245A Barkly Street

Some homes have history in their bones, and this Arts and Crafts Federation duplex has more than most. Built in 1914 and changing hands for the first time since 1984, it carries all the texture, quirks and character that make a period home feel deeply personal, with high ceilings, Baltic Pine floors, fireplaces, a statement staircase and plenty of scope to shape the next chapter. The front room is wonderfully flexible. Use it as a sitting room, home office or third bedroom, with garden outlooks and French doors opening to the verandah. Beyond it, the larger lounge gives the interior its central focus, moving through to the dining area and refurbished kitchen where a dishwasher, oven and gas cooktop sit alongside the original stove, now a gorgeous piece of charm in its own right. Downstairs also includes a bathroom, large laundry, rear deck, leafy courtyard and off-street parking behind a roller door via Pumpkin Lane. Upstairs, the striking wooden staircase rises to two huge bedrooms and a second bathroom, with palm-fringed views adding to the coastal mood. Acland and Blessington Streets are up the road for coffee, dinner, a glass of wine or a Sunday wander. The beach is just a few minutes away on foot, with Peanut Farm Reserve practically next door for the dog or the kids, and the St Kilda Botanical Gardens an easy walk for a quiet hour with a book. Trams and buses run nearby for getting into the city. Quiet enough to feel like a hideaway, connected enough to live the bayside life to the fullest, this is where personality, lifestyle and potential come together with warmth and a wonderful sense of possibility.