At first glance, this St Peters property may seem like any other eastern suburbs home, however, behind the stone and brush fence is a magnificent piece of history maintained to grace the modern era.

Expansive lawns surround the 1880s Queen Anne Villa with meandering brick paths, a delicate fountain, luscious flower beds and established trees that are home to many native rainbow lorikeets.

The facade flaunts heritage character elements with iron latticework decorating the return veranda and white quoining accentuating the original bluestone.

Entering the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home, one is immediately struck by its grandness – sweeping ceilings with decorative cornices, romantic fireplaces, glittering chandeliers and leadlight windows all add character to the property.

Doctors Emad Ehsan and Samina Tariq purchased the property at 1A Westminster Street, St Peters in 2016 while looking for a place in the eastern suburbs closer to their children’s schools.

“Our son attends St Peter’s College and our daughters go to Wilderness School, so we were looking to buy in this area and fell in love with this property,” Emad says.

“With three children, we wanted plenty of land for them to play on and the big yard and large bedrooms were perfect for them.

“We would often spend time in the alfresco or on the lawns having breakfast or lunch together, and there was plenty of room for us to set up table tennis to play.”

In 2019, Emad and Samina embarked on a renovation project to update the property’s wet areas and optimise the layout of the living space at the home’s rear.

The couple had a JAG Kitchen installed beside an open-plan living and dining area that opens to the backyard alfresco through large glass doors. The accompanying butler’s pantry boasts a six-burner gas cooktop and abundant benchtop and storage space.

The former kitchen has been split into two rooms – a modern bathroom with a walk-in shower and freestanding bath, and a spacious laundry.

The couple also repainted the home’s interior to a crisp white that adds a newfound freshness and light while accentuating the property’s traditional elements.

The heart of the home is the large ballroom that emerges from the formal entrance hall. With beautiful cornices and panelling, the classic details are enhanced by a central skylight which allows sunshine to flow into the home.

“The ballroom in the centre of the house is so cosy,” Emad says. “We installed a surround sound system that is very nice as you can close all the doors, turn down the lights and cosy up to watch a movie.”

Four bedrooms emerge from the ballroom, with the master suite separate at the front of the home offering views of the return veranda. Across from the master bedroom is a formal lounge and sitting room ideal for entertaining.

The back of the home opens to the open-plan living, dining and kitchen space where the family enjoyed time together in a more casual atmosphere.

The expansive property is ideal for entertaining, with the family having hosted more than 100 people at a time for milestone events.

“We have celebrated birthdays, Christmases and even huge EID Festival gatherings outside on the lawns,” Emad says.

“It is great for outdoor barbecues with family and friends in the summer, and in winter it is lovely to enjoy the cosy interior.”

As much as the family and their friends love the property, Emad and Samina’s eldest daughter recently moved to Sydney to study dentistry, and the couple has decided to downsize.

Emad says they have found a beautiful property nearby with a smaller home and a swimming pool.

“Our youngest daughter really wanted a swimming pool, but we didn’t want to add one to the property on Westminster Street because we didn’t want to change the home’s character,” he says.

“If it wasn’t for our daughter moving out and the need for a pool, we definitely would have stayed longer because we have been very happy in this home.”

The sale is being handled by Kosta Zaharogiannis and Kosti Kaptsis of Belle Property.