Building a dream family home is more than just choosing bricks and mortar, it’s about building a lifestyle. As a builder, Joe Dimech had the luxury of designing whatever style of home he wanted and with the best materials on the market. For Joe, his wife Jenny and their children, the Hamptons style and Linea Weatherboard™ were the right ingredients for their complete lifestyle change.
For Joe and his family, relocating from their three-acre property in Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula to Highett just outside the CBD was a lifestyle change they were more than willing to make. With three teenagers, two of which are visually impaired and unable to drive, Joe and Jenny decided it was time to swap the seaside for the city. Moving the family closer to public transport, universities and other amenities was important for Joe’s growing teenagers and the family’s changing lifestyle needs
As the managing director of the building company Leneeva Homes, Joe is no stranger to the building game. Being able to build a dream family home precisely to his and his family’s liking has always been a goal for Joe, and he knew he always wanted a Hamptons style home. When, in 2016, an old weatherboard cottage on a decent block of land close to necessary amenities became available, the Dimech’s knew that they had found the perfect site to lay down their roots and prepared to call Highett their new home.
A modern Hamptons style house was always on the agenda for the Dimech’s new home build. “The facade and the look was something we weren’t going to compromise on at all. It was always going to be a fully cladded Hamptons look. The [Hamptons look] to us(https://www.jameshardie.com.au/hamptons-look) is timeless”, says Joe.
Having run his own building company and experience working with many clients over the years, Joe had a wealth of design inspiration to draw from when building his dream home. However, there was no doubt in Joe’s mind that Hamptons style was going to be his family’s design choice. A weatherboard exterior, spacious open-planned living, two master bedrooms (for increased living flexibility), and an outdoor kitchen were just some of the essentials Joe wanted in his new lifestyle home.
After knocking down the existing cottage, Joe put pen to paper and sketched a contemporary family home complete with two floors, five bedrooms, three bathrooms, an outdoor pool, gas fireplace and wine cellar.
As a builder having built many homes over the years, Joe knows only too well the importance of building with high-quality, durable materials. Choosing Linea Weatherboard to fulfil their brief for a timber-look house was a no-brainer. “Our previous two houses were weatherboard, so we’ve always loved that look. We wanted that same look for our new build, minus the maintenance of real timber”, explains Joe.
Aside from giving the Dimech home the look of timber minus the maintenance, choosing Linea Weatherboard in the 180-millimetre profile fulfilled the family’s vision of creating a modern Hamptons style home. They wanted an exterior style that would not only look visually appealing but would remain timeless for years to come. Hamptons style and Linea Weatherboard were the perfect match for Joe’s vision. The deep shadow lines that are created with Linea Weatherboard’s 16-mm thick profile, is what gives a home that high-end, timeless exterior that’s reminiscent of the grandeur of Hamptons style homes.
“Linea Weatherboard is the best weatherboard product on the market. All you need to do is install it, paint it, and you’re done. It doesn’t rot, it doesn’t weather and you’ll get to enjoy it forever”, says Joe.
“Consistency is key with James Hardie™ products – you always know that you’re getting a good quality product”, he adds.
Joe ensured that every aspect of the new Dimech home tied in with the Hamptons look of relaxed, elegant and modern living. From the oak floors to the natural stone fireplace, timber panel accents, coastal-style kitchen and of course Linea Weatherboard, every element in this Hamptons style house exudes comfort, sophistication and family-first living. The Dimech’s chose calming neutral colours to achieve a Hamptons look internally and externally. For the external Linea Weatherboard, they chose Colorbond™ Shale Grey, Colorbond Surfmist for the garage doors and all window trims, and Colorbond Monument for the front door and gutters. Internally, they chose Taubmans™ Pebble Bay.
One year after deciding it was time for a new start, the Dimech family are relishing in their new Hamptons style home. With features such as an open-plan kitchen, alfresco dining area and swimming pool, the home facilitates a comfortable lifestyle that’s enjoyable for the whole family. In addition, the home won the HIA Victorian Project Home of the Year award for 2018.
It’s the little details that help bring this home to life and create a story. The house number was the original from the old house on the property, and the mantle over the fireplace is made from timber that was recovered from the home of Jenny’s grandfather.
The best part for Joe is knowing that every day he will drive up the driveway and see a brand-new house, even 10 years on from now he will still be admiring the longevity of his home.
“We wanted a low-maintenance Hamptons home for our family, and we got our dream.”
Linea Weatherboard 180mm
External Linea Weatherboard – Colorbond™ Shale Grey
Garage doors and window trims – Colorbond Surfmist
External front door and gutters – Colorbond Monument
Internally – Taubmans™ Pebble Bay.