dwell. on the Northern Beaches. 130820

private world. The forecourt is
bordered by a towering row of
weeping lilly pilly and there’s a
gas-heated pool boasting both
swim and spa jets.
Take time to notice just how
quiet it is, both inside and out.
There’s no road noise and no
common walls, just the occasional
chuckle of kookaburras.
The main living spaces at entry
level are a study in simplicity.
Raked ceilings hover over
clerestory windows bringing in
natural light and the dark grey
basalt floors come with underfloor
heating.
American oak features in the
joinery throughout the house and
in the kitchen it conceals all the
clutter, with integrated appliances
and slide-away doors on an entire
wall of storage. There are Corian
benchtops and Miele appliances,
plus breakfast bar seating at the
kitchen island.
The dining and lounge zones
are separated by a glass-walled
staircase which connects the three
floors without impeding on the
view. Sliding doors open onto a
balcony where it almost feels like
you could reach out and touch the
bobbing boats.
The master bedroom also opens
onto this balcony and comes with
a walk-in wardrobe and en suite.
It’s teen paradise on the middle
level of the home, with two living
spaces, two bedrooms and two
alfresco spaces with a shared
bathroom and laundry facilities.
The lower level was
converted into self-contained
accommodation in 2018 and has
been a hit on Airbnb. Finished to
the same high standards as the
rest of the house, it opens onto a
huge courtyard with direct access
from the pedestrian stairway.
From here it’s a 15-minute walk to
Manly Wharf.
“One of the things we’ve loved
the most is being close enough to
enjoy everything Manly has to offer
but far enough away to enjoy the
quiet and solitude,” says Toni.
Narrabeen Park Parade:
highest house, biggest view
All you need to know about
174 Narrabeen Park Parade,
Mona Vale, is that the owner
is a serial renovator who has
been involved with numerous
properties over the years... yet
this is the house she loves most
and stayed in by far the longest.
And it’s easy to see why. This
two-level property is perched on
one of the area’s highest points
and features knockout, neverto-be-built-out
views in every
direction.
To the south and east the front
rooms offer front row seats to a
spectacular vista encompassing
Warriewood headland and the
surf, with the view extending all
the way to Long Reef and North
Head, catching a glimpse of
Narrabeen Lake along the way.
There are also fantastic green
space views from the back of the
house, northwest over Mona Vale
golf course to Pittwater and the
beautiful bush of the Ku-ring-gai
National Park.
Owner Jayne Beverly bought the
house with her husband 14 years
ago and says: “I love the view, I
love the openness of it, I love that
there’s no unit blocks around here.
I love that no-one overlooks the
house.
“We’re probably the highest
house in the street with the
biggest view because we see all
the beaches, and the lake, and the
Heads and Pittwater.”
The couple completely rebuilt
the original cottage and granny
flat, transforming them into an
impressive house on the high side
of the street.
It features four bedrooms,
including a magnificent master
with stunning views, a pool in
the sheltered backyard, double
garage, and two living areas
that can easily be split, enabling
the lower level to be leased
out through short-term rental
platforms for up to $1200 a
weekend.
“When we were designing this,
we had to put quite a bit of effort
into making sure that we were
secure, because we were on the
headland and are quite exposed,”
explains Beverly.
What they have done works
extremely well.
There was a 35-knot southerly
blowing last Monday when
Dwell visited yet the house felt
completely secure, the high-grade
windows doing a great job of
keeping everything airtight.
Beverly likes to keep busy and is
moving permanently to a 400-acre
property incorporating a wedding
venue and two guest cottages at
Limekilns, near Bathurst in the
NSW Central West.
She’s ready for the move but will
“... definitely miss the view. I don’t
think I could get this kind of spot
anywhere ever again, but it’s just
time to move on.”
Further information:
Nik Vuko, Domain Residential
Northern Beaches, 0416 029 417.
– Martin Kelly
<strong>dwell</strong>.sydney August 15, 2020 5