Couple commits suburb treason after falling in love with southside dream home

Marcus and Alison Emery with their son Hugo and prized-pet Burrito. The Emery's have decided to downsize and bade farewell to their brilliantly designed home. Picture: Supplied

Marcus and Alison Emery with their son Hugo and prized-pet Burrito. The Emery’s have decided to downsize and bid farewell to their brilliantly designed home. Picture: Supplied

When professional couple Alison and Marcus Emery returned from Sydney seven years ago, they had their heart set on Brisbane’s northside.

Their reference point was Kedron, having lived not far from the Padua school precinct that draws families to the area like moths to a flame, in the early 2000s.

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Little did they think they would be committing, what some may call northside treason, to settle for a suburb on the southside but almost the same distance from the CBD.

The facade at 60 Days Ave, Yeronga, gives up little of what’s to come when you walk through the front door. Picture: Hutton & Hutton

Their calling was a brilliantly architecturally designed home, so deceptive that when they arrived at 60 Days Ave, Yeronga it looked like any other run-of-the-mill Queenslander on a large block — until they stepped through the front door.

Awaiting them was a five-bedroom ‘private resort’, including a guest wing at the rear with an adjoining bathroom, and an internal courtyard that could be viewed or accessed from basically all areas.

The internal court yard opens up to all areas of the brilliant James Russell-designed interior of the house. Picture: Hutton & Hutton

Designed by renowned Queensland architect James Russell, this was no ordinary house and as far removed as the Emerys had wanted from a contemporary home.

“We loved Kedron and when we were coming back to Brisbane, we automatically defaulted to the northside and it was our starting point, and we also looked at Newmarket, but it was dependent on the house and the location,” Ms Emery said.

The living area is another spacious room to relax in at 60 Days Ave, Yeronga. Picture: Hutton & Hutton

“The homes we were looking at were all modern and very similar and I didn’t want to leave Sydney and go from one modern home to another, I wanted something with a quintessential Queensland feel about it.

“This just had a sense of space and freedom.

“It’s a cool house in summer and you get a beautiful breeze coming through. It’s resort-style living and it’s calming, comfortable and peaceful.”

Wall-to-wall bifolds open up the kitchen to the internal courtyard. Picture: Hutton & Hutton

The ‘resort’ served the couple, and their 20-year-old son, well during Covid, with one room being converted into a home office.

However, with the likelihood of being empty nesters within 12 months and the house being too big for just two of them, they have decided to downsize.

Ms Emery said ideally they would have preferred to have stayed another year, but the property market was so hot, they decided to bring forward their downsizing plans.

They have bought an apartment, also in Yeronga, that will be ready to move into in November.

The pool area is its own retreat at 60 Days Ave, Yeronga which is on the market. Picture: Hutton & Hutton

“Queenslanders are wonderful, but it takes a lot of work with a garden and pool and you have to maintain it to keep it looking pristine, and so we thought about what the next stage for us was,” she said.

“The heart was saying no, but the head was saying; ‘think pragmatically and about your future’ and now seems to be the time to sell and give us that buffer we need, given the uncertainty of the times.

“We also want to be able to enjoy our lives and we want to, when the borders open up, travel again and be able to lock it up and just leave it.”

After seven years of living in a resort-themed home, Alison and Marcus Emery are ready to downsize. Picture: Hutton & Hutton

Marketing agent Elisa McMahon, from Hutton & Hutton, said it was a home that would make any northside house hunter want to live south of the Brisbane River.

“I truly believe it’s a property you would move from other areas in Brisbane just to be in,” Ms McMahon said.

“Architecturally designed homes are highly sought-after by astute and well-educated buyers.

“Families, once they buy one, generally hold on to them for a long time.”

Even the master bedroom opens to the internal courtyard an indoor-outdoor living experience. Picture: Supplied

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