Mansion Magazine April Edition

Mansion incorporating news from Dow jones’

AustrAliA

Peak performer

The triumph of the penthouse

Rising tide

Victoria’s Great Ocean Road

Jamie Durie

Architect’s surprise package

Warming up

NSW Southern Highlands

Plus

12-page Interiors section Issue 16 April 2018

INSPECT DISPLAY APARTMENT

BY APPOINTMENT Irreplaceable beachside apartments feature expansive living spaces and entertainment balcony overlooking parkland to the north.

PRICED FROM $1.895 MILLION • • • • • •

Unique 260sqm boutique apartments, never to be repeated Prime beachside location — Mermaid Beach Metres from Hedges Ave Cafe — locals social hub Contemporary open plan living with massive 10m wide lounge 3 bedroom + study / 3 bathroom / 2 carpark Partial ocean views

E LY S I U M M B . C O M . A U CONTACT DEBORAH PROVOST PH 0408 652 963 | deborah@dpprojectmarketing.com CONTACT RON LONDON PH 0415 1 14 342 | ron@londonestateagents.com.au

COMPLETION MAY 2018

Artist’s Impression

“I have created a truly international interior.

Something high in quality and detail. A penthouse befitting the finest building on the best street, in the world’s most liveable city” David Hicks, Interior Designer for 85 Spring Street Penthouses.

85 Spring Street – a modern architectural masterpiece meticulously designed by Bates Smart and delivered by Golden Age Group. 85 Spring Street is the first and the last of its kind, a place of timeless grandeur, effortless living and exceptional Melbourne cinematic views.

Book your private viewing

85springst.com.au 1800 11 85 85 GRENADE GA594

Variety of residences available

Offering... Noosa Lifestyles

Is This Noosa’s Best Street?

39 Wyuna Drive, Noosaville

Tucked away quietly on sought-after Noosa Sound, but so close to all that Noosa offers, Wyuna Drive circles spacious, private parkland. Multi-million dollar homes enjoy stunning views across the river to protected bush land beyond.

Perfectly positioned on the north east stretch, this timeless property with its fresh stylish feel has been designed to capture views from every room. A recent back to bare bones renovation has produced an outstanding better than new result, through quality workmanship and first class fixtures and fittings.

Offering space, light and stunning views, the home has understated style and contemporary sophistication, allowing for the perfect beach house or spectacular entertainer. A generous 22 metres of private, sandy beach completes the picture.

NOOSA’S HOME OF PRESTIGE PROPERTY

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$5.95M

Web ID: 2871

Roark Walsh 0437 447 804

5449 2500

offermann.com.au

Offering... A Fresh Lifestyle

Discerning & Romantic Lifestyle With Noosa Class

63-73 Eumundi Range Road, Eumundi

What an incomparable location and magical setting for a jaw-dropping grand Queenslander, this boutique estate shrieks 5-star luxury.

Perfectly positioned on the 9.3h estate with double entry staircase, fretwork and verandah on three sides has been meticulously renovated. Throughout, the interiors, a balance of a gregarious personality and romantic Hamptons style, are reminiscent of pages in Belle magazine and a large pantry and preparation area is equal in size to the commercial-quality kitchen.

Downstairs is a two bedroom self contained retreat, across the path is a contemporary residence with two king suites, and if you love tennis theres a full-size court and a tranquil pool to cool off between sets.

An idyllic family lifestyle 700m to Eumundi markets or 20 minutes to Noosa.

