PRESTIGE
REST & RESPITE
JOSEPHINE HUYNH
What is the defining feature that tips a sale across the line for you? Is it arched, steel-framed windows or a quaint bay window in the main suite?
By KATE FARRELLYNew Farm
Brisbane 24 Griffith Street
4 3 2
Auction: 5.30pm, April 27
Agent: Ray White New Farm, Matt Lancashire 0416 476 480
Don’t be fooled by the classic facade of this 1929 residence: the home has been treated to an architectural makeover delivering modern family living spaces across two beautifully appointed levels. Spotted gum, French oak and rosewood finishes feature alongside a striking island kitchen, while double-height windows capture views over a private garden oasis with a pool.
OUR COVER
20 Pacific Vista Drive, Byron Bay
Listed by McGrath
Byron Bay
PAGE 5
In the glamorous world that is prestige properties, it’s all about taking extra to extraordinary. I’m not just talking about a kitchen fitted out with the latest tech, Australia’s most exxy home owners demand two (at least)one for prep and another for theatre. I’m talking walk-in wardrobes the size of Sydney apartments with the add-on of climate control to prolong the life of designer handbags and a complementary electric BMW with every penthouse purchase. Our new section, Top Tier, covers a different topic each month and in its first instalment, writer Helen Hawkes delves into the rise of multipurpose wellness and relaxation rooms seen across the high-end market by interior designers, architects and agents. HOT
Editor:
Josephine Huynh
Editorial producer: Hailey Coules
Group picture editor: Kylie Thomson
Senior designer: Colleen Chin Quan
Graphic designers: Emma Staughton, Nicole Gauci
National magazine editor: Natalie Mortimer
Chief marketing officer: Rebecca Darley
Chief executive officer: Jason Pellegrino
Residential sales:
Queensland
Amanda Vaughan 0413 370 004
New South Wales
Eoin Brawn 0439 907 096
Victoria, Western Australia, South
Australia, Northern
Territory & Tasmania
Ray van Veenendaal 0438 279 870
New development sales: Ivan Curic 0413 498 156
Media sales:
Sam Hill 0438 348 998
Contact: editorial@domain.com.au
DESIGN DIGEST
Blast from the style past 5
FOREIGN AFFAIR
A penthouse fit for a king 6
LIVING IN
The apple of Perth’s eye 9 TOP TIER
The rise of wellness rooms 11
Monbulk
Yarra Ranges 305 Old Emerald Road
$2.45 million-$2.55 million
6 3 6
Private sale
Agent: Jellis Craig Ringwood, Matthew Lockyer 0411 274 496
Come home to 4.8 hectares of European-inspired gardens that look like an oil painting of a Tuscan landscape. A vast, vine-covered balcony wraps the second level, with access from three of the bedrooms. Another highlight is the paved dining space with stone bench seating and a pizza oven.
Byron Bay
Byron Shire 20 Pacific Vista Drive
$10 million+
Expressions of interest: Close 5pm, May 11
Agent: McGrath Byron Bay, Nick Dunn 0448 301 111 There are showstopping ocean and national park views from this newly built two-storey residence, with the best outlook reserved for the top-floor main bedroom. Interiors are by Mel Gubbin of Avenue Twenty Two. Glass sliders open to a generous terrace and a pool with waterfall edge and spa.
Balmain
Sydney 8 White Street
$8 million 5
Auction: 10.30am, May 6
Agent: BresicWhitney, Andrew Liddell 0431 450 554
Built in the 1860s and since updated, Carieville is a three-storey sandstone home with harbour views to Spectacle and Cockatoo islands.
A PRIZED FITZROY LOCATION. A TRUE COMMITMENT TO DESIGN. A LIMITED COLLECTION OF 2 – 3 BEDROOM RESIDENCES FROM $1.5M – $7M.
