Home > Features > Feature listings > FEATURE LISTING: Luxury North Adelaide character home

FEATURE LISTING: Luxury North Adelaide character home

After 22 years, retirees Ray and Jaye Bessell are selling their beloved character home on North Adelaide’s coveted Barton Terrace West and it could be yours for upwards of $2.65 million.

Retirees Ray and Jaye, formerly a pharmacist and a physiotherapist, first fell in love with 101 Barton Terrace West for its heritage features, garden and location directly adjacent the parklands.

The two-storey sandstone terrace has provided an idyllic home for the couple for the past two decades during which time they have completed an extensive renovation.

Built in 1890, the home is situated on 567sqm in a convenient location nearby O’Connell Street and the Adelaide CBD.

“We first looked at it and initially thought maybe it was a little bit too large for us and then we decided no, it’s just so nice not to buy it,” says Ray.

“It has large rooms, high ceilings and a cellar of course – we needed a cellar.

“It has great character, inside and out. It also fronts a park so it ticked that box as well.

“We’ve never regretted the decision to buy it, it’s been a lovely place to live.”

Since owning the property, the couple has completed a major renovation that increased the size of some rooms, added a new modern kitchen, Italian tiles in the living areas, an undercover swimming pool and an enclosed garage accessed via a private lane.

“We spent almost a year doing it up exactly the way we wanted so that, along with the ambiance, comfort and character of the place, it has everything you could need,” says Ray.

The home is listed for sale with a price guide of $2.65 million to $2.9 million.

The couple is sad to leave their beloved home, but they need to downsize to a single-storey home.

“I think we both intended to see out our retirement here, but we’re getting older,” says Ray.

“We’ve bought our next home in North Adelaide; it’s a really good quality-built modern home but the new homes just don’t have the character and the comfort of the old character homes.”

A formal bay-windowed sitting room is located at the front of the north-facing home and provides the perfect spot for reading or relaxing in the winter sun.

Above this room is the master bedroom and verandah, an ideal lookout to enjoy a drink while taking in the sunset.

“It’s nice to sit out the front there on the deck with a gin and tonic in the afternoon and look across to the park and the trees.

“It’s a very peaceful place.”

Behind the row of houses is a large common area and circular rose garden.

With its parquetry flooring, a light-filled formal dining room features an open fireplace and flows into the modern kitchen which is appointed with Miele appliances.

The main casual living zones offer abundant natural light with a glass conservatory that overlooks the alfresco dining and pool area.

The garden has been a much-loved feature, with eight topiary olive trees and a fully-integrated watering system.

“The property was built in 1890 and it has lovely character features – stained glass windows, a timber stair balustrade which is a work of art, and sandstone brick all the way around,” says Ray.

“These old homes are just special.

“That’s what we’re going to miss; the character, the ambiance, and comfort of the place.”

The sale is being handled by Jamie Brown of Booth Real Estate.