All-year tennis, swimming and roomy relaxation
38 Philip Road is, on balance, a wonderful address.
Yes, there are dentists, lawyers and stock brokers living very close by.
But once you walk down the 60-metre driveway/walkway, past the lush garden planted and lovingly tended by The Michaels ( the dedicated gardeners responsible for the delightful mix of tropical plants and trees along the huge block's Western border), this minor downside will be quickly forgotten.
Or at least temporarily overlooked.
There's a delightful protected, ceder-ceiling portico which provides access through either the double front doors or a side door which leads to the substantial lap pool-side undercover downstairs verandah ( yes, there's a similarly large one on the first floor, overlooking the full-size floodlit tennis court).
Once through the front doors you'll be struck by one unmissable feature.
The ceilings are very high and give the entire home that feeling of spaciousness which only well-spent money allows.
Once in the entry hall you have three options.
You can turn left into the large study with floor to ceiling timber cupboards and a complementing full size desk; it's the ultimate home office.
Just across the entrance hall is the smallest of the five bathrooms ( this one only has a shower, toilet and basin) which serves visitors and the closest of the two ground-floor bedrooms.
Immediately outside the study is the imposing staircase and beside it a gallery passage which leads to the substantial lounge/dining area and adjacent kitchen/walk-in-pantry, the second bedroom and its floor-to-ceiling tiled ensuite, a separate large laundry and the double-garage and adjoining double-carport, each accessible from the rear lane by an electronic door.
Upstairs there's a master suite with a walk-in robe large enough to accommodate the clothes, shoes, handbags and luggage of the most fashion-conscious and well-travelled, and a large, floor-to-ceiling tiled bathroom and separate WC.
The main bedroom has access to the upstairs verandah which is sufficiently deep and sheltered ( it has windows on the eastern side facing the prevailing breezes) to remain dry in the most torrential downpours.
Upstairs there's also a large living room with its own sink, stove, fridge and floor to ceiling timber cupboards - perfect for entertaining noisily while others are downstairs in the lounge/ding area.
The other two bedrooms each has a floor-to-ceiling tiles ensuite and fitted, mirrored cupboards.
And there's a large, walk-in airing cupboard off the landing, which is lit naturally by a large skylight immediately above the stairs.
Having completed your first tour of this substantial home you'll be aware of its key distinctive features.
1. The rooms and verandahs are all spacious and private.
2. The various sections of the house are well insulated from the other sections - noise does not travel as it does in an open plan layout.
3. There is an enormous amount of storage space , mostly floor-to-ceiling.
4. The fittings and furnishings (the wall and floor coverings) are all high quality - even the garage floor is tiled
5. The design is very clever; all the spaces are practical and have all the plugs, light switches and so forth you could possibly want, all in the right places.
6. All the expensive 'extras' are all built-in - the central vacuuming system; the multi-phone system and intercom; the ducted reverse-cycle air-conditioning; it's all here ready to enjoy.
Here are some other details which may be of interest to you.
The tennis court faces the right way ( many don't) and it's a genuinely full-size hard court which has been exceptionally well engineered.
The lights are excellent and good enough to have kept one seriously good ( once world-ranked) player happy using it over the years.
The court comes with a sweeper and ball machine.
The adjacent lap pool is 12. 5 metres long so it's great for serious lap swimming.
And if you don't want to bother turning every 12. 5 metres there are two separately powered jets to swim against for as long as you can endure the exercise.
The pool can be heated by its very own, rarely used gas heater, which is relatively new and there's a hot and cold outside shower a few steps away from the pool.
On hot days, three automatic folding-arm awnings can be activated to provide shade to all those enjoying the pool.
Those are just a few of the attractions this big, spacious, ingeniously quiet home has to offer any unusually active family which is looking to make the most of Perth's great climate and enjoys entertaining unpretentiously.
Of course, to really appreciate 38 Philip Road and its pleasant views and neighbourhood, you need to take a wander through it.
If you don't mind living too close to stock brokers, lawyers and dentists