COLOUR PLAY
Spanish designer Jordi Canudas is known for experimenting with light, a practice beautifully reflected in the Dipping Battery Table Lamp for Marset. Submerged several times into paint, it radiates captivating colour. estlighting.com.au
Refined retro
Dripping with nostalgia, these modern designs take us back to the sentiments of bygone eras. Compiled by PAULINE MORRISSEY
The Flowerpot VP2 Pendant by &Tradition is a retro revival of Verner Panton’s iconic 1968 design. It’s now available as a pendant in classic shades like dark green, mustard and red-brown, bringing a touch of mid-century charm. cultdesign.com.au
TIMELESS ICON
When selecting a haven for the winter, there are those with their sights set firmly on easy access to the ski slopes or, at least, a hidden, cosy mountainous escape. Then there are those who search for sun, warmth, and little to remind them of the gloomier months.
Just outside the city of Bilbao in northern Spain is the Neguri district of the town of Getxo, whose name loosely translates from Basque as “winter town”.
It was once a popular holiday spot for the wealthy, revered for its south-facing aspect shielded from winds – a spot to warm one’s bones even during the cooler months. These days, the area is considered one of the most prestigious places to live in northern Spain.
Enjoying a position across the road from the water is the palace of Eguzki Alde, designed by architect Leonardo Rucabado and built in 1918
as a private residence – as it has remained over the years. Notably, in 1957, it was home to Pilar Careaga, a pioneering engineer and politician who was the first female mayor of Bilbao.
More recently, the solid stone palace was bought, restored, renovated and converted into five residences, offering the rare opportunity to enjoy modern luxury living inside a 20thcentury palace. Most grand of them all, the brand new, light-filled penthouse occupies the top three levels, with six bedrooms, six bathrooms and sprawling views.
While the building’s facade, columns, cornices, pinnacles and tower have been preserved, on the inside, the modern fit-out has been designed for maximum comfort.
From the building’s ground floor entrance, a lift takes you to the penthouse on the third floor. On its lower level are two bedrooms; he main suite boasts an open bathroom, a large
free-standing bath in the centre of the room, and a spacious dressing room.
There’s a fireplace in the living room, while the kitchen has integrated appliances and a large wine fridge, with a second sink and additional appliances in the butler’s pantry. Together with the adjoining dining area, the rooms provide some of the best views in the residence.
Via the internal staircase, the upper level has a further four bedrooms, plus another kitchenette and lounge area.
Across both levels, each bedroom has a private bathroom and unique character and personality.
Some have clean white lines and wainscoting, while many have striking raked ceilings and large windows. Some have timber floorboards, while others have marble tiles.
One has light-blue wallpaper and accents that take their cues from the coastal location.
In one bathroom, intricate wallpaper with monkeys adorns the walls, alongside a stone basin and dark cabinetry.
Other bathrooms blend floor-to-ceiling marble and gold accents.
A spiral staircase then takes you up to the penthouse’s true gem: the palace’s tower.
“It’s a square room with windows [looking out] in all directions,” says agent Jose Ribes Bas from Rimontgo. “It’s ideal for writing, reading, listening to music [or] composing. It has a lot of light and beautiful views all over the water [and] mountains. It’s a very cosy room.”
The penthouse works as a combined residence or equally well for separate, multigenerational living, a common affair in Spain.
The penthouse residents have underground parking for at least three cars, plus storage.
The residences share a pool, while an underpass takes you directly across to the water.
No matter the season, it’s an area now in demand for holidaymakers and permanent residents. It’s just a 15-minute commute by train into the heart of Bilbao, but a safer neighbourhood, with a tranquil lifestyle.
A beach a little further north is popular for surfing, while a bit further north again is a popular spot for paragliding. Nearby, Real Sociedad de Golf de Neguri is one of Spain’s most exclusive golf clubs.
“The neighbourhood is clean, friendly, [and] beautiful,” Ribes Bas says. “It has mountains around – some are easy and others difficult to climb. It has a river, a large harbour with sailing boats, and long sandy beaches.
“Locals enjoy the local food while visiting their favourite bars for tapas and cocktails.”
