IT was the kitchen floor that drew me to this home; a magic carpet of terrazzo in beautiful lapis lazuli blue and soft yellow.

The vendors felt the same way about this Hampton Road, Fremantle abode and renovated their turn-of-the-century home around its three terrazzo floors, including one in the huge walk-in-pantry.

The original section of the two-bedroom limestone home, sitting on 425sqm, has all you’d expect of its vintage, with lovely ceiling roses, fireplaces, wide skirting boards and rich jarrah floors.

The main bedroom overlooks a secure, enclosed garden and with thick walls and double glazing traffic noise is minimal.

The original central lounge room is a dignified space with a picture-window hatch to the huge kitchen, where soft golden timber benches offer plenty of preparation area, and the soft grey cupboards and drawers beautifully complement the blue of the floor.

This is a thoroughly modern space, with sleek lines and white walls that emphasise the gorgeous terrazzo.

A massive alfresco area is more indoors than out, protected on three sides by a soaring skillion roof ensuring year round use.

With its dramatic colours and a marque at the terraced garden end there’s an Arabian nights ambience that makes you want to linger.

Which is perhaps why the vendor’s daughter gave birth here, after lingering too long over a cuppa on the way to the maternity hospital.

Tea in hand she went into labour on one of the three large couches.

“Her waters broke and I said ‘we’re having a home birth’,” her mum says.

Mother and child were fine and the ambos turned up in time to take over.

It could have been a water birth, with a spa on the raised garden, where several mature trees (including a lemon groaning under its heavy crop) offer privacy screening.

The lives of its occupants is embedded in the walls of a home, and this one has plenty of character and a rich vein of cultural heritage from the early 1900s, to the Italian influence of the 40s today.

Fremantle Primary School is a short walk away, as are the delights of Fremantle and its many cafes and shops.

by JENNY D’ANGER

61 Hampton Rd, Fremantle
Auction
Saturday September 6, 2pm
Stefanie Dobro 0409 229 115/
Michael Harries 0434 076 229
Caporn Young Fremantle 9335 5977