News Corp Australia
First published 21 Feb 2025, 6:00am
19 Bellara St, Ashmore.
Some homes are built, others are crafted from dreams.
Inspired by a couple’s passion for alpine beauty and riverfront serenity, ‘Bellara’ is where mountain charm embraces coastal soul.
The residence blends the indoors with the outdoors.
Make a splash in the pool.
For Andrew and Angelique Pennisi, the home was more than a build – it was a labour of love, blending their adventurous spirit with a deep connection to nature.
“There is something restorative about this property, for both me and for my wife,” Mr Pennisi said. “We wanted to create a space that felt like a sanctuary – a place where you could breathe, reset, and feel truly at home.”
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The house was designed as a sanctuary.
The house was inspired by the couple’s love for alpine architecture.
The couple’s love for alpine architecture was sparked long before they met – Andrew from his time spent in Switzerland, and Angelique during her years as an instructor in Aspen.
They discovered the perfect canvas in a riverfront block at Ashmore, evoking the mountain magic they cherished, complete with the shell of a unique home waiting to be reimagined. “We stripped it down to the superstructure, but we retained the slate roof – there was just no one else who could replicate its character and craftsmanship,” Mr Pennisi said.
“It was important to us to honour the home’s original spirit while bringing our vision to life.”
Bellara offers a blend of American alpine and contemporary Australian design.
Sheltered beneath the rare Spanish slate roof and clad in Ledgestone, the home harmonises with its riverfront setting, offering a seamless blend of American alpine and contemporary Australian design.
The 100,000 litre lagoon-like pool, flanked by Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired water features, forms the centrepiece of the landscaped grounds.
The home’s exterior is clad in thermally modified spruce timber – a low-maintenance material that is both waterproof and termite-proof, ensuring durability while maintaining a sleek, natural aesthetic.
The home’s exterior is clad in thermally modified spruce timber.
The kitchen.
Inside, wide-profile white-oiled Larch floorboards and a two-way fireplace create a warm and inviting heart to the home.
“We knew what we wanted but the project was too niche for any architect to truly grasp, so I decided to design it myself,” Mr Pennisi said.
“The drawings were done by an architect, but the vision, the execution – that was all me. The inspiration came from my travels around the world, and we considered every single detail thoroughly.”
The house towers over the tennis court and riverfront.
The Championship-size Rebound Ace tennis court.
So thoroughly that even the Championship-size Rebound Ace tennis court by the river was given extensive attention to detail.
“I mixed the US Open colours to get the right shade – four parts royal blue, one part purple, and the green which is a perfect balance of moss and grass green,” Mr Pennisi said.
“The guy thought I’d lost the plot, but every single element, down to the colours on the tennis court, was carefully considered.”
One such detail is the “breakfast nook”, with its cantilevered design, which offers a unique view framed by a picture window of a majestic water gum.
Every detail was meticulously thought out.
The living room.
For the Pennisis, this special spot is where they start each day and the place they would miss the most.
“We love the breakfast nook not just for the view, but for how it makes us feel,” Mr Pennisi said.
“It has a serene and grounding atmosphere, and I am not sure we will ever find a spot quite like it again.”
Kollosche’s Michael Kollosche and Danny Stanley will take the property to auction on March 14.
English (US) · 