My Houzz: Australian Family Builds Its ‘20-Year House’
Designing from scratch enables a Melbourne couple to create a home their kids can grow up in
Over the course of their relationship, Prue and Tom Walstab had lived in four homes together. Then, in 2009, they decided they were ready to settle into their “20-year house,” a place where their kids could grow up and which they could customize according to their wish list. For car enthusiast Tom, a large garage and a home overlooking a park were priorities, while Prue’s dreams were all about space, storage and being within walking distance of the kids’ school. As they searched for land or a tear-down property, the couple came across a vacant lot with a tiny “For Sale” sign on it. The lot backed up to a golf course, which made it even more attractive to them.
“We wanted to build our ‘20-year house,’ ” Prue says. “Our house has been built to fit our family, and hopefully when we are done it will perfectly fit the next family. I believe it will evolve with us without any trouble.
“In fact,” she adds, “I can see us needing to kick our adult children out in years to come, as we may have made it too perfect!”
“In fact,” she adds, “I can see us needing to kick our adult children out in years to come, as we may have made it too perfect!”
The formal living room is at the front of the house. Strong black accents and a Chesterfield sofa are balanced by a delicate chandelier and accessories. “Although I love girly things, I tend to not be too girly for my husband’s sake,” Prue says.
Swallow wallpaper: Sanderson
Swallow wallpaper: Sanderson
The duck-egg blue armchairs were picked up in a Coco Republic sale. “I love a bargain!” Prue says. “And I love a find that looks more expensive than it really is.”
The wooden cross was a gift from one of Prue’s close friends. “My decorating style is really about things I love,” she says. “I have a belief that if I fill a room with things I love, then I will love the room. Somehow all the pieces seem to come together.”
Prue’s office space for her graphic design business, Gigi and Lulu, is tucked into the bay window of the formal living room. “My office is where I spend the most time, so it is warm and inviting,” she says. “It has space for casual meetings, and I love sitting in the window all day watching the world go by.”
Prue’s love of bargains is evident in this desk she found for $5 on eBay. She had it professionally painted with a high-gloss finish for a lustrous look.
Prue’s love of bargains is evident in this desk she found for $5 on eBay. She had it professionally painted with a high-gloss finish for a lustrous look.
The master bedroom is another compromise in decor. “I don’t think it’s fair to ask Tom to sleep in a pink bedroom,” Prue says, “so I save my girly urges for Mimi’s room.” The couple count the big Heatherly bed, with its tufted upholstered headboard, as a worthwhile investment.
Behind the partition wall is Tom’s closet, while Prue has a separate walk-in closet to the right of the room.
Behind the partition wall is Tom’s closet, while Prue has a separate walk-in closet to the right of the room.
The partition wall features beautiful textured, paintable wallpaper by Graham & Brown. This was originally white, but the couple painted it black for a more dramatic look.
In the master bathroom, practicality took priority. “A lot of people are currently choosing nice floating vanities,” Prue says, “but I really wanted storage that went all the way down to the floor, so I had nice big drawers so that I could have all my ‘lotions and potions’ standing up rather than lying down.”
The kids have their own space devoted to them on the ground floor of the house. “I knew from the start that I wanted an office for the kids,” Prue says. “Somewhere that they could study, do crafts and music lessons. This space is a hub of activity. There is always a kid in here — and not always one of my kids!”
On the wall above the double desk in the kids’ workroom is a custom-designed bulletin board, made by Prue and Tom using a stock image from Shutterstock. The wall covering of a leafless forest brings a textural element to the space without being too busy or distracting.
The feeling of abundant space is one of Prue’s favorite features of the house. A long, wide hallway and high ceilings throughout the home also give Mimi plenty of room to practice her cartwheels.
Adding to the sense of space is the use of a predominantly white palette in every room of the house. “My entire house is white — white everything. I grow tired of color very quickly,” Prue says. “I feel it will help the house stand the test of time.”
Adding to the sense of space is the use of a predominantly white palette in every room of the house. “My entire house is white — white everything. I grow tired of color very quickly,” Prue says. “I feel it will help the house stand the test of time.”
A large open-plan space on the ground floor houses the kitchen, dining and living areas. “Every ounce of our house is used,” Prue says. “There is no area in the dining room or lounge that sits untouched. Every space has a purpose — that is what I love most.”
The bar stools that line the kitchen counter are replicas of an Erik Buch design, normally available only with white, black or red leather seats. Prue bought an additional white stool and had it reupholstered in a pale green for more variety. “You can’t beat a replica,” she says. “I know it is frowned upon in the design world, but it saves you money, and you still get to enjoy great design.”
As with many families, the kitchen counter is the heart of the Walstabs’ home. “It’s where we start the day, and we love entertaining so it’s where our parties begin and usually end,” Prue says. “We can watch the kids playing out in the pool from here, leaving the adults to socialize in peace. Our house is often the go-to house for this reason, especially in summer.”
Prue wanted her kitchen to be open and simple, again with the focus on practical storage and a basic white-and-stainless-steel color palette.
