Inside the Brighton house re-imagined with a secret TV, bar
The house at 42A Black St, Brighton, is named Erina. It also dates back more than 140 years.
A circa-1880 Brighton house re-imagined as a luxurious home complete with cool tech is for sale with a $9.2m-$9.8m range.
Named Erina, the abode at 42A Black St retained its heritage-listed facade but was otherwise almost completely rebuilt during an 18-month transformation undertaken by owners Lisa Foster and her husband Bruce.
The project saw the residence’s rear half demolished and the front section stripped down to the bones, apart from the Victorian-era facade.
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Ms Foster said she and her husband bought the four-bedroom house because of its proximity to Church St’s eateries, shops and public transport, plus its beautiful Victorian-era facade, in 2020.
Afterwards, they embarked on a large-scale upgrade with architectural and building practice Stonnington Group, while the Franklin Group designed the garden’s water features, sculptural-like planters and elevated lawns.
The landscape and pool design and construction company is led by Dave Franklin, known for his work on television’s The Block and Open Homes Australia.
The kitchen is fitted with Wolf Sub-Zero commercial-grade appliances, plus a butler’s kitchen with office space.
Tessellated tiles and iron lacework on the veranda.
Ms Foster said that in re-imagining Erina, they aimed to respect its historic character through features such as high ceilings, cornices and plasterwork which were either retained or replaced as faithful reproductions of the originals.
“Everything from the front interior all the way to the back is pretty much a whole new house,” she said.
Skylights let sunshine into the outdoor kitchen pavilion.
You’d never guess that a television lies behind the mirror on the wall.
Individual touches include sensor lights which illuminate when someone enters a room and
a bathroom make-up station and mirror inspired by a similar set-up Ms Foster saw in a Tahiti hotel.
The formal sitting room has a mirror which, at the touch of a button, slides down to reveal a television behind it.
“The house is a fabulous place to entertain in,” Ms Foster said.
“There’s a beautiful veranda that wraps all the way around the house, it’s lovely.”
An indoor built-in bar even has lights designed to bring out the colours of cocktails mixed there.
A fireplace keeps the entertainers’ area of the garden cosy in winter.
A visit to a Tahiti hotel inspired the make-up station in one of the bathrooms.
Erina, set on a 867sq m corner block, boasts a kitchen equipped with a suite of Sub-Zero Wolf appliances and butler’s kitchen with office space.
The island bench is topped with Taj Mahal quartzite, a natural stone from Brazil.
Outdoors, there’s an undercover pavilion showcasing another kitchen with Sub-Zero Wolf appliances and a fireplace.
The main bedroom suite has a walk-through robe and an ensuite fitted with Taj Mahal quartzite, a spa bath and double shower.
On the first floor is a self-contained apartment that’s home to a bedroom, bathroom, living area and kitchenette which can be concealed behind sliding doors.
Erina also has a powder room, a gas-log fireplace, video intercom, laundry, herb garden, double garage with automated entry from Male St and two additional off-street parking spaces.
The house is close to Brighton’s Church St and Bay St, Middle Brighton Strain station, the beach, schools, parks and golf courses.
The gallery-style central hallway features polished venetian plaster walls and European Oak flooring.
Ms Foster said she and her husband were selling up with plans to buy a new home where they can undertake another large-scale renovation.
Marshall White director Ben Vieth said buyers who have contacted him about Erina include locals and international-based buyers, including some from Asia.
“We’ve had some really good activity from local families, obviously the location for this one being on the edge of Church St is incredibly valuable to the right buyer,” Mr Vieth said.
“And internationals who are wanting to purchase something in either Toorak or Brighton are interested in something like this, and that’s because of the quality of the build, the detail and the craftsmanship that this property has is rarely seen.”
The house is being sold via expressions of interest.
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