201A Barkly Street, Fitzroy North VIC 3068

What we love about this home:

We were gifted a relatives backyard to create our first family home, the co-location enabled three generations to live side by side, yet have our own private space. It also gave us the chance to custom design, along with Tim Adams, of F2 Design, a leader in responsible environmental housing, a house which showcased our commitment to responsible use of materials, high performance design, flexible living arrangements and natural aesthetics. It has been a beautiful home to raise our young children in.

The thoughtful layout and oversized bedrooms and garage and has meant that our family of four have all been able to find space to rest, create and engage in hobbies, whether it be the kids curling up in the upstairs nook with a book, building humungous lego cities in their bedroom, woodworking in the garage, baking and cooking in the spacious kitchen or growing a productive garden filled with fruit trees, raspberries canes and a veggie patch full of goodness.

We are particularly proud of the light filled first-floor open living area. The double glazed north-facing windows and vaulted ceiling provide plenty of light into the space year round, with the eaves minimising the direct sun in summer but allowing the space to be flooded with warmth in Winter. The stacker doors allow the space to be opened onto the generous deck, perfect for entertaining, a quiet brunch or a family barbeque dinner.

Integrated into the aesthetics and flexibility of the house, is our commitment to reducing our environmental impact, using reclaimed timber flooring and natural renewable materials such as bamboo where possible, and installing double glazing, solar panels and heat pump hot water system for energy efficiency.

What we love about this suburb:

Barkly Street is close to the action of North Fitzroy and surrounds but still a quiet, comfortable residential street. Shopping and a range of food options are a short stroll away while the tram routes provide easy connection to Fitzroy, the CBD and beyond. The eating and activities of Westgarth and Lygon Street in Brunswick East are also close by.

Merri Creek Primary School is within easy walking distance as were North Fitzroy Childcare Co-operative and Sunrise Kindergarten in Clauscen Street when our children were younger. This cluster of education options have allowed us and our children to build a community with our neighbours and other families. These are people that you see at swimming lessons, shopping at Peidemonte’s supermarket, school sports, or on a evening walk around the neighbourhood.

Why we are selling:

We built this home with the contribution of land from a relative who lived in 201 Barkly Street. It was a great multi-generational arrangement which provided the kids with a valuable connection to an older person. Due to their changing circumstances, that property is being sold, and this has been the catalyst for us to also make the change.

Having been so involved in design the house which has suited us so well for the past nine years, we will miss it, but it is an opportunity to explore something different for a growing family.

Any other information:

• Recycled Messmate timber floorboards
• Bamboo kitchen cabinets
• Large island bench in kitchen
• Walk-in robe in master bedroom with custom joinery and timber benchtop
• LED lighting throughout
• Efficient heat pump hot water system
• A 3.2kw solar system
• Hard-wired smoke detector
• Daikin split-system heating and cooling for living area
• Ducted gas heating to all rooms
• North-facing first-floor open living area, with vaulted ceiling
• Double-glazed windows
• Separate laundry
• Insulated cellar/pantry in garage
• Veggie garden
• Custom made window furnishings from sustainably sourced materials by Ink & Spindle