In the adjoining dining area sits a table that was custom-made in collaboration with an interior designer, who also matched the finish of the chairs to the table. This was one of the family’s big splurges when it came to furniture.
Dining chairs: Hans Wegner round chair replicas
Dining chairs: Hans Wegner round chair replicas
The family brought a lot of its existing furniture to the new home, including this large, modular couch from King Furniture. Prue says it was a bit too big for their last house, but they knew they would eventually upsize and it would then be the perfect fit. “We even designed some spaces in this home specifically around some of our existing furniture,” she says.
Since Prue is a graphic designer, much of the artwork she has displayed in the home is either quite graphic or quite typographic, including these pieces exhibited in the living room.
Practicality, space and storage were high on the family’s wish list when designing the house. All three considerations converged in the clean, streamlined design of the laundry room. “Our laundry is huge,” Prue says. “It’s hard to hate laundry when you have the space to do it in.”
Because the property backs onto a golf course, feathered guests frequently fly over the fence to enjoy the family’s swimming pool. The pool is also a hotspot for friends without feathers during Melbourne’s warmer months.
From the upstairs balcony, the view of the golf course visually extends the backyard, with the two spaces separated only by an unobtrusive mesh fence. “We dreamt of living close to, or overlooking, a park,” Prue says. “It feels like living in the country and yet we are 15 minutes from the city. Native birds fill the native trees — it’s serene.”
Privacy isn’t an issue, she adds, because the golfers are generally too engrossed in their game to notice the goings-on of the family. “They’re only out there for a minute or two before moving on.”
Privacy isn’t an issue, she adds, because the golfers are generally too engrossed in their game to notice the goings-on of the family. “They’re only out there for a minute or two before moving on.”
The upper floor is home to the kids’ bedrooms, guest room and a rumpus room. “It is their domain and I love that I can go days without needing to go upstairs,” Prue says.
As Max approaches his teenage years, his room has been decorated to reflect his love of the St. Kilda Football Club, with red, white and black decor. The world map mural is from Mapworld and was added to encourage Max to always seek new adventures.
As Max approaches his teenage years, his room has been decorated to reflect his love of the St. Kilda Football Club, with red, white and black decor. The world map mural is from Mapworld and was added to encourage Max to always seek new adventures.
Next door is Mimi’s bedroom, which is also decorated in a style intended to last through her childhood years. The decorative wood bed came courtesy of Prue’s mother, who often hands pieces down to the family.
Birds & Butterflies wallpaper: Schumacher
Birds & Butterflies wallpaper: Schumacher
The main upstairs bathroom, which is predominantly used by the kids, retains a sense of fun with touches such as the mermaid tail hanging over a towel rack and the dinosaur figurine on the countertop.
The guest bedroom is also upstairs. It features a delicate iron bed, also inherited from Prue’s mother. “My mum is a big influence in my decor choices,” Prue says. “Although she is a lot more eclectic than I am, I respect her vision and often seek her advice.”
To maximize the space and accommodate Tom’s wish for a large garage, an underground level was built below the house, which also features a movie room.
The garden was designed and developed by Gills Nursery and Landscaping and includes this gorgeous mature palm tree, which Prue and Tom gave each other on their 10-year wedding anniversary. The couple also added a solar system on the roof, which blends in nicely with the slate tiles.
The garden was designed and developed by Gills Nursery and Landscaping and includes this gorgeous mature palm tree, which Prue and Tom gave each other on their 10-year wedding anniversary. The couple also added a solar system on the roof, which blends in nicely with the slate tiles.
“The basement is known as ‘Man Land.’ Tom is living his dream down there!” Prue says. He loves his toys, and because Max and Mimi will probably have cars of their own someday, the couple decided to make the garage big enough for six vehicles.
The vehicle turntable was one of the couple’s design splurges. “We didn’t want to look back and wish we had done it properly,” Prue says. “We didn’t extend ourselves too much, but are now grateful we said yes to the turntable, the ducted vacuum system, the electric blinds in the living room and the hydronic heating.”
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The vehicle turntable was one of the couple’s design splurges. “We didn’t want to look back and wish we had done it properly,” Prue says. “We didn’t extend ourselves too much, but are now grateful we said yes to the turntable, the ducted vacuum system, the electric blinds in the living room and the hydronic heating.”
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Prue and Tom Walstab and their children, Max, 12, and Mimi, 9
Where: Brighton East, Victoria, Australia
Size: Four bedrooms, four bathrooms
The previous home on the site had burned down and the original owners had decided not to rebuild. Instead, they quietly listed the property for sale. Prue and Tom Walstab bought the lot and, after an 18-month build, moved into their perfect home.
The couple were drawn to the aesthetic of Australia’s Federation-style homes and let that historic look dictate the exterior of their new build, while making the interiors modern. Prue designed the three-level layout with Peter Wright, who drew up the final plans. The construction of the multistory residence was carried out by mckimm residential design.
The only departure from federation style was the choice of a traditional Victorian-style iron fence. “We felt it helped the house look established,” Prue says. “Federation fences are wooden and can enclose a space, and I wanted our fence to be open and unobtrusive. It also has a lifetime guarantee.”