A stand out on the street

This Mt Barker couple enjoyed a smooth build experience when they chose Gallery Living to create their new home

With plenty of experience on new house builds, plumber Sean King was determined -yet not overly confident -that his own home build should go. exactly to plan. "I actually met the work supervisor on site, which is a pretty unusual thing to do (for home builders), to tell him, face-to-face, how much of a pain in the butt I might be -I wanted to pre warn him," Sean says. "I've been on millions of build sites and I was pretty pessimistic going into (this build). "I know how many issues people have with a lot of the builders out there."

To Sean's surprise, his own experience was virtually problem-free, which he attributes to the professionalism of his builder, Gallery Living. Sean and his painter-decorator wife Kelly wanted to build a unique home for their Mt Barker corner block, that resembled nothing else on their street, and chose Gallery Living for the array of building materials they use, including heel. After selecting Gallery Living's Picasso 200 four-bedroom, two-bathroom design as the base, the couple set about modifying it to make it one of a kind.

They started by removing the fourth bedroom and the laundry, then slightly increased the double garage to install a European-style laundry there. The extra floor space created by eliminating
two rooms allowed the kitchen to be relocated and its orientation rotated 90 degrees so that the breakfast bar faced into the dining and living areas. A walk-through wardrobe, connecting the master bedroom and ensuite, was included in the modified plans, as well as a dedicated library space with nooks for book shelves in the living zone.

Sean says Gallery Living accommodated all their changes, enabling the couple to build a bigger home than originally anticipated and one that they will likely remain in long-term. "Our original plan was to build a small home and then step up (and build a family home later)," Sean says. "But the process ( of modifying the plans) was absolutely awesome. Everything we wanted to do, (the sales consultant) said yes, we could do that. '"If we'd had a salesperson that wasn't interested, and was annoyed with making changes, and wasn't willing to get us through all that, it wouldn't have worked (as successfully).

'With the work (to modify the plans), and the build, we're now of the opinion that we've built our forever home." Sean and Kelly, who welcomed daughter Saga shortly after moving in, now have a beautiful home, with a bold colour scheme that includes feature walls in terracotta, emerald green and navy. "(The decorating style) was all Kelly," says Sean, who saved considerable expenses by undertaking work on the retaining walls and other tasks, like installing the skirting boards, himself. "It looks really, really great. I'm proud of what Kelly has done -she did an incredible job with it."

The couple say they achieved their one-of-a­kind dream home and, given the chance to do it again, would only change the concreting outside from black to a more eye-catching aggregate. "If you drive down our street, our house stands out from everyone else in the entire street," Sean says. "It's the perfect place for us."

Features you'll love

European laundry: These homeowners didn't want to waste precious space on a separate laundry room so opted for a European-style laundry in the garage.

High-performance hebel: Building with hebel provides a greater choice of textures, finishes and colours for your home. It also has excellent insulation qualities, which mean lower home heating and cooling costs. and is a good option for bushfire-prone areas.

One of a kind: Ready-to-build plans are a great start but. if you want a home that perfectly matches your needs, make sure you find a builder who is happy to accommodate any changes.

31-Jan-20 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

This exact house model is no longer available, to see a similar house please view the  Picasso 195.

You'll never want to leave

Everyday life has a feeling of turmoil at the moment , so it's no wonder we're placing greater emphasis on the feel and safety of our homes and properties. Speaking from experience, I can say I've never spent more time in my backyard and garden as I have this year.

It seems I'm not alone, with many homeowners looking to integrate their indoor spaces with the outdoors to create calming havens away from the stress of day-to-day living. When it comes to building a new home on a courtyard allotment that incorporates these features, one design that does it extremely well is

Gallery Living's Picasso 250. Measuring 14.2m wide and 24.3m deep, this three-bedroom, two-bathroom, double garage design offers a peaceful retreat for families looking to upgrade their lifestyle.

