Since I was younger, I have been obsessed with dollhouses. Not the dolls themselves, but their homes. It gave me great joy to design each room, maintaining their houses and rebuilding parts when necessary.
That obsession quickly spiralled into a dream. When I was older, my house was going to be the best (and weirdest) on the block. I wanted it all: a modern design, outdoor water slide, double-door garage and newly built patio.
I didn’t understand any of the precursors to how to get there (and had little interest in studying construction or home architecture myself). But it was a dream. That dream came to life today with the help of an amazing team of luxury custom home builders.
My dream house is finally ready. They were able to walk me through the process of designing, hiring contractors, building and maintaining the new property. Whilst I opted to not include certain details, namely the giant water slide from the roof to the garden, the design is one that I know seven-year-old me would be proud of.
I was able to work closely with an architect near the Mornington Peninsula who understood the zoning laws in the area. It perfectly hugs the hill it was built on, and driving up to it after work fills me with joy every time. The mornings are my favourite part though. The sun dips above the horizon at just the right angle in the summer so that I can watch it whilst drinking my cup of coffee. The rosy hues and cotton candy clouds are breathtaking.
The view from my living room every morning feels like a nod to my younger self. It reminds me of where I came from, and what inspired me when I was small.
I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to work on this project. As an added bonus, I had a custom staircase installation done during the living room renovations. Underneath the bottom step, hidden unless you bend down, is a little dollhouse. The exact replica of my new home.
Younger me would have loved it.