Thursday, March 18, 2010

Strathroy and smiley happy people - Watch this video.

Strathroy is was built in 1882 and is a striking and intact example of the small mansions in gardens built all over Kew and Hawthorn in the Victorian Italianate style.  When it was first built, its net annual value was 50 pounds. 

The house was built for John McCutcheon, one of the top executives of the Commercial Bank. It is now known that he was one of the land boomers, engaged in speculative high risk activities, which were sometimes partly funded by the bank's assets.  He was insolvent when he died, although this was kept secret. 

It is now for sale (through this agency).


Here are some other external shots of the beautiful garden and pool.




As is often the case with these houses (picky me) I don't like their interiors much, even though they are clearly very expensively fitted out, so I haven't included interior shots. The interior also loses major points for me for the plasma TV in the bathroom, and the fact that every single coffee table is Very Ugly.

A relatively new approach to the sale of these large mansions is the You Tube video, prepared at vast expense by the real estate agents, for the international market of wealthy bankers no doubt falling all over themselves for this piece of heaven in Melbourne.

Before I show you this magical little video, some context. Here is a sample of the kind of clothes worn by ladies when Strathroy was built:

(from costumes.org)

And here is what we wear now, when we stride around our beautiful mansion:




Isn't it just something else? You realise of course that these people are pretend people - a pretend wife in pink or leopard print silken mini dress, pretend children combing their hair, pretend hard working husband coming home at night, pretend cocktail party, pretend platter of sushi (oh so that's what those people eat) and so on.

Anyway, kudos to the owners for preserving a lovely home.

16 comments:

Unknown said...

That is a very funny video! It is such a beautiful home though! If I loose about 50kgs and buy myself a leopard print mini does that mean I can buy it? :)
Jx

brismod said...

Oh dear! The reality would be so different - add another 50kg and an extra 25 years on the adults. The dog and the children won't run around the grounds because they would be too overweight and would be watching the plasma in the bathroom. Less is definitely more -the property will sell itself more than that plastic video presentation.

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Dear Jane,
That is one beautiful hoose....from the outside. I certainly know what you mean about the inside. It seems such a shame to me that people are allowed to buy these beautiful houses and then rip out the soul of the place. Those internal shots could mostly be from any aged house...but, then again, I wouldn't say no !!!!
The video is hilarious. What a wonderful life, the lady of the house has !!!! XXXX

Jane said...

And she has a special slow dreamlike walk, have you noticed that? How does she get anything done? I don't walk around my house like that - I am always walking really really fast. I guess she has invisible elves to help her and her children out.

Devon said...

Dear Jane, what the HECK did I just watch? That was craziness of a level I haven't seen in quite awhile. And, to the creators of the video, no one is going to buy that the 16 year old model is the mother of two boys.

If this video is what gets rich people going in the real estate world, then please let me strike rich people from my invite list. Because clearly they are crazy.

Amanda (Small Acorns) said...

Until you told me it wasn't you I really did think that was you in the video Jane, especially with the slow dreamlike walk, and I was particularly impressed by the boy apparently brushing his hair without his mother yelling at him. Clearly though I would like to live in this amazing home, I am not quite right for it!

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Dear Jane
What a beauty this house is and the grounds and pool are quite perfect.. How about I just win powerball and then i'll invite you over to help redecorate.. promise .. no plasma tellies in the tub..

My only concern is.. perhaps I won't be allowed to buy it seeing i don't have pretzel legs like this enchanted housewife above! Maybe just living in that home will see me turn into the beauty I always knew I should be.. have a great friday xxx Julie

Mise said...

Jane, I'm reaching for my wallet already. We'll be neighbours! Well, not exactly, but more so than now.

Anonymous said...

The video could have been half the length if she walked like a normal person! :) And can someone please tell me why my garden doesn't look like that?

The House That A-M Built said...

Love the terrace. I agree the interior... what a disappointment.... and the video... I don't get it... can we see less of the skinny blondie and more of the house? A-M xx

Engracia said...

Come on Jane, don't you swan around the house like Lara Bingle, sorry, slip of the tongue. Nice house, too big though, do you think it echos?
Cheers
Engracia

Mise said...

It's been troubling me, since last I commented, what the glide reminds me of, and at last I have it. She walks like the female aliens in Mars Attacks. The whole thing could turn into a science fiction spoof once the camera stops rolling.

Ange said...

I'm with Mise, between the psychic house keeper who 'just knows' that the boys have given the '20 year old step Mum' flowers and already has the vase ready to the white marble slab in the kitchen ... scary things happen on white marble slabs.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, (or not rich enough to appreciate it) but I like my house to be a home, and not a castle. We lived in a huge house for a while and the kids were too scared to have their own rooms. Mind you - the bedrooms were all big enough for 4 beds! Real life please... with dust and rainbow cakes and a lawn that needs mowing ;-) (Ditch the FP toys though hahahaha)

Ange said...

Fast forward would have made a great spoof of this in the good old days! I'll still keep the kid's toys there though ;-) How does beautiful lady make small boys brush their hair???

Jean said...

Too Funny.... and then they have all that company... and go sit by themselves out on the porch!! And did you see, the cupboards in the kitchen (the glass door ones) didn't have anything in them! Thanks for sharing. I skipped over from another blog... thanks for the visit.

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