The Picasso 250 design by Gallery Living is a beautiful family home that offers a relaxed retreat from the outside world

From the moment you walk into the home , which is on display at Miravale at Angle Vale, a feeling of calm sweeps over your body and mind. Gallery Living's marketing manager Jaye Smith says this relaxing effect is largely due to the amount of natural light that floods the design, created by the mono pitch roofline, angled to take advantage of the northern aspect.

"The Picasso 250 is designed to capture and distribute natural light throughout the home, particularly in the open-plan living area," she says. 'With its soaring raked ceiling, highlight windows and wide opening sliding doors seamlessly connecting with the side yard, this home gives its owners all the benefits and mood brightening that sunlight brings into a home, all year round. "

It's not often I find myself struggling to leave a room when visiting a display, however the Picasso 250's master suite has a certain charm, and again it's all to do with the light. "The master bedroom is located at the front of the home, with a spacious ensuite, featuring a Velux skylight to allow light to flow into the room but retain privacy ," Jaye says. The addition of a wall-to-wall built-in robe provides a discreetly functional element to a room that feels nothing short of tranquil, which is just what you should hope for in a bedroom.

Move back towards the main living space, you'll find there 's also a private lounge and a home office - a space which will make working from home something to look forward to. However, the main attraction in this design is undoubtedly the long open-plan kitchen , dining and living area , which features a high , angled ceiling.

This part of the home has a skillion roof, measuring 3.6m at its highest point, taking the spacious feel to a whole new level. That together with the abundance of high windows and sliding doors creates a light-flooded haven. The structural elements in this space also lend to the comforting ambience, as does the colour palette and furnishings.

"The interior has a crisp white internal paint palette which highlights the architectural elements within the home ," Jaye says. "The soft furnishings pick up on the earthy tones of the external colour scheme , with natural elements like leather and wood, complemented by the statement pops of dark olive green." An interesting feature in this space is the use of a carpeted segment in the living area, a cosy contrast to the stylish Quickstep compact flooring in cliff grey oak, extra matt, which covers the rest of the space. "Installing a carpeted section to the lounge area makes the area cosy underfoot and helps to define' the space and make it feel larger," Jaye says.

Keen entertainers will love the amount of space and storage on offer in the sleek galley kitchen,c omplete with a handy double sided breakfast bar at one end for mealtime. Overlooking the alfresco (optional), this part of the home will completely open to the yard - perfect for making the most of the warmer months ahead.

The remaining two bedrooms are down another hallway beside the kitchen, both with built -in robes and proximity to the laundry and main bathroom.

For home builders looking for inspiration, visiting the Miravale display is a must. Jaye says this display offers an inspirational delivery of the  design, showcasing how non -standard items can transform the home. "The display at Miravale includes some architectural upgrades, like additional dropped ceilings, bulkheads and window upgrades, as well as smaller fixture and fittings upgrades like tapware, kitchen appliances and benchtops," she says.

On face value, the Picasso 250 is a beautiful family home that offers a relaxed retreat from the outside world. However, it's important to not look past the array of energy efficient features. "All Gallery Living homes come with integrated solar power included in the price," Jaye says. "We make sure your new home takes advantage of the natural environment, for better energy efficiency and a lower carbon footprint.

"The orientation of your block is integral to the long-term performance of your home, so we will work closely with you to make the most of your asset and create the most comfortable environment possible."

We make sure your new home takes advantage of the natural environment

Features you'll love

NATURAL LIGHT: The mono pitch roofline allows an abundance of natural light in the Picasso 250 creating a calming retreat , no matter what part of the home you are spending time in.

PARENTS' RETREAT: The master suite offers a private retreat for parents, complete with a generous wall-to-wall built-in robe and a stylish ensuite with a long double vanity and shower .

ROOM TO MOVE: The Picasso 250's wide sliding doors completely open the space to the side yard , meaning you can integrate with the outdoors with ease.