Offering peace and beauty in the heart of Brighton, FiftyTwo Black is a collaboration of worldrenowned designers including Nicholas Day and Jack Merlo, with New York’s Gregory Tuck and Meg Sharpe. With graciously house-like proportions, this unique collaboration has been designed with a private and elevated lifestyle in mind. RH branded furnished residences, the first in Australia. Only one available, enquire now to move in within 4 weeks.
CONTACT
Alex Bragilevsky 0478 401 247 | Kelgend Winters 0439 434 449
3 3 3 www.fiftytwoblack.com.au
This geographically blessed Perth suburb provides an idyllic lifestyle just a quick drive from the CBD.
When the people of Perth wish to upgrade their lifestyle, it’s to affluent suburbs like Applecross –flanked by the Swan River and the Canning Highway – that they turn.
It’s one of those geographically blessed places that grant the best of both worlds. With the river wrapping around the suburb, it spawns an idyllic way of life, filled with water-related pursuits and peaceful parks and reserves that sit on the water’s edge. But the pizzazz of Perth’s CBD is reachable in just a 15 to 20-minute drive.
Apple of Perth’s eye
According to the latest Domain House Price Report, the median house price in Applecross is $1.3 million, up 8.3 per cent over the year.
Matthew Podesta, director at Mont Property, says many prestige properties in the area are tightly held.
“Families lucky enough to reside here live among quiet streets on generously sized blocks, often lined with jacaranda trees,” he says. “Homes on the prestige side are typically architect-designed mansions, with [river] views.”
Podesta says the vibrant Ardross Street village is also one of the suburb’s major selling points, home to boutique shops, eateries and bars, and hosting the annual Rotary Jacaranda Festival.
“Jacaranda festivals are a highlight in many towns across Australia, and Applecross is one
By PAULINE MORRISSEYsuch place,” he says. “Our very own festival takes place in a much-loved section of Ardross Street, which transforms into a lavender dreamscape from late October – these trees are not just pretty to look at, they are part of the suburb’s identity and hold economic value.”
Local icon by the water
Another notable icon synonymous with the suburb is the South of Perth Yacht Club, which has served the local community since the ’50s.
Premo Jacniacki, who works at the club, says of the suburb: “Outside of work, I’m often coaching our young windsurfers or taking my sons to the club, where they are learning to sail.
“I also enjoy taking leisurely walks along the beautiful foreshore or taking pictures of our wildlife and breathtaking scenery.”
Coffee Point Marine, on the club grounds, provides Applecross with a small retail chandlery, selling everything from ropes and shackles to nuts and bolts. It’s described by its owner, Doug Smith, as like “a mini Bunnings by the water”.
“We are a family-owned business, who love looking after our locals, often spotted tinkering around the river on our little work boat, helping where we can,” Smith says.
“I moved to the area 30 years ago and have loved living and working here as it’s just easy –you can’t put a price on peace of mind.”
YOU MAY LIKE ...
Applecross
Perth 6 Duncraig Road
$22.5 million
7 6 12
Expressions of interest
Agent: William Porteous Properties International, Peter Robertson 0427 958 929
There’s nothing subtle about this architectural masterpiece, from its striking stone-clad street appeal to its views over the riverside lawn and infinity pool and across the Swan River.
The South of Perth Yacht Club and the Swan River in Applecross at sunrise.
2/29 ALLAMBI RISE, NOOSA HEADS
If love is a sparkling jewel seemingly poised on a ridge over Little Cove Beach, a few minutes to the sand, with swoon-worthy eagle’s eye views sweeping across Laguna Bay, the Coloured Sands, Double Island Point and beyond, you must have front row seats on a salubrious penthouse sky terrace, or even one of the three levels below. A sense of serenity pervades the over-generous high-ceilinged living space where bright light shadow dances across the terracotta floor
and indoors becomes outdoors as it coalesces with a prodigious terrace, whilst the piece-de-resistance is the sky terrace. If the ‘stairway to heaven’ sounds too tedious why not take the lift.
