Mid-Week House Snoop...Historical Glebe 'Reussdale' c.1866

This week's mid-week house snoop takes me to Sydney's Inner West, Glebe. A leafy converted suburb - somewhat re gentrified over the past few decades with many people still wanting the cafe lifestyle with a 20-30min walk into the city, but larger space for home and small courtyard. Glebe is a stone's through from Sydney city...

I love this fabulous Gothic style home c. 1866 named 'Reussdale'. We have some friends that live on Reuss Street & Wigram Lane not far from this marvel of a property which is on one of the main streets - 'Bridge Street' that runs into Glebe and Glebe Point Rd. What attracted me to this home for the post this week was it's beauty & clever metamorphosis from historical home to adept contemporary living with it's recent renovations and extensions to accommodate stylish practical 21st century living. Although in many [design] areas I'd like to consider myself a purist - this is not one of those - where design consideration seems to be thoughtfully executed to enable this historic house to be a functional modern home - combining purity with integrity.

Agent's Blurb...Belle Property.

Lifestyle:Reussdale c.1866 is undeniably one of the area’s most distinguished properties, set on a vast 880sqm landholding. This magnificent residence, created by renowned 19th century architect Ferdinand Reuss, has been meticulously restored and renovated to create a peerless family home ideal for entertaining on a grand scale. The eclectic delights of Glebe Village are moments away whilst Sydney University & waterfront parkland are an easy stroll.

Accommodation: Set well back on a huge 880sqm level block with manicured gardens, this grand home is divided into two private wings, one period, one contemporary, offering at least five large bedrooms, 3.5 travertine bathrooms, stately formal lounge with bay feature window, deluxe stone gas kitchen and conservatory style dining plus family room both opening to a large timber deck.

Features: Designed in the Picturesque Gothic style, Reussdale combines classic and contemporary details to great effect, including rich timber floors and joinery, soaring ceilings, marble fireplaces, glass louvres, ducted r/c air-conditioning, abundant storage, and double auto garaging with internal access.

Images from Domain.com.au & Belle Property

[New] Book - Handmade Home... Soule Mama

I have just received an email from my Amazon wish list recommendations and this wonderful book - Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule -was part of the list! What a lovely surprise to find a book that stylishly shows you how you can re-purpose - recycle - reuse items within your home into other functional aesthetically pleasing items that are fabulous for adults and safe for children... after finding this book and looking a little more into it I further delved and 'googled' about the author - Amanda Blake Soule and found that she has an amazing blog Soule Mama that inspires a following [of course] of creatives of a green influence, a mother influence and a design influence - and some fall into all 3 groups!

I found a wonderfully concise blurb about Amanda & her published jewels, written up on the gorgeous blog Inspiring Mama - by Ericka Taylor (check her out also on JuBella.com - beautiful work) -

Amanda lives in Portland, Maine with her husband Steve and their four children. At her exceedingly popular blog, soulemama.com, Amanda shares details of her daily life as a homeschooling mama intermixed with a range of creative projects that include knitting, sewing, cooking, re purposing fabrics, and much more. Of course, add in her stunning photography and engaging writing style and you'll know why her site has such a devoted and admiring fan base. And that's not all . . . Amidst all of that productive activity, Amanda also managed to write not one, but two fabulous books: The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections (Trumpeter Books/Shambhala Publications, April 2008) and Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Re purpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures - which is release now August 2009.

I feel compelled to thank Amanda, for her beautiful book Handmade Home [& Erika for her book review] for which I have now pre-ordered on Amazon [it is due out August 09 - maybe towards the end of August] and further inspiring me to look around my home - in my wardrobe and sewing cabinet to make stylish beautiful things for living and the little ones [esp. my god daughter's Ella & Charlotte] in my life. Thank you so much Soule Mama [aka Amanda] !

Images from Amazon.com

Palatial Homes & Gardens - Historic Aspects

Located on Sydney's North Shore - KILLARA, Arnold Street “The Wicker”, c1913, is a landmark residence nestled amidst inspiring Peter Fudge designed gardens. Restored to meticulous standards and flowing over three impressively proportioned levels, providing an enviable lifestyle of understated elegance.

I love the gardening style of Peter Fudge, his passion for strong simple lines and appreciation for the surrounding architecture is what makes his designs in-line with balance, rhythm and unity. I adore the pre-war architecture, the elegance and sheer regality that this home and surrounding gardens portrays. The estate creates a graceful and formidable atmosphere, where Palatial Living is at it's best!

Images from McGrath Real Estate