Bayside Living with Ever-changing Views
There’s a “crocodile” in the bay’s blue water, a bobble-backed behemoth that appears when the tide ebbs enough to reveal its scaly surface. Coasting on the surface, pairs of black swans throw majestic shade against sparkling little swells, supremely unhurried, blissfully unruffled.
It mightn’t be the introduction you expect to read about a spectacular Esplanade home, but guided through the gleaming rooms here by thevendor, former rugby league great Steve Bowden, is an experience that’s thoroughly entertaining and not a little bit surprising.
The towering figure greets us in the six-car basement garage – where a gym and a cellar with a tasting room share the subterranean space – and takes us on a singular journey across the four levels of his beachfront beauty.
You don’t necessarily associate a famous hard man of Australian sport with an appreciation of the nuances of the natural world, but from this magnificent seat, Bowden waxes lyrical on the simple beauty beyond his balcony.
“There is a personality to the view – it changes all the time,” he says. “You can watch the currents and the storms, see the boats and spot the dolphins. It’s a great atmosphere.”
That salty sea dog lolling in the low tide is the perfect exemplar of how Bowden has made his surroundings personal. A little jagged reef is his crocodile rock, created by the bay and imagined into existence by the former front-rower. Delightful.
You can take a lift or the stairs from the garage to the stunning ground level, but make sure you head out onto the entrance patio, where you’ll get the briny breezes and a good look at the home’s handsome pale facade.
Take the steps up to the heft of the double brass doors, weathered and wonderful, and back into that marble-floored foyer.
A marble and glass staircase swirls up through the ceiling and onto the first level. Walls of American oak with a deep honey hue infuse the space with warmth and character.
To the right front is a fine bedroom with beautiful bay views, large walk-in wardrobes and a marble-clad en suite with heated floors.
Cross back over the entry foyer to the magnificent main bedroom, with elegant dimensions and brilliant blue views via floor-to-ceiling glazing. Set to the side are a splendid, twin-vanity marble bathroom and a superb walk-in wardrobe-dressing room where that American oak positively shines.
To the rear of this level, past another excellent bedroom suite, the expansive family/rumpus area includes a leather-bound bar and room enough for a full-sized pool table and languid living space.
A wall of glass folds back onto the brilliant, resort-style exteriors. Out here, the water views are pretty good too. The large swimming pool, spa and waterfall are the dazzling focal points for year-round fun and games.
“People love the backyard,” Bowden says. “I’ve had big parties, barbies, there’s room for all kinds of entertaining.”
The comprehensively kitted-out al fresco area includes a north-south floodlit tennis court framed in green hedging, white roses and trailing creepers. There’s a sauna tucked in next to the splendid outdoor kitchen, while sandstone terraces and towering palm trees knit the glorious whole together. Private, palatial and pretty much picture-perfect.
Back inside, take that swirling stairway to level one and prepare to be entranced by the shifting shimmer of the bay.
The generous glazing wraps around this truly awe-inspiring space, affording sweeping views of the water, the city and, most delightfully, the Brighton bathing boxes.
“I look out my window to a tourist attraction every day,” Bowden says with an obvious affection for the irresistibly colourful arc across the sand toward the city skyline.
If you can tear yourself away from this incredible panorama and the sublime wraparound balcony that takes you out into the salty air, you notice the interiors of this dining-living-kitchen level are all a-sparkle as well.
High ceilings, all that gorgeous glass and a largely north-westerly orientation mean the epic space positively glows. Set to the rear, a granite-trimmed kitchen has an excellent appliance array, including multiple ovens, and handsome storage.
Wind around to the rear past the rangy living and meals areas to a superb formal dining space. Beyond here, a sliding door takes you into the stunning office with an eastern balcony that runs across to another bedroom with a fabulous spa bathroom.
The fitting finale here comes up on high – a showstopping, timber-clad retreat that’s just the place to escape real-world rigours. Step up and out to the highest point on the Esplanade, the 360-degree sea, sky and city show of the rooftop terrace. Spectacular.
“There were great bones here, but I’ve brought it right up to speed over the past four years; there’s absolutely nothing to do,” Bowden says.
Well, apart from watching out for that whimsical crocodile and those elegant swans.
What the agent says: Will Maxted, Director, RT Edgar Bayside
“It’s incredibly rare to find a home of this calibre directly on the Esplanade with such commanding, elevated views. The home’s entertaining credentials are unmatched, and every finish speaks to longevity and quality. Opportunities like this simply don’t come up.”
Discover more of 90 Esplanade, Brighton here.