For organic farmers Sonja and Plamen, their perfect home was a design with simplicity that represented how they like to live
Residing and working in the Adelaide Hills, Sonja Bognarova and Plamen Paraskevov wanted a home that would work with their block of land. Luckily they managed to find just that with a design from Sarah Homes. "We've always liked the Adelaide Hills for it's diversity, climate, culture and many other things," Sonja says, who runs Mobile Organic and has an organicfarm in the Hills.
"We spend most of our time during the strawberry season at our farm, so we were looking for a house of moderate size, generous open living plan and master bedroom, and space to enjoy the outdoors as well." The decision to build their first home with Sarah Homes was an easy one, with the couple falling in love with the simplicity of the single story three-bedroom, two-bathroom Emily 3e design.
The design is built around a large deck at the front, which the living, dining and kitchen areas come off, and with three bedrooms further back. "We saw our current house in one of the display villages and simply fell in love with it's simple design that totally represented our lifestyle," Sonja says. "Apart from moving one of the windows within a room we haven't changed a thing, this design simply suits us perfectly."
With a six-month build time, Sonja was particularly impressed with the level of communication from Sarah Homes throughout the process. "Before we started building we were just going through the specifications and any extras, we appreciated the advice from Sarah Homes," she says. "We kept in touch with our building supervisor, as you can imagine they are in general quite busy, but he always did his best to get back to us or fix issues as soon as possible."
The flexibility of the builder was a massive plus for the couple, especially when dealing with their slightly sloping allotment. "Our block wasn't extremely difficult, but still on a mild slope so it required a cut and fill by Sarah Homes and some retaining walls by us later," Sonja says. Working with the best aspect of their block has ensured the house remains cool in the summer, shielded from the westerly sun, yet is still warm in winter.
"Our house has huge windows along the whole northern side of the house and we enjoy the view as much as possible," Sonja says. "Some of those windows are shaded by the veranda which we truly appreciate in the hot summer." Inspired by home design magazines and neutral colours, the interior of the home provides a versatile space for the couple to enjoy with their two dogs, cat and free ranging chickens.
"I like neutral colours of basic structures in the house, but when it comes to things that you can change I like more colour, structure and variability," Sonja says. Adjacent the kitchen Sonja has creates a chalkboard wall as a feature, while the island bench simulates a concrete look. Having lived in their home for two years, the couple are happy with its cosy feel and have future alteration plans to better suit their growing needs.
"We get a lot of rain here in the hills and boots are the most common footwear for us, that means that a small extension of a mud room is on the plan," Sonja says. "Although during the strawberry season we get extremely busy, we still enjoy it as much as possible, we love spending time with our dogs and coming back home even the dogs sigh 'home sweet home' - we are very lucky."
Features you will love
Outdoor decking: Make the most of any views with a large deck. which is one of Sarah Homes' signature features. Fit it with an outdoor fan. and it's perfect for enjoying the evening sun during warmer months.
Hardwood floors: Having hardwood flooring in the main living area of your home is a great way to cut down cleaning and is low maintenance with a quick. regular sweep. And timber creates a warm environment that's easy to maintain.
Tiled entry: If you're living on a rural or large property, this is a great addition to ensure winter boots stay away from the main living area. A great makeshift mud room that's easy to keep muddy footwear under control.
Bright, modern interior: The use of bright neutrals attracts light. which is only amplified by the addition of large windows. The ultimate way to make your home feel spacious and bright
Oct-2017 - The Sunday Mail Home Magazine
For more information about the house in this story please look at the Emily 150.
