Details: 4 Bed, 2 Bath, 2 Living residence

First home owners Molly and Campbell assumed that Peter Bowen Homes’ pre-designed plans were set in stone. But when their building consultant took out a pencil and eraser and started marking up changes right there in front of them, the young couple realised the possibilities were endless.

With a lovely wide block upon which to build their first home, Campbell and Molly were looking for something beyond the standard long, narrow homes that dominated their neighbourhood.

They visited many display homes but couldn’t imagine living in any of them. It always felt, Molly says, like walking into someone else’s life.

Then they came to Peter Bowen Homes and immediately felt the difference.

“When we walked in we knew straight away it suited us,” says Molly. “I had written them off to start with. I thought it might be too regimented in terms of their floor plans. It was the complete opposite. We found that PBH had the right vibe. And there was flexibility around the floor plan to consider what we did and didn’t want.”

The Oaklands display home they fell in love with didn’t suit the shape of their block, so Darryl, their building consultant, printed out the floor plan on A3 paper and the three of them sat down and drew all over it until it was exactly what the couple had in mind.

“It was such a great experience to have someone say ‘what you’re thinking is totally possible, we can make it happen’,” Molly says.

The couple wanted a spacious, light-filled home, with the ability to close off sections of the house to avoid heating and cooling rooms that weren’t in use.

With their budget and lifestyle top of mind, the couple focused their attention on the spaces they would be in every day - their bedroom, ensuite bathroom and kitchen/living area.

“We wanted a big shower,” Molly explains. “We made the bathroom bigger and chose floor to ceiling tiles. It was a last minute decision and I’m so glad we did it!”

“The Oaklands had a double door entry to the walk-in robe and we loved the drama of opening those double doors, so we made changes to accommodate that.”

One of the most striking inclusions in their home is LED lighting under the kitchen and ensuite cabinetry.

“We are early morning people, we get up at 5am, so it’s nice to switch those lights on instead of having 15 downlights in my face first thing in the morning. It creates a nice ambience, and sets the mood for relaxation after work.”

Molly says one of the most helpful aspects of the building process was being able see, in person, what different design choices, finishes and fixtures looked like in actual display homes.

“When we went through our contract we sat in one of the homes as we did it so Darryl could point out things and say ‘this is what it will look like’. We were talking about cabinetry, for example, and he took us into the kitchen and showed us what it would look like and explained other options. It was great having that reference point.”

They felt an immediate rapport with Darryl, and his constant communication and transparency made them feel respected and included in every decision throughout the build.

“It was so easy. We said to Darryl ‘this is the budget’ and went from there. He respected that budget. He was respectful of not pushing stuff on us that would cost more money. And if there were extra costs, he was super transparent.”

Molly says they’re thrilled to have been able to customise their home to match their vision and budget.

“We really look forward to coming home and being in a space we love. It has all the things we want. It suits us perfectly for our life right now.”