Michelle, a behavioural specialist with an entrepreneurial spirit, has been imagining her dream home since she was a teenager - long before she and her now-husband Sava, a self-employed IT expert, started building a life together.
“We came from humble beginnings, but we knew what we wanted in life,” Michelle says. “We’ve been working towards it ever since.”
Growing up in Adelaide’s beachside suburb of Somerton Park, the couple would walk the neighbourhood, picturing where they might one day put down roots and what their future home would look like. Now, with three children and their dog Finn, that long-held vision has become a beautiful reality.
“I spotted an ad on my phone for Metricon’s Artisan 56 home design, and I’d never seen anything like it in South Australia,” Michelle recalls. “As soon as I saw that façade, I thought, ‘They’ve just created my house.’”
The expansive five-bedroom home, complete with three living areas, felt like the closest match to the vision Michelle had been refining for years. Still, she approached the process with a practical mindset.
“I’m a numbers person, and everything comes down to that at the end of the day,” Michelle says. “We did look at a few other builders, but no one came close to the bottom line Metricon offered us. It’s the best bang for your buck you’re going to find.”
With the budget working in their favour, Michelle and Sava were able to invest in the upgrades that mattered most to them.
“The pre-site team knew I was building something out of the ordinary, and they were so happy to work with us on that,” Michelle says. “In fact, the company that supplied the stone I really wanted for the façade has now been added to their approved supplier list, and lots of Metricon customers have now selected it for their homes.”
The flexibility of the design process was another standout. Metricon worked closely with Michelle to refine the floorplan and bring her ideas to life.
“They were amazing at adapting it,” she says. “Everyone knows Metricon offers incredible value, but I’m not sure if they realise just how flexible the design team are at working with you to create your dream.”
Natural light was always a key part of Michelle’s vision, so large windows were incorporated throughout the home. Open-plan spaces were equally important, designed to comfortably host their Greek and Lebanese families.
“I needed a kitchen with a great big island bench that could host our whole family, because family is very important to us,” Michelle says. “Everyone’s friends are always over, too, and it was vital for us to be able to accommodate everyone, centred around food, so I also needed a very big pantry.”
Michelle also achieved her dream walk-in wardrobe. “The team knew what was really important to us,” Michelle says. “I’d welcome them over for dinner, we became that close. They are fabulous, amazing people.”
Embracing Metricon’s focus on connecting indoor and outdoor living, the couple extended their entertaining spaces even further, adding a pool and a fully equipped outdoor room.
“We’ve got a kitchen and bar out there as a separate structure, so we can host garden parties too,” Michelle says. “Anything we wanted, Metricon were able to achieve. I cannot rave about them enough. I had a dream team, and I’d recommend Metricon to anyone.”
Even now, Michelle says the home still feels surreal.
“I know it’s corny, but our home is on a prominent corner and every day I drive up to it, I think, ‘How is that my house?’ It makes me happy every single day.”
Most of all, she’s proud of the life her children get to grow up in.
“It’s a house that I could only ever dream of, growing up, and it’s my dream come true that they get to live through. It’s a beautiful thing, getting to see it through their eyes, because they are all completely in love with every space.”
Thinking about building your own dream home? Discover how Metricon’s home designs and experienced team can help turn your ideas into a home made for living.
