51 Foveaux Street, Ainslie, ACT 2602

There is a quiet and refined materiality at work, perfectly in tune with the innate grace of the home. Freshly painted crisp white walls allow the period details to shine and there is the warming note of new hardwood flooring. High ceilings, decorative cornices, picture rails and a timber mantle usher in the nostalgia of a bygone era.

It is hard not to feel lovingly protective of Canberra's red brick homes, with their pretty cottage forms, peaked rooflines and large timber windows overlooking picturesque old growth gardens. Ainslie is famous for its well-preserved history, community living and old-world cottages resting behind tree lined footpaths. 51 Foveaux belongs to this nostalgic tradition. This 1940's charmer tugs immediately at the heart strings, calling your attention to its character and beautiful original details. Lovingly renovated and updated for modern life the home manages a sensitive marriage of old and new

Sitting at the highly sought-after city end of Ainslie, within sight of the Mt Ainslie Reserve entrance and moments from the local Ainslie shops, this wonderful four-bedder is immersed within the leafy village life of old Ainslie while being at the centre of the action - whisper close to the alluring Braddon precinct, a hairbreadth from the CBD.

The home's unique facade is instantly recognisable to Ainslie locals. It has the stately feel of architectural significance while also feeling as welcoming as an old friend. Paths wend their way through pretty cottage gardens teeming with roses, fruit trees and mixed perennials. The front porch an inviting nook for afternoon tea with the neighbours or perhaps a well-earned gin & tonic after a hard day. And why not celebrate a coming home to a quieter world? This home has the feel of sanctuary with its soft allure and gentle beauty.

We love the wide entrance hall, the generous combined front living and dining room with its restored fireplace and large windows welcoming the light and texture of the garden within. And the bright modern kitchen, completed with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and an antique wood fuel Rayburn cooker, looking every bit at home within the simple modern amenity, for woodfired pizzas or perhaps an authentic sourdough loaf? From here you can spill to the north-facing rear deck which floats like a pavilion on the expansive stretch of green lawns, shaded by old-growth trees and teeming with native birdlife.

There are three generous bedrooms and an additional fourth multi-purpose room that adjoins the master bedroom. This flexible double room arrangement lends itself to use as home office, second living nook, dressing room or nursery. There are plenty of built-in-robes for seamless storage and a central bathroom with separate toilet. The vintage bathroom is lovely with its cornflower blue bathtub and matching tiles with delicate floral emblems.

Naturally warm in winter, cool in summer, the home's double-brick exterior has been enhanced with Supafil wall insulation, cross-hatched R6.7 ceiling insulation and double-layer floorboards plus R2.5 underfloor insulation.  Reverse cycle cooling/heating, newly installed in 2024, supplements the modern low-emission woodstove in the living room. Professional draft-proofing, reversible energy efficient ceiling fans, roll-down western window shutters and solarpanel-ready electricals complete the impressive energy efficient upgrades.

This quintessential Ainslie home is an easy five-minute stroll to Ainslie shops, well-loved for Edgar's Gastro pub and the award-winning IGA.  And the entrance to the walking and biking trails of Mt Ainslie Reserve is less than a minute's walk away. A stone's throw from the independent eateries, shops and bars of the dynamic Dickson and Braddon precincts, the home serves up a wonderful urban lifestyle while steeped in the other worldly refuge of village life. Close to transport including bike paths and light rail, providing fast links to all of Canberra, the home is also zoned for desirable public schools, close to excellent private schools and convenient for the ANU. It is a mere 5 minutes to the CBD by car.


features.
.classic Canberra red brick 1940's home (no heritage restrictions)
.generous living floor area 146m2 and block size 948m2 (approx.)
.modernised and extended home with light filled interiors
.updated kitchen with granite bench tops, dishwasher, generous storage 
.original brick kitchen hearth with stand-alone Belling double-oven, plus original antique Rayburn wood fuel stove – also with two ovens and hotplates 
.second inbuilt Nectre wood fuel stove in living room – modern clean-burning design with internal fan, provides even heat throughout the whole house
.energy efficient all-electric reverse cycle heating/cooling (2024), reversible energy efficient ceiling fans (2024), electric hot water
.new insulation to ceiling, walls and floor and professional draft-proofing (2024)
.electrical upgrades – solar panel ready
.large windows, 11 ft high ceilings
.beautiful new South Coast hardwood floors, insulated underneath with original floorboards and added foam insulation
.three large bedrooms all with built in wardrobes and fourth multipurpose bedroom/study/dressing room
.large master bedroom with feature north-facing corner window
.kitchen spilling to covered decking overlooking the gardens
.large separate laundry room
.beautiful character features remain, picture rails, timber mantle, original doors with antique glass, bread box, horsehair plaster ceilings/cornices, terracotta roof tiles
.carport and large lockable storage shed
.established gardens brimming with mature trees and plantings
.termite perimeter system for peace of mind
.direct access to Mt Ainslie Reserve at the top of the street 

FINE DETAILS (all approximate):

Land size: 947 m2
Build size: 142 m2 (approx.)
EER: 5.0
Zoning: RZ1

Build year: 1945

Rates: $6,369.68 pa
Land tax: $13,747 pa (investors only)
UV: $1,220,000 (2024)