Loving dog owner Helen Vu built the house in Bentleigh East, especially to suit her German Shepherd Jimmy.
Versace wallpaper and Calacatta marble — it’s hard to believe this home at 1104 North Rd Bentleigh East house was designed for a dog.
Owner and Inspector Rex fan Helen Vu said she was living in a townhouse when she purchased her german shepherd puppy Jimmy.
But as Jimmy grew, the backyard proved too small for him.
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So she built a new seven-bedroom property at 1104 North Rd with an outdoor doggie shower and a bedroom for the pampered pooch to call his own.
“We built the house because of Jimmy,” Ms Vu said. “The house belonged to him, he had his own spot on the couch and if you came and sat on his spot, he’d sit very close to you and you would have to move.”
But it’s no dogbox, with Calacatta marble in the kitchen and each downstairs bedroom featuring Versace wallpaper.
The kitchen features a bench with a stone light feature at one end and Kleenmaid appliances.
German Shepherd Jimmy enjoys a dog-friendly birthday cake in a Versace scarf.
The eye-catching pool, which Jimmy did not swim in despite his love of visiting Brighton beach.
Jimmy would usually start evenings in Ms Vu’s bedroom before moving to his bedroom to sleep, returning to her room at 5am.
“Jimmy was a Versace boy all his blankets and towels, everything, was Versace,” Ms Vu said.
The outdoor kitchen includes a marble-topped bench with a fireplace inside.
Ms Vu said her cherished memories included sitting with Jimmy under the backyard’s fig tree, sunbaking on the modgrass and curling up near the outdoor marble-topped bench with a fireplace inside it.
The bench weighed about a tonne, requiring it to be craned into the garden.
Sadly, Jimmy died in 2020 after being diagnosed with cancer a few months before his eighth birthday.
The main bedroom’s ensuite has one-way glass looking out to the backyard.
Jimmy relaxing cutely at the house.
The massive walk-in wardrobe.
Ms Vu now lives in Queensland and her son has moved in with his girlfriend, prompting her to sell the house.
Ray White Carnegie director Tom Grieve has the listing.
“It very much has a resort feel, it feels like you’re staying in a luxury suite at Crown Towers,” Mr Grieve said.
Jimmy with his loving owner Helen Vu.
Modgrass in the backyard.
Drawcards include an alfresco kitchen boasting a sound system and a main bedroom incorporating a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite.
“The ensuite’s bath is near a one-way glass window so you can look to the backyard but no-one can see in,” Mr Grieve said.
Versace wallpaper makes a statement.
Jimmy takes in a spot of sun.
The home’s facade includes enough room to drive in a turning circle, so vehicles can leave facing North Rd.
Upstairs has its own kitchen, a paved terrace, north-facing balcony and study area.
Ms Vu previously rented out upstairs for $5000 per month.
“You could say it’s a great luxury property downstairs and a cash cow upstairs,” Mr Grieve said.
The laundry contains two commercial-grade washing machines and two clothing lines, in addition to the two outside lines.
One of the seven ensuites. Ray White Carnegie director Tom Grieve said the extensive accommodation made the home ideal for multi-generational living, parents with teenagers or relatives who often visit.
Jimmy enjoys some dinner and Versace style.
Mr Grieve said hardwood doors and double-glazed windows downstairs helped prevent noise from North Rd permeating the house.
The home is for sale with a $2m-$2.2m asking range and will be auctioned on February 18.
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Story Credit: news.com.au