are very process driven so that every detail is taken care of for our clients. We take our due diligence very seriously upfront so that once we are underway the customer has certainty over what’s included and how much it will cost.”

That attention to detail and precision project management paid off for Mike and Marianne with the whole build completed in just four and a half months. They managed – by the skin of their teeth and with the help of friends – to move in just hours before the first Alert Level 4 lockdown last year.

High on their house wish list was plenty of outdoor space for the kids to play and enough room for a swimming pool. They were fortunate to secure a 1080 square metre section, one of the last available and with the added appeal of uninterrupted views of the golf course behind.

The family must-haves included an easy flow from the open plan living areas to their outdoor living and the spacious lawn. Marianne’s request was for wooden floors hence the engineered timber used throughout the ground floor. The family worked closely with Signature Homes to finalise the design for their dream home.

VERDENT BORDERS Low maintenance planting around the fence lines of the home from Styx Landscaping creates a soft layered effect that will grow over time with the family.

“Initially, we thought the kids would have their bedrooms upstairs, but I am so glad we made the decision to move our room up there. It’s like a private sanctuary for us, and the kids have their own space with their lounge and bedrooms downstairs,” says Marianne.

The 350 square metre floorplan comprises four bedrooms plus a gym and home office. The expansive living areas centre around a highly-functional and chic galley-style kitchen with a large island that boasts a view across the garden and out to the golf course behind. An oak staircase with glass balustrade leads to the upper floor.

“It’s so lovely to have the separate spaces to be together or to get away. We have the adults lounge with the gas fireplace and bar, plus the smaller room where we can cosy up and watch movies together,” says Marianne.

Upstairs, the master suite includes a stunning private bathroom with freestanding bath and vanity with his and hers basins. Subway tiles in gloss black and arranged in a herringbone pattern create an eye-catching feature wall.

RELAXED LIFESTYLE The in-ground swimming pool from Narellan Pools Canterbury was on the wish list for the children and provides a calming view from the large gabled living-room window.

The family’s desire for outdoor living has been more than delivered with the sheltered dining area adjoining the kitchen dining and a fabulous in-ground swimming pool visible from the floor-to-ceiling gabled window in the lounge.

The fine-tuned Signature Homes’ process walks customers through their design and build step by step, aiming to make things as simple and stress-free as possible.

Marianne says, “Signature were really good. Nothing was a problem. They are solution focused and they came up with great ideas. The whole thing went so smoothly. Once the foundations were down it all happened very quickly.”

When Marianne and Mike began planning their new house, their dream was to create a home that felt like a retreat from the outside world.

“We wanted it to feel like we are on holiday when we’re at home and it really does. We have the view and the privacy, it’s like we’re in our own world,” says Marianne.

SLEEK STEEL The sleek black steel roof from Canterbury Roofing complements the contemporary form of the home.

For the Signature Homes’ team and Adam Baylis, on time and on budget for their customer is par for the course and this project was no exception.

“Marianne and Mike were great clients, and the build went very smoothly. We needed to pull out a few stops to get them into the house ahead of lockdown and it was great to be able to make that happen,” says Adam.