This new build, Hamptons-style home in Brisbane’s Holland Park is awash with modern interiors, stunning design and sustainable features that radiate true elegance and beauty, along with function and form.
Original Article written and published by CompleteHome.com.au.
It’s common knowledge that one of the most important decisions when building a home is to choose the right builder for the job. With such a wide selection of materials, fittings and fixtures available it’s also important to engage quality building professionals in the know, who can help bring your vision to life.
“We choice O’Shea & Sons Builders as the company is renowned for superior quality craftsmanship and is big on sustainability, livability and affordability,” says owner, Darren. “Nick (builder from O’Shea & Sons Builders) put a lot of care and thought into our house as it progressed through the various stages, which is reflected in the quality finish and through the ingenuity he showed in managing challenging constraints, such as the sloping block. He was also great at pandering to fussy clients like me!”
For O’Shea & Sons Builders, sustainability means providing their clients with a lifestyle – one that can only be achieved through effective design and superior products that have good warranties and are easy to maintain. “Homeowners want to spend less time and money on maintenance, so investing in quality materials will certainly be more cost-effective in the long run,” says Nick.
The builders were on a tight timeframe as the owners had put their existing home on the market and sold it within just one week – so all up it took four and a half months to complete. As avid investors who are renowned for purchasing property in potential growth areas, building a home to their design specifications, then putting the home on the real estate market when the time is right – they weren’t creating their ‘for life’ home but they did want it to be stylish and livable and also appeal to future buyers. Being ideally located only six minutes from Brisbane’s CBD and themed in popular Hamptons style with elegant beauty and timeless architecture – it certainly fits the bill.
Given the 600sqm block had a challenging slope, O’Shea & Sons Builders enlisted the experts at Jamin Building Design to help design and innovate, stepped home that would close the height gap and allow a linear view form the front door to the backyard. This was achieved by incorporating various ceiling heights of 2.4, 2.7 and 3 metres – which means it’s only a few steps to ground level from the deck.
“In the end we got a better result than anticipated. More earthwork was required than we originally thought, which gave us more fill to create a nice, level backyard,” says Nick, who was also able to craft a useable front yard by cutting and filling between the front and rear gardens.
“It’s important for the builder to get a sense of the immediate surrounds. Neighbours don’t want their space disrupted or a new building that detracts from their own piece of paradise. At O’Shea & Sons, we’re in the business of building communities – because we aim to create beautiful spaces for people to live in harmoniously within their neighbourhood,” says Nick.
Darren and wife, Lynette wanted their new home to exhibit quality craftsmanship and integrate with the existing streetscape – which predominantly consists of traditional, 50s, 60s and pre-war-style Queenslanders. Their brief included an internal feature staircase, functional kitchen and high ceilings, along with a decent-sized useable backyard for their two fur children, Millie and Paddy. Without a beach close by, they opted for the next best thing – bringing a relaxed, coastal vibe to the home with the addition of a pool and entertainment deck to add a touch of luxury for summer. Another necessity was for the design to be spacious without unnecessary extravagance.
“We wanted all the rooms to be a good size and be perfectly balanced. Some homes are built with rooms that are ridiculously big and too massive to fill – all that does is create more cost, so we tried to avoid that,” says Darren.
Keeping labour costs within budget was quite a challenge because Hamptons style homes usually require more labour than other builds due to the extensive detailing in external and internal timberwork.
Max Ward from Stairtec did a fabulous job with the feature staircase and upstairs balustrade – newel posts and a curved handrail reflecting a meticulous level of detailing that exudes prestige and grandeur. Timber balustrades and window hoods have captured the Hamptons style without going over the top, while the VJ ceiling on the large, pitched entrance to the home, and the spacious rear deck overlooking the pool feature refined details that provide an unrivalled wow factor.
The joinery and cabinetry by Bart Olsazanowski from All Fit Cabinet Solutions is another example of fine craftsmanship and clever design. The kitchen demonstrates good workflow and innovative storage solutions, and features European appliances, custom joinery and Quantum Quartz benchtops that denote classic elegance. Quantum Quartz Alpine White was used extensively throughout the modern home – the soft, warm white enhancing the natural timber features in each room.
O’Shea & Sons Builders also offer the services of an interior designer and decorator, Maree, who is integral to the building process, ensuring the fixtures, finishes and colour schemes work cohesively and achieve the desired look by enhancing the aesthetics, style and mood of each individual room. Maree worked with Ann Dowsett from Solomons Flooring to select floor coverings for this home that are practical and blend seamlessly together. Tiling, timber and carpets come together in many areas of the home, harmonising effortlessly with the wall ties, cabinetry and benchtops.
A neutral colour palette of white and soft shades have been used for a timeless effect, while the architraves, skirting boards, cornices and internal doors feature exquisite detailing. Outside, eye-catching lantern-style pendant lights complement the landscaped garden and modern, picket fencing. Treated timber frames, grey glazed windows, floor-to-ceiling tiles, a terminate reticulation system, wall and ceiling insulation, energy-efficient appliances and LED lighting are just some of the superior products used in the build.
“My favourite features are the hallway basin and feature pendant, the corner windows overlooking the pool, the gorgeous staircase and marble-tiled kitchen splashback. We certainly got everything we asked for, plus a tad more,” says Darren.
Through their connection with the Build in Brisbane network, O’Shea & Sons have a fantastic network of professionals on hand. Mitre 10 Mega at Beenleigh is an O’Shea & Sons preferred supplier as they have a great range of quality products and are able to quickly meet requirements. For this build, they provided everything onsite – from the external cladding right through to internal door handles and screws. Nick O’Shea also worked closely with Michale Tyrrell, building certifier from Building Approval and Advice. It’s evident that both are very focused on quality building, and their shared motto is: ‘Get it approved first time, on time’.
“People are often challenged by the decision of whether to build new or renovate. If we compare this new-build to renovating an existing Queenslander; this would win hands down. It still has all the traditional character of a Queenslander, yet is made from modern materials and building practices focused on sustainability and quality,” says Nick.
You can check out the full gallery for this stunning home, here!