MELROSE MALMSBURY – "A Country Retreat"

Melrose Malmsbury has a most fascinating story to tell. <br/><br/>From extremely humble beginnings as a simple 1860s bluestone cottage and renovation rescue, the immaculate restoration and extension of the home, with its exquisitely curated garden developed from a horse paddock, evolved Melrose into a tranquil retreat.<br/><br/>The cottage renovation, which includes a most inspired rendered brick extension has embraced a truly beautiful home of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living areas designed and curated to be seasonally sensitive to cosy winters and cool summers. And the serene centrepiece is the enclosed courtyard with a tranquil pond, original flagstone pavers, Turkish windows and a designer metal pergola to support a fruiting grapevine and flowering fragrant jasmine – accessed through bi-fold doors on one side and French doors on the other, integrating the garden with the house.<br/><br/>Within the cottage, the attention to detail is second to none with the authentic original features becoming the stimulus for an eclectic seamless blend of new and repurposed architectural features, with recycled materials including wide brushbox floorboards throughout and doors from Calcutta and Pondicherry with matching crafted bespoke windows. And modern-day influences abound with high ceilings, including the original timber-lined ceilings in the bluestone cottage, and under-floor heating throughout the extension and in both bathrooms.<br/><br/>The Farmhouse designer kitchen is open and spacious with Jarrah timber benchtops, solid timber cupboards and drawers with a spacious corner pantry, Lacanche French stove and Nectar Bakers oven, ceramic double sink, Miele dishwasher and room for a cosy, intimate meals area.<br/><br/>The three bedrooms are most generous in size, the second having floor to ceiling purpose built-in cupboards and the third a study or work from home office. Other highlights are a walk-in closet for clothes and an additional private space or store, currently curated as a meditation room. <br/><br/>Bathrooms are exotic, one boasting travertine marble floor and wall tiles, with a shower room and the original re-enamelled clawfoot bathtub. The second an innovative design to incorporate walk-in shower, laundry and plentiful storage, with turquoise wall tiles complemented by a frieze of peacock tiles.<br/><br/>The meticulous planning of this exceptional property continues outside with a simply glorious garden by Potager Designs, now distinguished and notable as a unique productive and ornamental design studio, incorporating Mediterranean influences and dry climate plantings, including espaliered fruit trees, fruiting Pistachio trees, Quince trees, perennials, grasses, and an abundance of life contained within hedged garden rooms and bluestone borders. <br/><br/>The key features are:<br/><br/>• Corner block<br/>• Fully landscaped with mature plantings established over 17 years <br/>• Neil Tait iron features including driveway gates, courtyard pergola, garden shed pergola and decorative iron doors to the chook run<br/>• 12 x 3 metre solar heated in-ground pool with its own intimate pool shed made with reclaimed materials, including corrugated iron from the original stables, in a lush garden setting <br/>• Fenced vegetable garden with the original weatherboard kitchen repurposed to be the garden room/studio with views to garden <br/>• Chook palace with chook run<br/>• Gravel garden, terraced garden and the original rose garden, reflecting the original property name of Melrose <br/><br/>Additional infrastructure includes:<br/><br/>• Includes town water, with a 20,000-Litre underground tank and pump <br/>• Single car lock-up garage plus workshop/studio with concrete floor & power and built-in storage<br/> <br/>Melrose is truly, a unique historic lifestyle property, only to be found in the bluestone village of Malmsbury. It is close to the hub of community life, a block from the main street and the Botanic Gardens, well positioned in the wine and food region of Central Victoria and is within commuting distance of Melbourne (and Bendigo), with a train service.<br/><br/>It presents an unmissable opportunity to secure one of the region's most renowned prestige properties and put simply, there is no other property like it, anywhere!<br/><br/>Property will be open for inspection on: <br/><br/>Saturday 10th February 3:00pm - 3:30pm <br/>Wednesday 14th February 6:30pm - 7:00pm<br/><br/>Please contact us to register before these inspection times.<br/><br/>This property is being sold as an Expressions of Interest, closing 8th April 2024 at 5:00pm(AEST)