All together now
Photography by Murray Case
Styling by Jayne Reid
Keeping three generations happy under the same roof called for a house that was something special.
David and Cassandra teamed up with David's parents and went from apartment living to a brand-new spacious home not long after the birth of their son, Jackson.
It's an arrangement that suits them all and six months after moving in they're still amazed that, by combining forces, they were not only able to afford a home that has everything they could possibly want ' right down to an outdoor entertaining area and a pool ' but it was also possible to decorate it completely before they moved in.
When David and Cassandra started looking for a place to suit their situation, they visited Porter Davis Homes Display at Caroline Springs in outer Melbourne, and when they saw the Brookvale model, they knew it was perfect. It's a two-storey house designed for large or extended families, so it was obvious at first glance it would cater for their three-generation arrangement, both now and into the future. "What grabbed us was the size of the guest suite," Cassandra relates. "It was plenty big enough for a second master bedroom and just right for Anne and Sam. It was important they had their own space and lots of it," she adds. 'We were adamant about that, as I think anybody in our situation would be.'
Both women are now working part-time and fit their hours around young Jackson and Cassandra acknowledges that for her this is probably the greatest benefit to the arrangement. "Anne and I are starting to get to know each other as friends, too, and we look forward to a cuppa together most afternoons," she says. "I was worried about us having different tastes in decorating, but we decided we were all making a fresh start and we'd look at this as a great adventure. That's how we decided on the resort-style decor ' we wanted to be on holidays all year round," she laughs.
A vibrant, yet earthy, collection of colours, fabrics and materials enhance the relaxed atmosphere created by the home's design, giving it an exotic appeal to delight the family during their leisure time.
Keith Fuller, senior designer at Porter Davis Homes, explains that the team's inspiration for it was to design a place with a practical main living zone based around an outdoor space, but without neglecting the other rooms. It was also important that the accommodation was more than generous and all the sleeping quarters had ensuites.
His favourite room is the additional oversize guest suite that can be made into a second master suite for extended families ' just as the Wrights have done.
The concept behind it was for it to appeal to Australian families because it's opulent enough to feel formal, yet casual enough to be practical.
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