7 Barry Street, Kew

Built for Sir William Stawell, Victoria’s first attorney-general and later, chief justice of the colony, D’Estaville is architecturally and historically significant to the State of Victoria not least because it is the only residence designed by architects Knight & Kerr, who were known for their public buildings, including Victoria’s Parliament House.

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Built for Sir William Stawell, Victoria’s first attorney-general and later, chief justice of the colony, D’Estaville is architecturally and historically significant to the State of Victoria not least because it is the only residence designed by architects Knight & Kerr, who were known for their public buildings, including Victoria’s Parliament House.

Some 2560 square metres of prime Kew land surrounds this two-storey Anglo-Italian villa, where thick bluestone walls frame spaces rich in classical detail, preceded by imposing cornerstones and a dramatic arched entry portico.

Grand formal rooms and designer informal dimensions, a contemporary kitchen and family room, an evocative billiards room, a swimming pool and a gym complement the alluring accommodation of five spacious bedrooms served by four bathrooms and two studies.

The refined reception rooms are enhanced by antique gasoliers from Italy and chandeliers from France. D’Estaville retains ten original fireplaces and has hydronic heating. A formal sitting room, music room or salon, study and large dining room feature garden outlooks which bring the green inside – beautifully, brilliantly.

Sympathetically renovated and inviting informal living area, billiards room, family room, casual dining room and kitchen all make the most of their north facing orientation while French doors elegantly enhance the relationship between these sublime spaces and spectacular gardens designed by Rick Eckersley.

These gardens as featured in Australian House & Garden – November 2017 are a work of art, featuring a superb, sweeping north facing lawn, a hedged vegetable garden and orchard defined by beautiful dry stone walls – a stunning context for a compelling property just 5km from the CBD.