keeping witches from landing on the roof .
The only contemporary elements seen from the street are the translucent , glowing door panels on the double garage that ’ s tucked in under the reworked home . This replaces the existing single garage situated under the bay just to the right – and that is now home to a guest suite .
Stepping into the hallway , a wealth of period interior detailing meets the eye – more , in fact , than you would be likely to find in an original , untouched villa . Everything from the plaster mouldings to the crown ceiling roses is as it would have been a century plus ago . And the ornate plasterwork is matched with solid oak wood floors in all three of the home ’ s living spaces , including a herringbone parquet pattern featured in the hall . The house exudes an artisanal feel throughout .
However , despite the classic finishes and detailing , the home ’ s physical layout reflects contemporary living at its best . Classic villas may have been beautiful but they were often dark and lacked flow – two failings banished from this design .
Facing page top and lower : The family room has a built-in window seat and storage , and built-in shelving with LED lighting . This room flows out to a level , grassed play area , which includes a mini bowling alley and a playhouse . This play area takes up the rear end of the triangular section .
Above : Open sesame – a traditional villa at a glance , this home opens up almost like a child ’ s dollhouse at the side and at the back .
Far left : The master ensuite features a freestanding tub and his-and-hers vanities , each with hand carved marble basins .
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