A glamorous “Caribbean Colonial” style home in up-market Mt Martha amassed a seven-figure sale last week, breaking the suburb’s house price record.
The swish pad was designed by and home to Kate Walker, founder and director of design studio KWD.
Ms Walker paid $2.15m for the 2022sq m resort-style property at 6-8 Glenisla Drive in late 2019, CoreLogic records show, before completely transforming it into her forever home.
RELATED: Grollo’s Eureka Tower apartment sells
Quirky home inside a kiln for sale
Home has 18th century imported bar with secret drawer
But after meeting “the man of her dreams”, Ms Walker listed the four-bedroom, three-bathroom abode, dubbed Biscayne, last year with a $7.75m-$8.5m price guide.
It sold last week for $7.6m, which Danckert Real Estate director Alex Corradi said had set a new house price record for the suburb.
“There was unprecedented interest, particularly from overseas clients on this one,” Mr Corradi said.
“Even I was surprised by the reaction to the high-end level of design. Genuinely, the interest and emotion it created, it was like someone walking through something they had never seen before.”
Inspired by her travels to the Florida Keys region of America, Ms Walker spared no expense including wallpaper by Gucci, Hermes and Ralph Lauren, Italian bed linen and oak flooring in her design.
She also imported light fittings by leading American designers, expanses of natural stone and marble and specially designed handmade rugs.
A bathroom with herons on a pink backdrop and another with striking blue tiles are features inside the home, while a tennis court, a pool and spa with a sunbaking deck and gardens can be enjoyed outside.
Mr Corradi said the new owners, from Melbourne, planned to “do an extension on the property to make it their own and fulfil the extra size that is required to suit their family needs”.
They have also engaged Ms Walker to ensure the flow of the home continues.
Mr Corradi said the sale had been “quite an emotional experience” for Ms Walker, who plans to stay in the beachside locale.
“She did design the home for herself, but the fact that another young family are coming in and are going to add to the home, she’s really excited about that,” he said.
He added that the home had attracted a “very high-end calibre of buyer” with some househunters prepared to pay as much as $30m for the right property.
“Although this is the current price record, there are other homes (in Mt Martha) that have not transacted yet that would be well worth $15m,” the agent said.
Mr Corradi said the “easy access” to Melbourne, as well as the “coastal community lifestyle”, was bringing in buyers who traditionally would have looked to areas like Portsea.
MORE: Three corner spaces may become super site
Couple sell home, buy new one 5 minutes later
Italianate Victorian for sale after chic reno
Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox.
alanah.frost@news.com.au
Originally published as Ultra-luxe ‘Caribbean Colonial’ home sets new benchmark in Mt Martha
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7xaKlmqaTmnyzscClZJ6rpJbBpnvMnqObp6Wnu6Z51aKaaK2cqb%2BiuNSxnGabkae2o67EmqVmm5%2BhvK%2B1wKVkoaedmnq0sdOsZKedp2KvprrCoaSaqptitq95zK1kppmiqbWie82erqxlo6m8s8WOmm5sa2abgnWxj52YnptpmIajscVxnZ5sZWh%2Fp4SYn24%3D