Mamma mia! We’re in love with this retro Italian home in the heart of Freo

With more than a dash of retro charm and plenty of influence from Italia, we’re feeling molto bene about this High Street home.

Let’s take a little peek inside, thanks to our friends at Crib Creative.

Overlooking Monument Hill Memorial Reserve, the front of the home is fairly typical of the area, with timbered gables and squat Tuscan columns flanking the covered porch. However, a peek around the corner reveals an impressive turret with shuttered windows, inspired by the architecture of Sicily’s Castell’Umberto. Now that’s amore!

Inside the four bedroom, three bathroom home, there are plenty of features across its three levels that are familiar to any fans of Australia’s retro Italian-inspired architecture – a style known more formally as Late Twentieth Century Immigrants’ Nostalgic style architecture. (Remember Vic Park’s Italo-disco mecca of maximalism?)

We’re talkin’ archways everywhere you turn! We’re talkin’ maximalist tiles! We’re talkin’ amber glass windows! And the quintessential, classic suburban garden of fence-to-fence brown brick paving – except for a grapevine growing along the fence rail, of course.

The kitchen is where a number of these retro elements come together in a practically intoxicating combination of orange laminate, matching orange tiles, copper range hood, timber laminate cabinetry and multiple archways.

Just imagine, whipping together a quick pasta alla Norma for your dinner guests while they perch at the bar, sipping on a Bicicletta or three. Bellissimo!

While many would rush to update the bathrooms, we’ll be honest – we’re quite charmed by the lily pad tiles and the rather sweet arched mirror and window surrounds.

Ready for another Bicicletta? Perhaps a negroni? The formal lounge has its own bar, with a very funky mid-century stack bond brown brick feature wall.

Feeling the la dolce vita vibes? Check out 216 High Street’s listing here.

Image credit: Crib Creative