The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

It’s less than three months until Christmas and if you were wishing for one big ticket item this year, what would it be? A shiny brand new car? Maybe a $2.8 million home would be nice?

Now imagine you have a $100 ticket in the very first St John Christmas Home Lottery – officially South Australia’s biggest home lottery with a $7.9 million prize pool – and you have an one in five chance of winning one of the 28,000 prizes on offer. Sounds like pretty good odds, doesn’t it?

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Behind the lottery is St John Ambulance Australia SA, a self-funded charity that cares for the wellbeing of South Australians through the provision of first aid at events, first aid training, youth development and social inclusion programs.

St John Ambulance Australia SA chief executive Ray Creen says the lottery, which will be their biggest fundraiser “will have a far-reaching impact on every facet of our organisation, which will ultimately translate to benefit for the SA community”.

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

“We will be able to train and equip a greater number of volunteers to care for members of the public at events across the state and also care for all emergency service personnel during state emergencies, and more,” he says.

Ray says St John Ambulance approached Samuel James Homes to build the home for their grand prize based on the builder’s reputation, focus on outstanding quality and customer satisfaction.

“Their attention to detail is impeccable, as evidenced by every element of the home,” he says.

“The builder has an excellent relationship with staff and suppliers and their moral values align closely with those of St John, so it was a perfect fit between our two organisations.”

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

The $3.8 million grand prize package which includes the fully furnished Samuel James Homes-built home also comes with $1 million in cash and an A-Class Mercedes-Benz.

“The home is breathtaking,” Ray says. “The open-plan, natural light-filled space has you feeling like you want to move in straight away. The quality of the build is immediately evident, from the herringbone floorboards, bespoke wine cellar, unique vaulted ceilings, right up to the retractable skylights; no detail has been spared.”

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Walk through the grand prize

I’ll put it on the record straight up, since I was one of the first to walk through the exquisite
two-storey, four-bedroom custom designed home called the Burlington, by Samuel James Homes, I’m taking first dibs on this one.

Not only is this home stunning, it’s located in sought-after Walkerville, one of Adelaide’s most desirable suburbs where I know my family will feel right at home. And the sassy, red A-Class Mercedes-Benz will suit me perfectly as I drop my daughter off at one of the top schools down the road (which, luckily, the $1 million will pay for).

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Samuel James Homes has created a wonderful home for St John Ambulance in its inaugural lottery with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a powder room, three living areas, an alfresco with outdoor cooking zone, a spectacular swimming pool and a large backyard on a 686sqm property.

The high-level of finish is apparent from the facade’s towering stone pillars to the Western red cedar black-washed panelling on the double garage and front door, and it is a stunning street presence.

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Push open the 2.8m-high oversized front door and you’ll take in an amazing sense of space and openness created by a 6m void, before your gaze lowers to the solid timber floorboards.

If, like me, you love classic elegance, the 19mm European oak floorboards laid out in a chevron pattern and given a clear coating to retain the natural tone, are simply beautiful. This
high-end floor, I’m told was painstakingly installed, with the sanding alone taking more than 10 days to perfect.

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Your focus will then turn to the elegant formal lounge and the architectural pendant light by Christopher Boots in the entry that draws your attention to how well contemporary and classic styles cohesively merge.

The attention to detail in the Burlington, from the ornate cornices and coffered 3m-high ceilings (3.2m at the rear) to the floor-to-ceiling glazing and the wow factor of the azure blue swimming pool, that can be seen from multiple parts of the home, are the highlights of this home.

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Samuel James Homes’ company director Jim Vlahakis says this home was designed to be “elegant and timeless, complemented by a luxurious fit-out and attention to detail in all areas”.

“Location is one of the key factors (in this lottery), combined with a striking facade and a floorplan that works well to seamlessly flow between living, entertaining and private areas,” he says. “The indoor-outdoor connection caters perfectly for peaceful relaxation and seclusion or to host a large pool party with large groups.”

When designing their homes, Jim says as well as making a home beautiful, they ensure it will be functional and practical for everyday living.

“Here, we’ve created a pool to be a wow feature of the house as you walk through but keeping it practical, creating secure environments and having the home energy efficient,” he says.

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Jim believes the Burlington will suit many lifestyles, from empty-nesters, couples and entertainers who will make the most of the lower level, to families with children who will love the 427sqm of total space over two levels. Of course, the swimming pool, spacious alfresco and large backyard will also be enjoyed.

The extensive open plan living, combining the kitchen, dining and family lounge with gas fireplace, takes up the majority of the lower level. The zone looks out to the pool and if you can turn away from it, the kitchen and its 3.8m island will be where you want to be. The kitchen is sheer elegance in Smartstone’s Borghini Naturale, with LED strip lighting, three wall-mounted Miele ovens, integrated appliances, a walk-in pantry and an abundance of storage with clever ideas hidden inside (look for the pull out compartments).

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

For a complementary flow, the same stone features in the bathrooms, each of which invoke sanctuary-like spaces.

Retractable sliding corner doors open the living to the alfresco creating an amazing indoor-outdoor space and safety wise, from here adults can closely watch kids in the pool or as they run around the back lawn.

At the opposite end of the pool is the master suite, and you will pass it, the storage-laden laundry and the decadent wine room (wine lovers, yes, it sparks joy) on your way to the main living.

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Double doors lead to the master suite creating opulence, while the view of the pool and garden are as tranquil as you could imagine waking up to.

“Who wouldn’t want to wake up on a Sunday morning and press your auto blind in the master bedroom and look out on to the pool and gardens – or even sit in the terrace overlooking the pool and the gardens enjoying a nice red,” Jim says.

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms, one with a study, a retreat lounge and a family bathroom.
All are beautifully light, well finished and the glass balustrade on the staircase complements the openness you’ll sense throughout the home.

This home is exquisite, but you will want to see it for yourself and in the meantime, you’ll find me in the wine room… I think I’ll lock myself in with my winning ticket and wait until they announce it on Christmas Day.

The St John Christmas Home Lottery home at 14a Burlington St, Walkerville. Picture: supplied

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