One night, feeling exhausted and disillusioned by the process, the couple sat down in front of the TV to switch their mind off the issue, only to find the answer right in front of them.

“It was an ad for Classic Constructions,” recalls Maryanne. “It featured their display home in Yarralumla and after watching it, I turned to Tony and said, ‘We should give them a call!’”

The very next day, they sat down with Sales Manager, David Richards, who immediately impressed them with his “straight-up” answers and can-do attitude.

“He got back to us with a rough estimate and Tony, who has a keen eye for building and is very good with budgets, was impressed. So we signed a contract with them feeling very confident.”

Despite the smooth negotiation phase, Maryanne steeled herself for problems during the building process, having heard of nightmare stories from friends and family who had built new homes.

Instead the process was smooth sailing thanks to a collaborative relationship and solid communication between all partners. Keen to be as hands on as possible, Tony and Maryanne were thrilled that Classics were happy to involve them at every stage of the process. At the same time, they were appreciative of Project Manager Dave’s ability to draw on the team’s expertise and experience to come up with unique solutions.

 

One example was the kitchen bench – now a pivotal centrepiece of their home.

“We’d ordered an especially large kitchen bench from a separate supplier,” explains Maryanne. “But when it arrived it wasn’t at all what we wanted and it just simply wasn’t going to work. Even though Dave hadn’t been involved in the process, he stepped in and sorted out the problem for us. In fact, throughout the entire process he constantly came up with better suggestions that consistently added value to our home.”

Having a large family themselves, the couple really appreciated the family oriented culture that existed within the Classic Constructions team.

“It was really clear to us that the relationships between everyone from the tiler – who did an amazing job on our bathrooms – to the joiner, were based on years of working together and trusting each others’ judgements,” she says. “That really impressed us and I think it’s one of the key reasons why the process went so smoothly.”

The result was a seamless build completed in less than six months and an expansive family home that is constantly buzzing with activity thanks to their two adult children who live there and another three who constantly drop in and out.

“Everything is centred around food in our home, and the kitchen bench is where everyone gathers,” points out Maryanne. “The kids’ friends drop round at all times as do our older kids and extended family; and we’re able to accommodate everyone easily.”

The high ceilings and clever use of space ensure that when the house is packed with people it still feels spacious and inviting. A huge covered balcony spills out from the open plan kitchen, dining and living area, revealing stunning sunset views and a perfect vantage point for watching Skyfire with a glass of champagne in hand.

But perhaps one of the most appealing features is the double-sided fireplace which can be enjoyed from both the open plan kitchen and dining area and the formal living room.

“It’s definitely one of my favourite features,” enthuses Maryanne. “And it creates such a different feel in each space. It’s intimate and cosy in the formal living room where I often sit with a cup of tea and a magazine. Whilst in the kitchen living area, people are instinctively drawn to it where they stand around chatting and laughing.”

Having lived in many homes during his lifetime, Tony loves the comfort factor of his new home.

“It’s a really easy home to live in and it reflects who we are,” he comments. “And it’s amazingly functional—no space is wasted and every room is used.”

With a keen eye for detail, Tony also appreciates the quality finishes – from the craftsmanship employed on the cornices and wide floorboards to the space maximising joinery. Not to mention the cost benefits of its energy efficient design and inclusions such as double-glazed windows and insulation.

And it seems that the home’s appeal is not lost on the neighbours either, thanks to its street-scape sensitive design and elegant façade.

“We often get people walking by who stop and ask us about our home,” says Maryanne proudly. “It’s a lovely feeling to have a home that we love, draw so much admiration from others.”

As we conclude the interview, the house has started to fill up with people—their youngest daughter Isabel, 17, is just home from a job interview and is recounting her story at the kitchen bench top. Her best friend pops over, and a few minutes later so does her boyfriend.  Her older brother, Sam, comes home from work and rustles around in the fridge for something to eat. A moment later another daughter drops by with a load of washing (her machine has broken down) and by the time we leave, the house is full of the sounds of laughter, chatter and the early preparations for dinner. The sounds that make Maryanne and Tony’s large family house a home.