Paul Wright describes his old family home as a 1950s holiday shack, quaint and nostalgic but lacking light, space and the

technology associated with modern living. And after 15 years of cramped home life Paul and his wife Jo Thompson decided it was time to upgrade.

“Once we decided we needed a bigger place, it was a long process. We looked into moving but never found anything that suited. Then we looked at doing extensions and had an architect draw up some plans,” Paul says.

“We got three quotes for the plans and they all exceeded our expectations"

Architects aside, there are not A too many people who can say they have designed their own home. But Simon Gourlay, a co-partner of Domain Project Marketing, can boast of such an achievement.

Working across all fields relating to residential development on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Simon had seen his fair share of lavish properties and well understands what qualifies as a grand designer home.

With his wife Helen, he takes credit for designing the ground floor of his luxurious two-storey abode, while Merit Homes manager Darren Tuma is responsible for details on the first floor and the exterior design.

Simon and Helen and their children Mel, 17, Lili, 7, and Jackson, 5, are now the proud residents of a sprawling 700sq m two-storey “modern, contemporary ranch”, on a mammoth 4000sq m lot in Ingleside...