Banking professional Ivy and her husband Waiy, who works for AusPost, first moved to Australia almost five years ago, settling in Brisbane with their two sons after relocating from Hong Kong.
For Ivy and her family, eating out is a big part of their lifestyle, a habit formed in Hong Kong. This is one of the reasons they found Melbourne so appealing. "There are so many great choices for coffee and restaurants here," Ivy says. "We're really happy."
They began their search for a block of land to build on during lockdown, a challenging task since they couldn't travel to Victoria. Fortunately, they had a good friend in Melbourne who could scout for them. "We were quite picky in terms of the layout," Ivy recalls of their search.
Their friend, who knew a builder, offered a game-changing tip. “He suggested we consider buying an older property on a good block, even if it wasn’t our style, and then look into Metricon’s KnockDown ReBuild option to create the home we truly wanted,” Ivy recalls.
They were particularly drawn to Melbourne’s south-eastern suburb of Mount Waverley because of its excellent high school options for their 12-year-old son. After much searching, they found the perfect block - ideal for tearing down the old house and building their dream Franklin home. “The land was just right, without any steep slopes, and the sales team in Brisbane connected us with the team in Melbourne, who were brilliant,” Ivy says, reflecting on the journey.
Friends suggested they consider subdividing the corner block, but Ivy was determined to make the most of the space it offered their family. “My goal was to build a home that fit like a dream,” she says. “We lived in an apartment in Hong Kong for so long, and when we moved to Brisbane, the kids really loved having a house. That’s why we chose the Franklin design. It was the biggest house we could put on this land.”
Lockdown limitations extended their wait time, but it soon became clear that this expansive family home, with four bedrooms and plenty of additional living space, could adapt perfectly to their needs. One of the major appeals of the Franklin layout was its emphasis on open spaces over closed-off corridors.
“We think that corridors between rooms are a waste of space,” Ivy reveals. “With the Franklin, you don’t have that problem. It utilises the entire floorplan, which is brilliant for what we call the usability of our home.”
Ivy loves the soaring void in their new home. “It has a real wow factor, especially when you hang beautiful pendant lighting. When we’re sitting in the dining room, looking out through the windows, it’s beautiful with sunlight filtering through it.”
Ivy also wanted a dedicated music room for her grand piano. “It’s really spacious, and my eldest son also plays the violin, so he can use it as his studio,” she says. “My husband’s hobbies are watching movies and listening to music, so we’re utilising another room downstairs as his home theatre, which he’s currently setting up.”
But it’s the kitchen where food-lover Ivy truly went all out, investing in Dekton finishes for the workbench and splashbacks. “I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this kitchen,” she says. “I love the contemporary style, and it was well worth the upgrade. When you put it all together, it looks gorgeous.”
Ivy has a spectacular eye for detail, from the tiles selected to the finish of the vanities in the bathrooms. She also put great thought into the lighting throughout the home. “I think lighting is an essential element of the home, so I spent a lot of time pulling it all together to make sure it looks beautiful.”
You can read more about Metricon’s happy customers sharing their dream home journey here, here and here.