RELAXING TONES: The crisp white interior is complemented by ashy-toned flooring and cabinetry, providing a warm , welcoming space.

23-Aug-20 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

Find out more about the Picasso 250

Modern Masterpiece

Like its famous artistic namesake, Gallery Living's light -filled and spacious Picasso 250 sets a benchmark in contemporary cool. Designed with the demands of the growing family in mind, the home's flexible floorplan boasts three good -sized bedrooms and two bathrooms, while a separate study and second lounge room provide ideal areas in which to find your own space if and when required.

The hub of the home is its open -plan kitchen/living/dining area, which is bathed in the natural light that floods in through the additional highlight windows along its full length. The well-appointed modern kitchen is the centrepiece of the open -plan space, looking out over a long island bench through boutique, wide opening sliding doors to the sunlit yard - complete with a decked alfresco area and outdoor kitchen, ideal for entertaining.

Along with the windows, the stunning raked ceiling adds to the home's overall sense of spaciousness

Another feature of the Picasso is its stunning raked ceiling, which lifts the living area with a showstopping 3.6m height at its peak. Along with the windows, this helps adds to the home's overall sense of spaciousness.

Natural light is also a feature of the luxurious master bedroom - which boasts a skylight in the spacious ensuite - as well as a generous wall-to wall built -in robe. The master bedroom has been cleverly positioned at the front of the home , away from the rest of the family living spaces. The sunlight captured throughout the day means your reliance on Gallery Living's integrated solar panel system for lighting and heating/ cooling is considerably reduced.

Other features of the design includes the handy double garage , which is separated from the rest of the house by a porch.

19-Jul-20 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

Find out more about the Picasso 250 (South).

The best of both worlds

When a young couple wanted a design that was both practical for a growing family and eco-friendly, they turned to Gallery Living for help with building their ideal home

When Yvonne Tee and Wei Yang Ng planned to build their first home, they had a list of requirements they wanted their design to meet: an open concept to allow for their growing family, a design that was practical and simultaneously as eco-friendly as possible. Sifting through various builders, the northern suburbs couple decided to visit Gallery Living's displays after a friend shared his positive experience with the builder.

Drawn to the Picasso 250, the couple initially wanted to make drastic changes in order to meet their requirements, before realising the design's simplicity was what made it such a standout. "As novice homeowners, we did try to make radical changes to the design but soon realised the builder's plan had a practical simplicity that was difficult to match," Yvonne says.

"However, we worked closely with the builder to tweak the design slightly by changing the location of the study, the alfresco and laundry rooms, and a garage notch extension for motorcycle parking." The family of five, with son Edric, recent addition Henry and tabby cat Tango, fell in love with the seamless mix of contemporary architecture with an eco-friendly design. "The main highlight was the raked ceiling which allowed plenty of natural light indoors, and our plot suited this with its north-sided placement of windows and glass sliding doors," Yvonne says.

Designed for a traditional -sized allotment , sitting 14.3m wide, the four-bedroom home makes the most of the space available. The concealed front entry leads into a foyer, with a lounge tucked at the front of the home along with the master suite, which features an ensuite with a lavish double shower.

Walking down from the foyer, the home expands to reveal the dining, kitchen and living area, a functional open plan space with raked ceilings and an abundance of natural light. The inclusion of sliding doors opposite the kitchen and off the lounge area allow the space to be completely opened out - ideal for entertaining and making the home feel even more spacious.

A hidden hallway behind the living area reveals the three remaining bedrooms, nestled around the laundry and bathroom, complete with a double shower, a bath, a separate vanity and a toilet. With a build process of nine months, the couple was able to move into their new home just before Edric was born.

"The original handover date was March 2016 and the final handover was early June 2016 due to some complications during the build out of the builder's control," Yvonne says. "(Gallery Living) was very flexible and accommodating to our questions and requests." Despite the delayed final handover, Yvonne says as far as first builds go they couldn't be happier, and have now lived in their home for just over two years.