Auction Friday 28 April 2pm
View Wednesday 5.00-6.00pm & Saturday 10.00-11.00am
Agent Chris Miller 0412 894 542 chris@offermann.com.au
Agent Jill Goode 0418 714 653 jill@offermann.com.au
TOP TIER
Alive and well at home
By HELEN HAWKESAs the juggernaut that is the wellness industry hurtles towards a world market value of more than $2.2 trillion annually, luxury home design is increasingly reflecting a growing trend towards both holistic health and relaxation.
If stress is the enemy of the successful executive or entrepreneur, rooms dedicated to meditation, fitness, detoxing in a sauna, and health and beauty consultations, soothe both mind and body.
A luxurious outdoor pool for morning or afternoon laps may once have seemed a significant nod to self-care, but now, relaxation or wellness spaces are akin to a private sports club, says Sydney-based interior designer Brendan Wong.
“A second, heated pool, indoors, that allows a continuation of exercise in the colder months, as well as a variety of adjacent wellness features such as infrared or dry saunas, steam rooms and hot or cold plunge baths, are in demand for luxury homes,” he says. “Custom-designed tea brewing and juicing stations and spaces where professional therapists can pamper clients in absolute privacy are also top of wish lists.”
While free weights or exercise bikes may also be seen, a Pilates reformer machine, for regular sessions with an instructor, is more likely.
“People see these relaxation spaces as part of a wellbeing routine that is based on preventative health principles,” Wong says. “But they are also places of serenity.”
Something playful, such as a table-tennis table or a bar may also be requested, says architect Rob Mills, who adds that relaxation spaces are as individual as haute couture.
“Many clients who have experienced luxury spas and retreats in Europe and Asia want to recreate that environment at home, especially if they are travelling less,” he says.
“Indoor pools, treatment spaces, cold baths, saunas and hair salons are not in every house, but they are in super-luxurious houses.”
In tune with this restful and rejuvenating vibe, colour palettes lean towards the more muted but are “still dynamic and refreshing”, Wong says, while indulgent extras include built-in poolside loungers that may be gently heated.
Mills says clients prefer toxin-free building and design elements, including swimming pools with natural, mineral-based filter systems.
Brisbane 79 Buena Vista Avenue Mid-$5 millions
Private sale
Agent: Hodge Estate Agents, Kosta Porfyriou 0404 430 327
This home’s heated, indoor magnesium pool puts you at ease. “Work-life balance is increasingly difficult to achieve. How do you switch off? In spaces such as these,” says the agent.
SOARING HIGH CEILINGS ARE JUST PART OF THE STORY, TOGETHER WITH 500SQM OF LIGHT-FILLED INTERIORS,ITALIAN STONE AND MARBLE, A $120,000 ENSUITE SAUNA, STUNNING BAY VIEWS AND MORE.
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO OWN THE LAST INCREDIBLE CUSTOM-DESIGNED SAINT MORITZ RESIDENCE.
SAPPHIRE BEACH
With its idyllic, absolute beachfront position this luxury retreat presents a rare and exceptional opportunity, parallel to the pristine waters and golden sands of Campbells Beach. Set on an unprecedented 2696m² and boasting 63m of beach frontage this private retreat is best described as a 6star resort. As far as location goes, it doesn't get much better than this. With the lifestyle enca psulating beautiful beaches, the Solitary Islands coastal walk, Coffs Harbour airport and the coasts largest r egional shopping centre all just minutes away. Comprising what was originally 4 parcels of land (now held on three 3 separate titles), there is potential here to construct additional homes, realise additional capita l or simply enjoy peace and serenity that is provided by the room to move. If you're seeking an amazing lifestyl e and demand nothing less than the best, you will find this home uncompromising and flawless on every fron t.
All information contained herein is gathered from sources we deem to be reliable. However we cannot guarantee its accuracy and interested parties should rely on their own enquiries.
