News Corp Australia
First published 15 Nov 2024, 6:00am
11 Paperbark Court, Parkwood is up for auction.
A touch of old-world charm has made its way to the Gold Coast in the form of a newly renovated Georgian mansion with sweeping city skyline views.
Inspired by Tasmania’s Clarendon Estate, the two-storey, five-bedroom home is owned by Ahmed and Imahn Elkomy, who have invested their heart, soul and significant funds into the property’s epic makeover.
Ahmed and Imahn Elkomy invested their heart, soul and significant funds into the property’s epic makeover.
Inside the house.
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Mr Elkomy explained the couple bought the Parkwood property sight unseen in July 2020 while working overseas.
“We were considering a waterfront home, but when we saw this property, we were really excited,” Mr Elkomy said.
“We knew there was a lot of work to be done, but we also knew it was unique and thought it was amazing.”
Aerial view of the house.
The kitchen.
Located on a rise at 11 Paperbark Court, the property offered a blank canvas, with the outdated house and a septic tank the only existing structures on the 5725sq m block.
“There was no fence, no garden and just a rough, raw hill with a house on it,” Mr Elkomy said.
The property was given a quick fix for rental before the Elkomys returned to the Gold Coast and set to work on a massive renovation in late 2021.
With quotes for their planned work exceeding $1.6 million, they broke the renovation into a series of stages, with the first seeing them completely gut the interior.
“We stripped the house right back to bare brick, which allowed us to envisage what we wanted,” Mr Elkomy said.
“The aim was to retain the property’s character and create a classic Georgian look and feel.”
The aim was to retain the property’s character and create a classic Georgian look and feel.
The entry way.
Drawing inspiration from the plantation homes of America’s deep south, the couple spared no expense on the home’s interior.
They invested in a raft of upscale finishes including Hickory timber flooring, Carrara marble finishes, Italian porcelain tiles and hundreds of metres worth of custom cabinetry and architraves.
“We hand-picked everything to ensure it was worthy of the design,” Mr Elkomy said.
One of the bedrooms.
The firepit.
The couple then turned their attention to the property’s exterior, clearing trees and excavating the land.
“We wanted to make the entire house accessible, so we concreted around the house, tiled it with travertine and also built a network of roads and pathways so you could walk the block or access it with a buggy.”
A swimming pool was then added along with a firepit, and a custom fountain was ordered from Sydney.
Another aerial view of the property.
One of the bathrooms.
Finally, the Elkomys extended the house to add a garage, and covered entertaining, while also giving the front facade a makeover that included rendering part of the exterior.
The result is akin to something lifted from the pages of Gone With The Wind, but with a seriously luxurious twist.
On the lower floor, internal living and entertaining areas blend seamlessly with the outdoors, courtesy of French doors, covered patios, connected decks and manicured lawns.
The rear of the property.
Another bathroom.
The pool takes in views of the Gold Coast city skyline, a separate games room completes the country club lifestyle, and the property’s position offers total privacy.
“You get up in the morning to fresh healthy air and you can’t see anyone, just the city skyline in the distance and the resident wildlife,” Mr Elkomy said.
“It’s majestic to walk in a backyard that’s like a private reserve and when you entertain lots of people you find they scatter and enjoy all different spaces.”
The Georgian-inspired mansion is listed with Darryl Bright and Ryan Ward of Kollosche Broadbeach and will go to auction on November 27.
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