"It's a very simple and comfortable home; it has a bit of a resort feel to it because of the high raked ceilings and large sliding doors," she says. "We also get compliments about the house, which is nice!" The couple says their home is great for entertaining, with sliding doors from the lounge area opening to an alfresco which overlooks the manicured backyard.

"Since moving in, we have hosted a number of guests - the open concept allows up to a dozen people in the house as we use the dining, kitchen and living areas at the same time," Yvonne says. "We also have a barbecue set on the alfresco area, a must for parties!"

Given the chance to build again, Yvonne says there's a few minor details they would change but in terms of a first build they couldn't be happier with the result. "Our son loves to go out to the garden for walks and just explore the area. We have planted fruit trees and have a vegetable patch to grow our own vegies," she says.

"We are happy with how the house turned out - it is perfect as it is for now."

02-Jun-19 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

Find out more about the Picasso 250 (South)

The right orientation

Energy efficiency and everyday practicality combine in the contemporary Picasso 250 design by Gallery Living

When choosing a new home, it pays to think about the long-term. How expensive will the home be to heat in winter or to cool in summer? Will it have good light throughout the day, and will it make the most of the view or aspect you have? All things considered, finding an energy efficient design that will help reduce your longterm bills and create a nice living environment is an ideal combination.

So look no further than Gallery Living's Picasso 250 design. Contemporary in looks, with a high-pitched skillion roof, a wall of windows and doors and a longish design, the Picasso 250 is all about bringing eco living to suburbia. This is the largest Picasso in a range of size variations, and the 250 showcases the design with one side facing north and the garage - which is a separate building - angled slightly in line with the block's shape.

Inside there are three bedrooms, a study, two living areas and two bathrooms plus a pergola and walkway link to the double garage. On the outside the home has been dressed in whiteish -grey tones and just as many of us will wear light or white colours on hot days, it gives a cool, fresh impression.

The front door isn't immediately obvious from the street, and instead it sits back a little way, past the garage and front living room, with a side facing entry point. It's a feature I rather like as it gives that extra element of privacy - and it  means you'll be able to leave the door open (security screen door still locked, of course!) to let sunlight or a breeze in without worrying that everyone going past can see inside your home.

The Picasso 250 does feel very private inside, with a series of long but narrow windows providing good light, and the focus is most definitely on the side-facing yard. The 15m-wide design is displayed on an angled block, but even on rectangular blocks, it will provide a decent-sized backyard behind the garage.

Its connection to the indoors via wide sliding doors and full-length windows is emulated throughout the design, with an easy flow of living zones along one side of the design and sleeping quarters running the length behind these main rooms. Gallery Living's sales manager, Russell Slater, says the Picasso 250 is one of the brand's most popular family homes.

"The Picasso design is a signature home for us and was designed to be a clever hybrid of highly energy -efficient 'eco' homes with the practicality of the modern family home," he says. "Energy -efficient home designs are rapidly emerging from niche interest to increasingly becoming a vital component of everyday family homes."

Built with lots of glass, high ceilings (2.7m rising to 3.Sm) and good insulation, and with louvre windows being used to their full advantage and for cross ventilation, the choice of materials for Gallery Living homes is one of the key differences of the brand, Russell says. "One of the principle benefits of avoiding using materials that retain heat for a long time - for example, concrete roof tiles and clay bricks - is that we can dramatically increase the glazing ratios of our living areas," he says.

"In winter this allows a large amount of light to stream in and warm the slab - the key thermal mass of the home. It's very rare for us to heat this home during winter days. "Also by using an external pergola with timber slats, we block the higher summer sun from coming through the northern windows, resulting in minimal use of air-conditioning. Plus, it's just lovely to live in an open, light home."