NOOSA’S HOME OF PRESTIGE PROPERTY

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OPEN HOUSE WED 11.00-12.00

AUCTION 28TH APRIL / ONSITE / 9AM Web ID: 2925

Tracy Russell 0413 319 879

5449 2500

offermann.com.au

Contents

Great Ocean Road, page 26

Hawkesbury horse haven, Bali transported, tassie old and new

1 3 l u x u ry

1 8 cov E r story 2 2 ja m i E d u r i E 24 dolly lEnz

the penthouse remains the ultimate in desirable residences an impressive fortress-like exterior conceals several surprises americans have long been wary of auction, but things are changing

2 6 g r Eat o c Ea n roa d

32 BrisBanE 34 noosa

turi condon Contributing editor jonathan chancellor

a rural retreat close to sydney yet worlds away from care

david meagher

creating a versatile and liveable space to dream is big business

the thriving luxury home market is enjoying its time in the sun

a stake in the desirable Queensland destination is hard to come by

3 6 m a n s ion g l oBa l

AustrAliA

Editor

Buyers are clamouring for a piece of the prized holiday stretch

28 soutHErn HigHlands 3 1 k i d s ’ B E d ro om s

Mansion

versailles tribute, star’s Florida hideaway, kenyan beach villa

Interiors editor Art director shireen nolan Writers robyn ironside joel robinson milanda rout Elizabeth redman Chief sub editor

3 8 Bac k pag E

a mediterranean garden recreated on the victorian coast

41 intEriors

this apartment renovation unveiled a view too long obscured

deirdre Blayney Picture editor christine westwood

4 8 p rod u c t

Black leaves an indelible impression with these well-chosen pieces

50 my stylE

apaiser’s Belinda try has a refreshing take on the bathing ritual

Advertising craig warren tel. 61 2 9288 3678 craig.manning@news.com.au Frankie lipman

nExt issuE:

tel. 61 2 9288 3630

may 12, 2018

o n t H E c o v E r the penthouse of property developer john Boyd and his wife marly on castlereagh street in sydney’s cBd. photographed by tom Ferguson

frankie.lipman@news.com.au

Mansion incorporating news from Dow jones’

The triumph of the penthouse

Rising tide

Victoria’s Great Ocean Road

Jamie Durie

Architect’s surprise package

Warming up

NSW Southern Highlands

Plus

12-page Interiors section Issue 16 April 2018

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AustrAliA

Peak performer

unsolicited manuscripts will not be considered. printed by pmp print, 31 Heathcote road, moorebank 2170, for the proprietor and publisher, nationwide news pty limited (acn 008 438 828), of 2 Holt street, surry Hills, nsw 2010 for insertion in The Weekend Australian on april 14, 2018

Editor’s letter when high-rise living was pioneered in new york’s roaring twenties, the top floor housed the janitor’s quarters, clothesline and elevator machinery. times have changed. in monaco, a penthouse has been listed with a $us400 million pricetag, while london holds the record for the most expensive sale, set in 2014, at £140 million in the knightsbridge building one Hyde park. a crop of new apartment towers planned around sydney’s circular Quay are seeing prices not before struck in australia, and james packer has agreed to spend $60 million for a two-level apartment in the proposed crown resort complex at Barangaroo. in the heart of the sydney cBd, developer john Boyd and wife marly have put their penthouse topping the anz tower in castlereagh street on the market, asking $66 million. jonathan chancellor writes that the listing lifts sydney onto the world stage in terms of luxury apartments and it would be a record-breaker if sold at that price. melbourne’s housing boom has rippled through to prices along the spectacular great ocean road. as in many beachside towns, prices had been dormant for years, with comparativley few people willing to spend on a holiday home. However surging city prices have allowed downsizers to sell the big family home and buy a city apartment as well as a beach house, with change left over. the southern property boom is also being credited for the lift in Brisbane’s luxury market, with prices now regularly topping $3 million and a number of sales in the $7 million to $8 million bracket. meanwhile, jamie durie looks at a melbourne home by architect patrick kennedy, a fan of the japanese aesthetic, who uses compartments in his designs rather than a sweeping open plan in a bid to create intrigue. in our interiors section, milanda rout writes about the redesign of a 1960s apartment where a western wall once completely blocked its city views. the wall was removed, along with interior walls, and the apartment reinvented. we hope you enjoy this issue of Mansion Australia.

Turi Condon Editor t H E w E E k E n d aust r a l i a n | a pr i l 14 - 1 5 , 2 0 1 8

Offering... New Horizons

North Views And Gardens Down To The River

1 Natasha Ave, Noosa Heads

This jewel in the crown of Noosa Heads is exclusively positioned high on Noosa Hill and on 1320m² prime waterfront land.

