A Tale of Two Renovations:

• TULLAMORE: A Beautifully Restored Federation Bungalow in Wollstonecraft
• and RONA, a merchant’s home at 17 Bradleys Head Road, Mosman,
  both featured in Domain, SMH: LUCY MACKEN |February 15, 2014]

February 15, 2014

Lucy Macken

Lucy Macken

Prestige Property Reporter

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Tullamore “A Georgian(?) beauty“

(Don’t believe everything said by the Real Estate Agent, Lucy!)
In Wollstonecraft, Georgian-revival Federation Bungalow residence Tullamore is for sale for only the second time, as its owners, Lionel Cruice and his wife, Maggie, plan to downsize.

“Cruice, a former director of Gresham Property Funds Management, and Maggie, a former travel industry executive, bought the Telopea Street property in 1986 for $315,000 from the Greaves family, who built it in 1912.”

Tullamore, for sale: $3.9 million +

“After eight years of meticulous restoration and the addition of two bathrooms, a kitchen, double lock-up garage and 12-metre swimming pool, it is going to auction on March 1 for upwards of $3.9 million through Ian Hembry, of Real Estate Negotiators. The couple plan to move to the Gold Coast.”

RONA: “Out of storage”

• An Australian expat has snapped up the grand 1904 Mosman merchant home, Rona (pictured) for $8 million plus ahead of this weekend’s Belle Property auction (March 2014)
• Some 60 parties had inspected Rona which sits on a 1,445 square metre Bradleys Head Road block.

Plans by former self-storage industry boss Jim Miller, and his wife, Jocelyn, to spend more time at their beef cattle property near Jugiong, have prompted the sale of their grand old merchant’s home in Mosman’s Bradleys Head Road.

Out of storage: This grand Federation-style merchant’s home in Bradley’s Head Road has been with former Wallaby Jim Miller and his wife, Jocelyn, for nearly 25 years.

“Set behind iron gates and a stone wall, the Federation-era residence, Rona, sits on 1455 square metres and was bought by the former Wallaby in 1989 for $2.1 million, before being restored and modernised by architect Michael Suttor.”

Rona before renovation, from Mosman Council records, showing gothic featured turret and coloured glass transom lights in verandah.

Item 1: The Garden

Mosman’s garden is basically lawn, edge hedging and boundary tree plantings. Wollstonecraft’s garden looks much better loved, and in period.

Tullamore, 11 Telopea St Wollstonecraft NSW	Rona, 17 Bradleys Head Road Mosman
“A classic c1912 Federation Bungalow residence of sandstone and brick … one of Wollstonecraft’s finest homes. Tullamore is set gracefully on 1132sm of level land. It has been superbly restored and flawlessly finished with exquisite period detailing. Generously proportioned interiors faithfully combine period charm with contemporary quality to create a timeless elegance.” –http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-wollstonecraft-11538712	“‘Rona’ is one of Mosman’s grand merchant homes, impeccably restored and modernised under the guidance of acclaimed architect Michael Suttor. (Michael Suttor “is one of the most preeminent Australian architects whose houses add immense value when rarely offered for sale”.) Proudly resting on 1,445 sqm of private, level land, its substantial and gracious interiors offer a seamless interplay between its elegant rooms of yesteryear and sweeping living spaces ideally suited to today’s modern lifestyle.” – http://www.belleproperty.com/2P5746

Item 2: Entrance

Tullamore is a smaller home. the garden entrance is wonderfully vibrant.	The Entrance to Rona: undeniably grand, beautiful tiling and verandah frieze.
Persion carpet looks so much warmer	Black and white tiling is a Victorian favourite; coffered ceiling has masterly decoration

Item 3: Formal Rooms

What an interesting period ceiling we can marvel at…	The ceiling has lost any distinguishing features, and all the woodwork painted pearl-white.
The persian carpeting on polished floorboards is a luxurious look The cornices have been picked out in contrasting warm tones Gothic coloured glass is still installed in the transom windows The fireplace, so Edwardian, is a wonderful centrepiece in a beautiful period room, check out the bay window treatment. I prefer the period light fittings to chandeliers anytime.	17 Bradleys Head Road, Mosman It’s not only the ceilings, but the warm period floorboards are completely covered up by beige carpeting. The cornices, so very similar in both houses, are painted in just two shades of grey and pearl. Coloured glass windows have been removed in this room, anyway. There is a bay window but it has been muted.

Item 4: Living areas

This looks fun! A lovely canopy above and beyond.	Wicker chairs and polished floorboards remind us that this is a Federation home. This looks like an indoor lifestyle, but there is a tiled verandah beyond…. Apparently “additional features include a powder room, separate preparation area in the granite kitchen, marble bathrooms,” Perhaps we could see them somewhere here?
A working kitchen, with a period feel because of the neutral colours	There is a kitchen here somewhere, maybe not used much

Item 4: The bathrooms

A period bathroom, with original tiles and claw foot bath. Something to be proud of. I like the tiling frieze and original features.	There is a bathroom visible on the right, but not one of three bathrooms is pictured at all in the real estate promotion. Is that a message? Nothing to be proud of?
Ensuite bathroom off the bedroom	Where’s the bathroom please?

Item 5: The Bedrooms

There’s another bathroom! and a beautiful period bedroom with a warm colour scheme, not to mention the gothic coloured glass in the windows, and the beautiiful cornices.	A marble fireplace and pressed metal ceiling remain, but not an inviting room, is it? Feeling passionate? The windows look as if they have been totally replaced: the typical small upper panes of glass are just gone.
11 Telopea St, Wollstonecraft, showing all the benefits of a period renovation.	17 Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, showing no particular style, but plenty of beige.

Item 6: Outdoor entertainment

A viewing area, not for tea and cakes, too narrow.	A leafy outlook, but not for outdoor entertainment either.
Large 12m heated swimming pool enjoying a northerly aspect	Anthing you do outside?