The Picasso 250's two living areas are a contrast: the front lounge is large but cosy, with lush carpet and black walls enveloping the space. It feels snuggly and nurturing, and is a space you would retreat to at night or in the middle of winter. The main open -plan zone is long, light and bright and extends from the entry hall, combining the dining, kitchen in the middle and family lounge at the rear. The pitched ceiling rises toward the external wall and it has amazing height, while the white walls and porthole windows add a coastal vibe to this long, leisurely space.

This large zone will be appreciated by families who want to keep an eye on children, whether they are doing homework, playing or watching TV, as well as those who like to entertain.  "It's perfect for families - or families to be - who like modern, energy-efficient designs and who place a high value on comfortable living with direct flow from inside to outside," Russell says.

A decked area separate to the house has an outdoor barbecue kitchen. It's a nice change to find an alfresco away from the main building, and this represents one of the many upgrades you can opt for. It's still within line of sight of the kitchen, but that's not a hard task as the kitchen is enormous, with its long island bench dominating the open plan and being the heart of the space.

A double sided breakfast bar at one end gives you a casual eating area, and there's plenty of bench space and a bank of storage on the back wall. "Everything is open and designed to centre around the kitchen," Russell says. "The style is clean and angular, which perfectly captures the light as it streams in." Like the front lounge, a carpeted zone frames the family living and this is a clever way to keep feet warm when you 're relaxing on the couch.

25-Feb-18 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

Find out more about the Picasso 250 (South)

Point of difference

The alternative style of the Picasso 250 design by Gallery Living makes it an ideal choice for a home, a holiday residence or a retirement haven

Gallery Living's Picasso 250 is the perfect answer if you're looking for a home with a difference and one that is open, light -filled and energy efficient. It has been designed to soak up the northern aspect with its skillion roof, raked ceiling and highlight windows that create low-to-high cross ventilation. The Picasso 250 is a unique home design with a modern mixed-material facade and a double garage at the front that creates much-needed privacy.

Almost out of sight from the street, the entry has been made into an indoor-outdoor focal point and it's this subtle difference that is appealing. With three bedrooms plus a study, two bathrooms and two living areas, the long 24.5m design has a thoughtful layout with a focus on open and airy rooms created by its high pitched ceiling. The first living area sits at the front of the home, followed by the spacious master bedroom with ensuite, the study, two minor bedrooms and a three-way bathroom, all running the length of the southern side.

This leaves the northern side for an open-plan dining/kitchen/family area, with three sets of sliding doors and windows opening out to the main garden. This home has been designed so one of the longer sides of the home orients north in order to maximise the home's energy efficiency throughout the year. As seen in the display at Evanston South, an alfresco with a timber deck and outdoor kitchen (upgrade) is an optional inclusion which adds a fabulous entertaining area adjacent the garden.

The central kitchen also looks directly design out to the garden and creates a real hub of the home, with a lengthy island offering ample benchtop space, storage and a good dynamic within the open plan. It essentially separates the dining zone from the lounge without, while still allowing wide corridors and uncluttered lines to keep the open plan free-flowing and family friendly.

Features you'll love: Let there be light: Square portholes line the open-plan area above the sliding glass doors for additional natural light. They add an interesting element to the unique design, enhancing the sense of space and a distinct feature.

Let's go outside: The outdoor area is perfect for entertainment and enjoying meals in the fresh air. The space can be converted to an indoor-outdoor zone and opened right up thanks to the three sets of glass sliding doors lining the north side.

Time out: The second living area set at the front of the home offers space away from the open-plan zone. Thanks to the distance from the main living area. it is perfect for movies or a read of your favourite novel in peace.

19-Feb-17 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

Follow the Light

The Picasso 215 design by Gallery Living is a light energy-efficient home

The four-bedroom Picasso 215 design from Gallery Living dares to be different. That's partly because it plays to its strength - making the most of a northerly aspect on a block to deliver a light-filled and energy-efficient home that enhances modern living. It can also offer a point of difference in street looks, via a mix of composite building materials and a skillion roof and raked ceiling with highlight windows allowing low to high cross ventilation.

