This Nonna/Yiayia house in Lyneham has had some serious luxury upgrades

If you slept over at Nonna or Yiayia’s house a lot as a child (and let’s be honest, most Canberrans did) you’ll remember that your grandmother’s home had some very distinctive features. She loved wooden everything, brick archways, custom cabinetry, and her interior decorating skills included mounting an array of religious trinkets on the walls.

So this home, currenty for sale in north Lyneham, is more than a little unusual: it’s basically Nonna and Yiayia on steroids. It has a swimming pool instead of a chook yard. And a sauna instead of a fruit cellar. It’s like Nonna or Yiayia won the lotto and turned their little piece of north Canberra into a luxury retreat.

Ray White Canberra real estate agent Maree Van Arkel says the Lyneham home “could never be recreated”. Located on a 1220sqm block, it was built in 1987 by an Italian family – so it belonged to a Nonna, not a Yiayia – and has had two owners since.

Each owner has renovated or upgraded sections of the home to make it “theirs”, so while some original features remain intact (The kitchen! The shower screen!) some serious upgrades have taken place, including a beautiful pergola with built-in barbecue and a rumpus area with games room and bar.

The current owners are downsizing and hoping to pass on the unique six-bedroom property to a big family.

“It’s certainly a very distinctive house,” Maree says.

“People coming through are in awe of its size, and all the features that add up to an offering you just won’t find anywhere else.”

According to Maree, the property’s unusual floorplan means the home has three potential self-contained areas. She says the new owners could rent out or Airbnb sections of the home.

The triple garage has automatic doors and offers internal entry to the property. And then there are the views.

“It backs onto a reserve and the views across Canberra are just stunning,” Maree says.

“It makes you want to sit outside for hours on the huge balcony and take it all in.”

Number 21 Salkauskas Crescent, Lyneham, goes to auction at 11.45am on Saturday 25 February 2023.

View the full listing.