Mosman Park Residence

ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDING BY HUMPHREY HOMES

Block size: 960 sqm
Duration of Building Contract: 14 months
Actual Build Time: 12 months

Inspired by St Barts and the Caribbean, this authentic weatherboard home has an unmistakable holiday feel. 

Located in Mosman Park, this classic family residence takes its cues from plantation inspired architecture and has been designed and built to honour the traditional discipline.   What you will see on arrival, and while walking through the home, is an authentic white weatherboard house, not just cladding stuck to brick walls.   It is honest architecture that purposely has no overdone or decorative features, so nothing is on show for show's sake.   It is a pared back design where you can enjoy lofty ceilings, plantation shutters, classic black flooring, white walls and views to the ocean from the expansive upper balcony.   The excitement in using architecture that is deliberately pared back means that the quality of the craftsmanship needs to be of an extremely high standard.  Aesthetically, the design is very clean so the eye will naturally be drawn to any unnecessary embellishments or faults, so it is testament to the entire Humphrey Homes team to deliver a home of this calibre.

The brief was that every room should be connected to the outside, maximising access to the garden or views beyond.

It features three bedrooms - each with a private ensuite - plus a pool house and gym/studio (also with a private ensuite) and the design wraps the main entertaining zones around a central courtyard and alfresco with sunken pool.

Want to live like every day is a holiday?  This home certainly transports you there. 
Shortly after arriving in Perth, 14 years ago, I cut out an article from the local newspaper about a house in Cottesloe renovated by Dean Humphrey. I was struck by the craftsmanship and attention to detail which often seemed lacking during the boom of 2006. I resolved that if we were ever in the position to pursue an architect build I would engage Humphrey Homes. So ten years later, when thinking to build a timeless weatherboard plantation style home, Humphrey Homes remained the obvious choice. Not only had they enhanced their reputation for building high quality homes but they were then the only builder in Perth I had seen build an authentic weatherboard house (rather than just cladding stuck over brick). I enjoyed every stage of our building journey but the design phase became one of my most pleasurable creative experiences. I loved every moment of our meetings with Humphrey Homesʼ in-house architect, Helen Marchesani. We quickly formed a dynamic, synergistic partnership where ideas flowed easily. Having Dean the builder and Helen the architect in the same room throughout was invaluable. Helen quickly comprehended the feel of home we were seeking, while Dean provided continuous feedback on the practicality and cost implications of the various creative ideas we discussed. The team at Humphrey Homes work seamlessly to not only provide the best possible customer experience, but individually contribute to improving the final result. Everyone is accessible, informed, and clear on their role in the process. Each query or concern is taken seriously and answered promptly. It feels like each member of the team loves their job and takes real pride in their work, making for a very positive client experience. Time management of the build was exemplary, with Frank the supervisor coordinating the trades like the conductor of an orchestra. And finishing on time became even more important to us when my husband, Gavin, learned that he would soon be starting a new job in Africa. The team worked with great focus and intensity to enable us to move in before he relocated. In the event our house was completed well ahead of time, yet was still finished to the same exacting standard as all Humphrey Homes projects. The idea behind the style of our house was to build a simple white weatherboard home. It would reflect aspects of the traditional wooden cottages and boathouses of Mosman Park while referencing the Plantation style architecture of the Caribbean in which we once lived and still hold fond memories. The aim was to achieve timeless design with well-crafted construction that allowed maximum connection with the outside and enhanced our daily quality of life through a feeling of living in a holiday destination. Our house is a dream to live in and our goal has been fully realised. Light, space and flow make it feel open and airy. Zoning means the home is comfortable and manageable for a couple (using the main part of the house) but easily accommodates long stay visitors in the ‘pool wingʼ by offering everyone privacy and independence. It all works exactly as we had planned and facilitates calm, easy living. I would unreservedly recommend Humphrey Homes to anyone considering building a new home or renovating an existing one. I hope we never have to move from here but if ever we needed to build again, I would not hesitate in choosing Humphrey Homes. I absolutely loved the building process. It became such an exciting and rewarding creative journey that I was almost sad when it came to an end! Amanda & Gavin Ward (Dr. A.L. Ward & Dr. G.S. Ward)
Dr Amanda & Gavin Ward, Mosman Park