Life aquatic in Annandale

A glass-fronted pool had everyone talking this week with the photography of 188 Nelson Street, Annandale hitting the digital space, causing ripples of admiration and inquiry.

It didn’t last long with the home selling in 6 days for $5.5 million to a cross-town buyer from the Eastern Suburbs.

The story of how it came to life has more chapters, taking 4 years of countless design hours and ideation. That’s perhaps why it’s so special.

The owner/builder bought the home as a traditional terrace with pokey back rooms. Although DA approval was already in place, breaking earth proved to be a massive task.

“The house had this wonderful double backyard that extended from the rear lane, sloping down the the home,” he says.

“We just dug and kept digging until we had a monster of a hole. There was no turning back after that.”

Taking its time to come together let a number of details become elevated. The textured rendered walls are a playful touch throughout. Cedar screens create privacy within a built-up urban environment. The roof profile is eye catching while welcoming natural light and north sun.

“All this certainly makes it more interesting,” the owner says.

“I really think sometimes that luxury isn’t necessarily about having the biggest and the best, but it’s about having these unique levels of finishes, and a certain feeling of comfort.

“I really thought about that, while trying to fit as much in as I could.”

With that attention to detail comes the homes flexibility. The studio plays the roll of home office, a space for extended family, or adding functionality for young inhabitants.

The backyard is connected to the home, becoming very much part of the living spaces. It’s easy to imagine the space being used for day-to-day routines, functional and low-upkeep yet inspiring.

“I was taking off to Bali every year and doing these meditation retreats,” the owner says.

“I’m looking at these beautiful spaces with their lush gardens and enriching environments, and I really wanted to bring that green aspect to the inside of the house, while letting it influence the whole backyard too.”

At the centre of it all, the glass-fronted pool is more like something you’d see in a design hotel or a mountain getaway. Like a piece curated for that particular space, it’s framed within robust retaining walls and delicate balustrades, the glass is held in place with oversized structural steel beams.

“As the son of a boilermaker, I have my dad who is mostly retired to help me with anything steel,” the owner says.

“That allows you to come up with beautiful details that aren’t necessarily expensive, but they add so much punch and character.

“A pool that you can see through is a piece of art at night when the family is playing, you have these mesmerising images of people and bubbles and movement like an installation that’s so crisp and alive.

“The end result is these beautiful elements and stunning moments – the highlights of a space.”

View the listing: here.