Nonetheless, the retention of masonry and the thermal mass it provides + the double glazing and insulation means that the interior temperature is very stable. We are very glad we got into the house when we did – things went pear-shaped in the world not long after, and working from home here is a pleasure whereas we’d have been going stark staring mad in the original house or the rental.

A number of friends came to look at the place – all of them have commented that they can see the hand of an architect in it (and said in a positive way!). It’s exceeded our expectations all around. Once we’ve been in for a full year and seen the way it works through the seasons I’ll no doubt appreciate it even more, but the view lines and alignment of windows and the way light comes through is fantastic. The yellow feature wall works really well – it adds a golden cast to the light as the sun comes through. Alas a photo doesn’t do it justice.

Visitors have been interested in the modernist colour scheme & in the use of low-maintenance surfaces. The lack of grout has had many who clean those surfaces regularly waxing lyrical (me being one of them – it seems impossible to clean grout properly without eventually destroying it).

We’ve ended up repurposing the rain garden as a herb garden by just leaving enough rocks in it to stop soil washing away when a deluge comes. We’ve also been using it for vermiculture by embedding a couple of in-ground worm-farms in it so we can do on-site composting. Between the two we’ve got a wide variety of herbs growing successfully where we couldn’t before. Worms seem to be much better than just adding fertilizer. I mention the rain garden and our use for it because it’s not something we would have had unless Yarra had insisted, but it’s actually been a positive, so that experience might be useful to other of your clients. So – we’re all well and happy to be home at this end.