The design is tailored to fit comfortably on a conventional allotment at least 16m wide, with all the main living, dining and kitchen areas located to one side of the layout. So the Picasso 215 typically suits an allotment where north faces one side of your block, rather than front or back yards. Naturally, it can be either side and the home can easily be mirror reversed.

This positioning will enhance your enjoyment of these main living and dining spaces. "This also means that the other wing of the home where all the bedrooms are located will be ideal for passive energy savings as they will be on the southern side of the home," Helen Lowrie, of Gallery Living, says. "This means the solar load is reduced on these rooms and allows for cool, darker bedrooms."

The Picasso 215's single pitch roofline is designed to maximise the natural light coming into the home and give it a fresh, bright atmosphere. The large, informal areas also feature an abundance of glass to let the outside garden views in. A natural courtyard is created behind the garage, accessible off the living rooms, allowing for a private outside entertaining area.

"Being able to open up to this area creates a much larger feel to the home," Helen says. The living room also opens out to the rear yard and an alfresco area (optional) can be built under the home's main roof to offer year-round entertainment. The generous, master bedroom spans about 14.4sqm, set to the front and allied to ensuite bathroom and walk-in robe facilities.

Across from the front entry point lies the separate lounge/ home theatre, giving you flexibility to entertain or relax. A partition wall here will house the TV while hiding the room from direct sight of the front door. The other three bedrooms line up intelligently around the second bathroom which has a separate vanity zone, and is tucked off a hallway behind the kitchen.

At the heart of the home the long galley kitchen boasts a walk-in pantry in one corner and island bar which looks across to the side garden. This design offers a nice balance of privacy and bright living/ entertaining space.

Gallery Living's use of specialist, composite materials in construction results in extra space built into their rooms compared with those homes built with traditional building materials and methods. "For instance, our living area is an extra 30cm wider than traditionally built homes which doesn't sound like a lot, but does add a lot of extra space to narrow homes which are only 7m wide," Helen says.

The Picasso 215 design has been very popular with a range of buyers including families with children and those without, Helen says.

01-May-16 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

This exact house model is no longer available, to see a similar house please view the  Picasso 195.

Build Long - Head North

Gallery Living’s Picasso 245 suits a northerly aspect – or a conventional block

The aspect of a block of land can be an important factor when it comes to choosing the right home design.

A northerly aspect will give living areas a great source of light year round and also provide passive heating in the cooler months, which in turn helps save on your energy bills.

Gallery Living’s Picasso 245 is a long design of 26.3m deep by 14.3m wide that’s suited to a conventional block, but also will provide the maximum benefits to homeowners if built with one side facing a northerly aspect.

This four-bedroom plus study (or fifth bed) design, offers sleeping quarters along one side of the home, preferably south facing, so that living areas run in a long line on the northern side.

At the rear is the main family area with access outdoors to a deck. The kitchen is halfway along the space, and faces outwards through a wall of glass and overlooks the side garden.

It’s well laid out with an island bench and a wall of cupboards and walk-in pantry behind it.

The oversized island bench allows for a casual meals area or for more formal or family gatherings, the dining table can be positioned to the right of the kitchen which also looks over the garden and also the home’s entrance.

This private side garden has been created thanks to the double garage which sits out from the main part of the home, and screens the side and back gardens from the road and front of the home.

A second lounge is off the entry hall and will be the spot for quiet relaxation or perhaps it can be the home theatre zone. It could even be the parents’ lounge as the room sits next to the master suite.

The master is at the front, and offers both a good size ensuite and walk-in robe.

The main bathroom is a three-way design and also has plenty of linen space, and is positioned between the other bedrooms in the wing behind the kitchen. The laundry is located here too.

The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

This exact house model is no longer available, to see a similar house please view the  Picasso 235.

