When Ali and Justin discovered their Rose Park home 13 years ago, it ticked all the boxes.

It was a character home located on the city fringe that required minimal upgrades.

“The thing we fell in love with when we went to the open inspection is it’s just got a beautiful feel about it,” says Ali, a marriage celebrant and public relations consultant.

“We were just about to get married in the following March so we were starting to think about family and having the kids in a really nice area with good schools nearby and close to all the fabulous things Adelaide has to offer.”

Ali also loved the character of the villa, which has retained many of its heritage features, including original leadlight windows and fireplaces.

“I’ve always thought Adelaide is so special in that we’ve got such beautiful homes and architecture from the 1900s and it was a classic Victorian villa and we just fell in love straight away,” says Ali.

Another drawcard was a beautiful extension designed by Urban Habitats.

It was easy to live in – we could see that straight away. We didn’t have to do a thousand things to it. We were going to be able to move in and we could really enjoy a nice lifestyle immediately,” Ali says.

The home only needed some minor improvements including renovating the ensuite and main bathroom, replacing the slate floors at the rear with solid timber, repointing the façade and building a large shed used as a man cave by Justin, a consultant.

These days, the four-bedroomed house features the master suite, with a spacious walk-in wardrobe, as well as an additional bathroom, an open plan kitchen, family and dining area and space for two cars.

Outdoors, the former owners had created a beautiful established garden, brimming with hedges and lush green areas. Over the years, Ali and Justin have added a few more plantings such as crepe myrtles and new trees.

“What we love about sitting at the back is you actually feel very surrounded by green,” says Ali.

When it comes to her favourite part of their home, Ali says it is the open plan living space at the rear, where the kitchen flows to the lounge and dining room, making a great entertaining space.

“We’ve raised two children here and we’ve had some very special times in it,” she says.

Another favourite spot is out on the front verandah, with a glass of wine, enjoying the beautiful afternoon sunlight.

But after 13 lovely years, Ali and Justin are now moving onto a new restoration project of a nearby historic villa.

“We wanted to stay in the area, that was a big one for us. We had looked outside this area and we thought, we can’t beat it…so we haven’t moved far at all,” says Ali.

While they are ready for their new project, Ali says they will always feel sentimental about this home and the family memories they have created here.

“It was our first time together as husband and wife and then we brought our children home here from the hospital after they were born, and we raised them here and that’s a hard one to leave,” she says.

“So, it’s a bit sad… but onwards and upwards to the new chapter and the new home.

“I just look forward to someone else coming in and seeing what we saw, feeling the beautiful energy of this house and hopefully creating family memories here, too.”

The sale of 46 Swaine Avenue, Rose Park is being handled by Brett Pilgrim and Albee Liang from Harcourts Pilgrim.