Jenny and David Kennedy are the owners of 6 Radford St, Southport
A renovated Southport property that was the original home of Capilano Honey is the Coast’s sweetest new listing.
The 1950s bungalow dubbed Honey House has been nominated in the Queensland Master Builders Awards after undergoing a spectacular transformation by Gold Coast designer Jayson Pate and builder Ryan Bradshaw of Native Constructions.
And while its coastal good looks are sure to get buyers buzzing, the home’s contemporary design is also a nod to its golden history.
The renovation connected indoor and outdoor living spaces
Capilano Honey was founded in 1953 by brothers Bert and Tim Smith, and was named for the district of Vancouver, Canada, where Tim met his wife, Jill.
Tim built the original house on a 1,017sq m block at 6 Radford St, and the beekeepers packed honey below the house.
Honey was then sold via an honour box at the front of the property.
David and Jenny Kennedy bought the home in 2018 for $1.14m, and have lived there since with their three children, Dylan, 19, Louie, 17, and Sylvie, 15, and the family’s two dogs.
The Kennedys, who own a coffee roasting business, were delighted to learn of the property’s history from a neighbour and resolved to incorporate its rich heritage into their renovation plans.
Original timber flooring was also kept
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“We knew there was something special about the cottage when we bought it, but I didn’t know what that was until we met our neighbour and she told us the story that this was where Capilano Honey originated,” Mrs Kennedy said.
“The cottage was potentially a knockdown, but as we explored that history it kind of confirmed our decision that we had to keep it because there’s too much significance here.”
Mrs Kennedy said Mr Pate designed the front of the home to evoke the entrance to a bee hive, complete with honey-toned bricks which were also used inside.
Some of the bee hives on the Radford St grounds
Capilano Honey was sold via an honour box at the front gate, and also supplied to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
Mr Bradshaw meticulously restored original windows, which featured in a new design focused on enhancing the light-filled living spaces and creating a flow between indoors and outdoors.
Floor-to-ceiling windows, original timber floors and raked ceilings lend an airy ambience to the stylish home, while exposed brick and custom cabinetry feature in the sunken lounge room.
A new kitchen and living area were added, and the home’s lower level where honey was once packed was converted into a studio or teenager’s retreat with its own entrance.
A new kitchen and living area were added
The home has four bathrooms
The three-bedroom home is marketed by Lana Faulkner of McGrath via an expressions of interest campaign.
An oversized island bench forms the social hub of the home, connecting open-plan kitchen and living spaces which lead onto outdoor decking.
Along with modernising the home, the family gave careful consideration to preserving and enhancing the grounds.
“They bottled the honey in this garden, and we have two significant gum trees here which would have been a real attraction to the bees,” Mrs Kennedy said.
Exposed bricks feature in this lounge area
“It’s been super important to us that the gum trees have been preserved because we want to maintain the natural eco-systems and the beautiful birdlife around here.”
There’s a generous backyard as well as an inviting pool and sandstone fire pit.
Ms Faulkner said the home’s location within the prestigious The Southport School precinct would appeal to families.
It’s also close to the Ferry Road Markets, beaches, parks, and Narrowneck surf break.
The Kennedys moved to Southport for their children’s schooling and are now relocating back to northern NSW.
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