Woman ’s work
Builder and designer Patricia Edinger is making her mark with a refreshing female approach to projects.
In days of yore, a woman ’s touch was to a home what icing was to a cake. But in today ’s world, women aren’t just icing – they’re planning and building the cake themselves.

Registered builder and building designer Patricia Edinger,of Emporio Homes,said that as a woman she takes a very personal approach to construction. “I think it is really important to get to know the clients and what their needs are before starting work on the home,” she said.

It is an approach that Paula and Craig McGowan found refreshing.“We really enjoyed working with Patricia and trusted her completely,” Paula said. Having just relocated from Britain,Paula and Craig were keen to make the most of the Perth lifestyle. Within six weeks of arriving they bought a block overlooking the ocean in Mindarie.

“We have lived in lots of countries and you simply could not build a house like this with these incredible views anywhere else,so we wanted to make sure we made the most of them,” Paula said.

With this in mind,Patricia came up with a design that enables the couple to enjoy ocean vistas from almost every room in the house. The home has an upside-down layout with the kitchen,living and dining areas and master bedroom on the top floor.

The lower level contains the functional rooms – the gym, study, guest bedrooms and laundry. “All the downstairs rooms have ocean views except the laundry and smaller guest bedroom at the front of the house,” Paula said. “We even have views in the downstairs gym,so we can exercise and enjoy the sunset.” A water feature was placed outside the guest bed- room to create a point of visual interest.The water splashes into a moat,which surrounds the front of the home.

The fresh, contemporary interiors were chosen to complement the stunning views. Dulux Suede Effects in Mocha Earth was used on one feature wall to add dimension to the neutral walls, polished bamboo éoors and stainless-steel finish of the kitchen and balustrades.

The master suite is accessed through a pair of tasmanian-oak sliding shoji screens.A chocolate- coloured suedette bed and taupe cushions add warmth to the room.

The couple chose to have an open ensuite so they could enjoy the ocean views while relaxing in the spa bath.The ensuite also features black slate éoors and handmade bamboo cabinets.

The master bedroom and living area have access to a large alfresco balcony, perfect for entertaining. As an IT manager, Craig made sure the home was fitted with the latest technology.

“The house is totally future proof with fibre-optic cabling and wireless network,”Paula said.“It is great because we can walk around the house with a laptop and show the various areas to friends and family in the UK.”

Rather than opting for a nostalgic garden that paid homage to their English heritage, Paula and Craig chose to embrace the culture of their new home with a stylishly stark waterwise native garden. Grass trees are interspersed between terracotta-coloured stones and Aboriginal totem poles.

A rectangular, heated lap pool is the centrepiece of the garden and the symmetrical lines are broken up by the curved lines of the timber decking and limestone pavers.

The Aboriginal theme also crosses over into the interiors with a feature artwork by Lindsay Calyun which was specially created to suit a recess at the front of the home.