We sat down with one of our most recent clients to ask how he is enjoying living in his new dream home recently completed in North Beach. We discussed in detail the design and build process and how it has already added to his lifestyle.
Why did you originally decide to build?
It wasn’t a definite plan. I looked at both the existing property market and also blocks of land for sale, but none of the houses really suited what I wanted. A block then came up for sale in a great location with a fantastic aspect, so that’s when I decided to go down the path of building a new home.
What were you looking for in your new home?
Above all, I wanted a house that was welcoming, yet had its own style, with different zones and spacious rooms.
I also wanted to make sure the house took advantage of the north-south orientation of the block, with upstairs living.
Why did you choose Novus to build your new home?
I had a couple of designs done by different builders, but still wasn’t sure who to go with.
Then I visited a Novus display home and the representative asked me to allow Novus to also do up a design for me to consider.
The design stood out for a couple of reasons. The Novus team designed the house with a bridge from the front garden into an upstairs entry, as opposed to the entry being downstairs. This gave a great aesthetic feel to the front elevation and also opened up downstairs so there could be a courtyard off the study. Novus’ design also had a half balcony on the rear, on the north eastern side. This allows more afternoon sun into the house in winter, enhances the views from inside, including over the pool, and also means the balcony has views to the North and the West.
How was the building process?
This went smoothly. There were some variations along the way, however this was handled well. There is a very strong sense of professionalism with the Novus team. It is always difficult, bordering on unfair, to single out particular people involved with the build, but my Site Supervisor, Sid, is the consummate professional, has a keen eye for detail, was always happy to explain things and spent countless hours getting the bridge right.
Sam, from Tailor House (my interior designers) has the patience of a saint and always steered me in the right direction for the feel of the house I wanted (and away from disasters with the words “that’s a bit dated”).
And, the Landscapers I used, Cullen from Principal Landscapes, came up with an outdoor design that makes such good use of the space and gives 3 quite separate outdoor areas.
What is your favourite part of the house?
It’s hard to say. The kitchen bench is probably my favourite. I spent many hours with the Novus team going through the design and a key outcome was to make sure that when sitting at the bench, you can easily look out over the view, so there is this inside/outside connection. This has been achieved so well and brings an almost holiday feel to the house.
How have you found living in the house?
One of the things I hoped to achieve with the house, was to have a seamless movement between the different zones. This has certainly happened. At a recent family dinner (my house has now become the venue for family functions), my young nephews could be downstairs watching the football, yet quite happily run upstairs to update everyone on the score. Or, when I had friends over, some could be outside on the balcony, some inside at the kitchen bench and some on the sofa, but all still be quite connected with each other.
So what have family and friends said about the home?
All extremely positive; from the build quality, to the design and the finishings. The overall response is one of such a quality house which is so relaxed and comfortable to be in.
