Prestigiously positioned overlooking the city, this four-bedroom, three-bathroom home at 23 Yalpara Avenue, Rostrevor, creates a monumental first impression.

When cafe owner Anthony Marafioti and his wife Jasmine, who is a seamstress, purchased the property six years ago, they were almost overwhelmed by the sheer grandness of the home.

The stone and half-timbered facade towers from a manicured garden and neatly-tended lawns.

“Even six years on, every time we arrive home, it takes our breath away as we come up the driveway,” Anthony says.

Upon entry through the arched timber door, it is evident this commanding residence is like no other.

Every element of the home boasts grandeur, from the solid oak staircase and soaring, three-metre ceilings to the herringbone parquetry and marble wet areas.

The Marafiotis are the second custodians of the home, having purchased the property from its builder.

“[The previous owner’s] family owned this section of Rostrevor and the hills behind it,” Anthony says. “They redeveloped it themselves and this was one of the first homes they built.”

The home’s formal entrance leads through a foyer with polished herringbone parquetry beneath the period candle chandelier.

The hall reaches the formal dining room and sitting room in one direction, and the large open-plan family room and kitchen in the other.

The formal sitting room is the perfect space to retire to, in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine from the cellar beneath.

Upstairs are the home’s four bedrooms, the study and the mezzanine lounge, in addition to beautiful Juliette balconies where you can soak in sprawling views of the city and the Gulf St Vincent beyond.

Anthony and Jasmine swiftly set about making the home their own, building fencing to make the property pet-friendly and adding a car lift to the garage to accommodate Anthony’s classic car collection.

“They were the two major things we added, then it was just making it our style,” Anthony says. “We added a bit more colour and country style furniture to soften the house.”

The large informal room where the family spends most of their time features French doors that lead to a paved alfresco area with an in-ground Magnapool complete with water feature and tiled mosaic motif complementing the period feel of the home.

“We have two little boys and they love swimming,” Anthony says. “[The pool] is heated and it is quite interesting because you can turn the gas heaters on during winter and it’s like a steam sauna coming off the water.”

The beautifully manicured garden sprawls in all directions, providing ample room for gardening and play.

“It is very slow growing so the maintenance is great,” Anthony says. “You’re not out there every weekend trimming and cutting.”

Although situated before rolling hills with sweeping cityscapes, the property is only a 20-minute drive to the Adelaide CBD and within easy walking distance from the Newton Village Shopping Centre and surrounding parklands.

“It is one of those areas where everybody looks out for each other,” Anthony says. “I don’t think you can go outside too often without someone waving to say hello.”

Anthony and Jasmine are selling their much-loved home with the hope of moving on to a lodge-style house on an acreage where they can spend more time with their sons.

“This is going to be one of those bittersweet moments because we absolutely love our property, but we had a little taste of the country life and are looking to obtain a large acreage,” Anthony says.

“I would love to just helicopter this home out and drop it in the country somewhere.”

The sale is being handled by Dani Solm and Leon Yuan of Harcourts Pilgrim.