'It oozes soul': Ainslie cottage overlooking Corroboree Park just listed

This updated 1920s cottage at 52 Paterson Street is full of heritage touches in the heart of Ainslie, just across the road from the tennis club and leafy local park.

Harking back to its roots are nine-foot ceilings, bespoke cabinetry, three fireplaces, picture rails, traditional bakelite light switches and multiple full-height timber-framed windows.

Canberra building designer Gina Carmody, who specialises in transforming the old into the new, extended the home to four bedrooms to suit modern, family-sized living.

Ray White real estate agent Andrew Lonsdale says the integrity of Gina’s efforts stand out to buyers and real estate agents alike.

“The quality of the work inside the home is obvious at the front and as you head out towards the new extension at the back,” Andrew says.

“Some renovations I’ve seen don’t work anywhere near as well as what you see here.

“You look at the flow-through of the property and the floorplan and they both work incredibly well.”

But Andrew says the house is only half the story of life in 2602.

“It’s that sense of real community that is authentically Ainslie,” he says.

“Ainslie people are super proud of their suburb and of their diverse community.”

This is a claim that the seller of 52 Paterson Street, Libby Bailey, can attest to, having lived in and raised a family in the home over the past 30 years.

“We’re really embedded in the old part of Ainslie’s community,” Libby says.

“I’ve been in the same book club for the last 20 years with people I met at the primary school, where our kids went.

“Living in this part of Ainslie has really helped us develop as a family and build really long-term relationships.”

The front verandah of the Paterson Street home overlooks Corroboree Park and Ainslie Tennis Club, where Libby's children learned to play.

The Ainslie shops and bustling Braddon shopping precinct are also within walking distance of the home.

“Your whole life is contained within 15 minutes at the most,” Andrew says.

Visitors are welcomed inside the home via the wide entry verandah immediately have timber flooring underfoot. The entrance leads into a central, street-facing lounge and dining space, complete with an open fireplace.

The main front-of-house hub also includes a country-feel kitchen with a red-brick feature wall, Smeg 900mm range and a Caesarstone breakfast bar.

Four bedrooms toward the back of the house include a master suite with Sydney Blue Gum floors and an ensuite with a deep bath and double shower.

Two remaining bedrooms share a second updated bathroom, while a fourth studio space has its own bathroom, library and study nook, as well as garden access.

The home has plenty of storage, with a standing-room attic, mezzanine garage storage and a walk-in linen cupboard.

French doors at the rear of the home lead to a second wide-covered verandah, which flows into a backyard featuring mature camellias and magnolias, and a host of fruit trees.

Outdoor relaxation options include an alfresco terrace with an overhead ornamental grapevine, and a large detached room with a covered annexe which has space to store bikes.

“When you get the design right, the garden right and the location right, the place just oozes soul and it’s just a classic Ainslie property,” Andrew says.

52 Paterson Street goes to auction at 11am on Saturday 15 April 2023.

View the full listing.

Article originally written and published by The RiotACT.