Space Dynamics

Three young children rule the roost in this family friendly Picasso design from Gallery Living

The house's exterior makes a statement with white window frames contrasted against steel grey walls; the two-tone colour palette an amendment to the original design reflecting the homeowners’ eye for detail. Standout features don’t end at the front door with Gavin and Bec Jones intent on updating their environment after living in a dark and enclosed ’70s-style house.

"We really wanted a free-flowing living area," says Bec. "In our old house the kitchen was tucked out of the way, whereas here I can be standing at the kitchen bench keeping an eye on the kids playing outside.

"All three of them fit along the bench for brekkie and during the 5 o'clock rush my eldest can sit up and read her reader to me while I cook dinner." Home to Ava, 6, Eli, 3 and Piper, 10 months, the plan revolves around the family dynamic with the children's bedrooms and study parallel to the living area. These rooms are connected to the laundry and bathroom by a passageway that, along with the bedrooms, is one of the few carpeted areas in the house designed to reduce noise.

"With young children we were mindful of creating spaces for our family to grow into," says Bec. "At the moment the two girls share a room and the study is used as a playroom, which is ideal because it keeps all their toys in one place instead of littered all over the house.

When the girls get sick of each other it can turn into a fourth bedroom. "I am one of three children as well and I can still remember the fights we had over our one bathroom so when we built, we made sure to include a separate toilet outside of the main bathroom and an ensuite."

The front of the house forms an adult retreat with a second lounge adjacent to the main bedroom complete with a generous ensuite.

Having the rear family room at a distance was a decision the pair made in preparation for three teenagers who may like their privacy.

"The linen cupboard by our bedroom is the thing everyone is jealous of," says Bec. The storage area backs on to the garage, which was connected to the house in an effort to make life easier with little children.

"Joining the garage to the house saved space and when it’s raining it is extremely handy to be able to run the groceries straight inside to the kitchen," says Bec.

"The kitchen really is the heart of the home. We extended a deck outside from the kitchen for that reason: to make more space to congregate and enjoy the garden."

22-Apr-12 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

Find out more about the Picasso 235.

With a View to a Garden

This couple modified a Gallery Living design to meet their need for a change of scenery

For Susan Bak and husband Finn, moving to Adelaide meant building a modern home that encompassed a functional plan and easy-living environment.

They achieved this and more with a warm home library, practical study, contemporary bathroom, and an ultra-modern living area looking on to a beautiful garden.

"We saw the Picasso on the internet when we were living in Alice Springs and we immediately loved it," Susan says.

"We really liked the use of creative materials and that it was't just a square box like our previous home. "We consistently looked at display homes but there was always something we didn’t like and would have to alter. By modifying the Picasso we were able to choose all the features we wanted and could position the house in a way that was more eco-friendly."

The garden was always a big feature of the design, which is why there are large sliding glass doors leading from the library and living room, providing views of the outside area and allowing natural light into the home.

"When we found the right block of land we rotated the design to the north so all the living areas get the winter sun," Susan says.

"We now have a view of the garden no matter which living area we are in. We have a pergola coming out from both areas, and we’ve just put a solar smart roof on the main pergola that has increased our 6-star energy efficient rating."

"Because of the shape of the block we had to place the garage at a completely different angle. We also created different-sized rooms to accommodate our furniture, so the overall house has a change of measurements and a slightly different layout but still follows the original design."

The open-plan living, kitchen and dining area is a real highlight for the couple, who enjoy spending time together or gazing into the scenic garden. "It gives us room to move and we’re not on top of each other," Susan says.

"We can see and talk to each other but we can also have our own private time in the library for reading. "Because there are spare rooms, it also allows us to have family and grandchildren over to stay."

The colour scheme is primarily neutral beiges and creams, with coloured features . The garden is under cover and paved, with seating and a barbecue area, and there is also a utility garden towards the side that hides the clothesline and water tank.

09-Sep-12- The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

Find out more about the Picasso 250