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Home of the week
Miriam Hayes's renovated Victorian home.
Eight years ago, when Mandy and John Munro bought their 1940s brick home near Melbourne's bustling Hawksburn Village, they did so with a plan to remodel it into their perfect family home. Since then, they have doubled its size, adding an upstairs teen-haven for their kids, Ben, 17, and Milla, 14, and a kitchen and living area that's an entertainer's dream.
As importers of fine salmon and caviar, and producers of the Milla's range of olive oil and orange juice, the couple are passionate foodies, so creating a highly functional kitchen was high on their list of priorities. The kitchen, next to the outdoor and indoor dining areas, has become the hub of the home, as well as Mandy's favourite space. "I love the contemporary concrete bench, and how it blends beautifully with the more traditional Calacatta marble," she says. "And when we unpacked after the renovation, I actually had spare drawers left in the kitchen."
Throughout the home, pale American oak floorboards and walls painted in Dulux's Vivid White provide a backdrop for Mandy's eye-catching vintage kitchenware, woven baskets and flea-market finds. However, it's the lap pool that runs along the side of the house that has the greatest wow factor. "On warm days we push back the bi-fold windows and the line between indoors and out almost disappears," Mandy says. "We have had many a summer dinner party where one minute a guest is at the table and the next minute they are in the pool – it's a great party house."
