By Briony Winchester

I can honestly say I didn’t expect what hit me when I walked in the front door of ‘The Balcombe’ in Denman Prospect. 

From images on Zango – and the fact it was recently named the MBA Display Home of the Year – I expected stunning. But what made my eyes smart ever so slightly was the overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

It was the Canberra red brick feature wall.

Because, in a way, didn’t we all grow up in the red brick homes of a very young Canberra? I was instantly back at nan’s house, waiting on a fresh pot of apricot chicken to finish cooking for dinner; expecting my cousins to come running down the hallway for a game of tips.

To see the red bricks so beautifully reimagined was emotional and, well, breathtaking.

And it doesn't stop at the feature wall. The red brick follows you through the property; from the living spaces to the outdoor entertaining areas and even the pavements outside. It's less a design feature and more a feeling, wrapping the home in the warmth and familiarity of old Canberra.

The Balcombe is the former flagship display home of Canberra-based Classic Constructions. Classic has been building custom homes in Canberra for 40 years, and when you explore The Balcombe you can tell. This was a display home designed to capture the very soul of our city, and reflect it back to us in a modern and functional way.

It’s a beautiful collection of rooms you find yourself wishing you’d grown up in. 

A family room with a fireplace for cold Canberra nights, a sprawling kitchen where everyone ends up standing around talking about Ricky Stuart and the Raiders, an open-plan living and dining space made for celebrations, and an upstairs landing that feels destined for Lego builds and homework sessions. 

It’s little wonder it spent years inspiring the new builds of Denman Prospect and beyond.

With two master retreats at opposite ends of the ground floor, The Balcombe solves the ‘parents and in-laws’ problem. Because grandma and granddad or Baba and Dedo or Gonggong and Popo can live here too.

Director of Classic Constructions Jason Tanchevski said The Balcombe was designed to reflect the fact that Canberra families look very different today than they did a generation ago. 

“We wanted to create a home that could comfortably accommodate grandparents, teenagers, adult children and blended families under one roof, without anyone feeling like they're living on top of each other,” Jason says. 

“For us, great design isn't just about beautiful spaces: it's about helping families create memories together for years to come."

Which brings us to Christmas lunch.

If ever there was a house designed to host the chaos of Christmas – present-opening next to a fireplace in the morning to a huge kitchen for food prep (and those hanging around, pretending to help) – The Balcombe is it.

Located on a corner block, The Balcombe's yard is filled with places to gather; around the dining table, beside the fire pit, while the kids ride new scooters up and down the deck.

"This is a statement home for Canberrans who’ve reached the point where they don't want compromises anymore," Jason says. 

"Rather than simply adding more rooms, we focused on how those spaces interact, creating a home that can comfortably accommodate large gatherings while still feeling intimate and functional for everyday family life. 

“It's one of those homes that photographs beautifully, but it's only when you walk through it that you truly appreciate the scale, the planning and the way the spaces work together."

That's what stayed with me most after leaving The Balcombe: not the scale or the meticulous finishes or the award-winning design but the feeling that this is a home built for family (and the occasional pot of apricot chicken).

The Balcombe, located at 30 Kondelea Way, Denman Prospect, is for sale for $2,000,000+. Inspect this Saturday at 11.30am or call Classic Constructions Sales Manager David Richards on 0408 629 547 for more information.

View the listing on Zango

View the Classic Constructions case study

Article originally published on Zango.