1 Natasha Avenue captures stunning ocean views over Noosa Beach, Hastings Street, Laguna Bay and far beyond, whilst also offering privacy and close proximity to Hastings Street with its world class restaurants, designer boutiques and stunning beaches.

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Cantilevered to embrace the surrounding rainforest and gesturing towards the alluring northerly aspect of Noosa Heads, this grand residence of unrivalled luxury and superior quality is an impeccable bespoke new build, born out of a desire to embrace nature.

AUCTION 12TH MAY / ONSITE / 3PM

Fully furnished with custom-made and designer inclusions. Lift access.

Tom Offermann 0412 711 888

NOOSA’S HOME OF PRESTIGE PROPERTY

Web ID: 2803

5449 2500

offermann.com.au

AUCTION Onsite - 5th May

WATEGO’S BEACH BYRON BAY The Best Beach Location in Australia... 23 Marine Parade, Byron Bay

Once in a lifetime opportunity to secure Australia’s ultimate, beachfront “trophy” property 800m² (approx) positioned right on the exclusive, front row of spectacular Watego’s Beach, Byron Bay. Sitting perfectly elevated on the highest point on Marine Parade, this stunning site enjoys tranquility and privacy as well as uninterrupted, expansive views over the bay, Julian Rocks and out to the Mount Warning hinterland.

Access the white sands and crystal clear water of Watego’s from your personal beach track and watch the afternoon fade away in spectacular colours from the privacy of your own front lawn.

Nestled just underneath the iconic Cape Byron Lighthouse and buffered by beautiful nature reserve on one side, this is Australia’s beach property at its best! Watego’s Beach is the most sought after and prestigious location in Australia.

There is an existing 2 bed, original beach cottage on the land. Let your imagination run wild with the potential of what could be built here…the luxury beach home of your dreams.

DA approved architect plans for a stunning, new, luxury, 6 bedroom dwelling.

W W W. B Y R O N B AY P R O P E R T Y S A L E S . C O M . A U

Contact Vicky Innes: 0414 339 229 vicky@byronbaysales.com.au

Luxury

archerfield Farm, the Hawkesbury river enterprise of entrepreneur cm murphy – renowned for taking inXs from a sydney pub band to the international stage – has an official asking price of $5 million. the marketing is now being conducted by the family. murphy bought the richmond lowlands farm, which dates from the 1820s, about 13 years ago. it is currently set up under murphy’s guidance as a polo horse breeding venture. some of his current crop are playing under australia’s best polo professionals. set over 16ha, the Edwards road property comes with a charming 1930s three-bedroom home with wraparound balcony. there’s also a four-bedroom Queenslander, plus a horse barn and 12 horse paddocks. the grounds, with a 9m saltwater pool and cabana, come with a citrus orchard, fruit trees and an established rose garden. murphy ran his late father’s theatrical booking agency with his mother in wollongong before shifting his focus to rock music acts.

He will retain his Ballina stud holding sugar Beach station. toor ak

In the spotlight a park-side toorak home, one of the earliest signature designs created by the late architect wayne Gillespie, has been sold. it came with $7.5 million to $8.2 million hopes. kay & Burton south Yarra agents Emma Bloom and ross savas had increased price expectations after initially advising between $7 million and $7.7 million. the median house price in toorak is $4.6 million. the 575sq m home was listed by icon construction director ashley murdoch, who paid $5 million in 2010. it was built in 1981 by Gillespie, whose career spanned 30 years to 2001. His design stamp is still apparent, from the vast spaces to the glass-capped ceilings and indoor-outdoor living. the lower level is staged around a gallery-inspired foyer. the living and dining rooms have glass walls that open to terraces, while the upper balcony has views of the Yarra.

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Luxury

Blu E mou n ta ins

High point the residential Blue mountains price record has been untouched for a decade, but that’s set to change with the listing of karoola in leura, winner of the 2008 wilkinson award. the James stockwell design incorporates a pre-existing 1900s cottage. it has a price guide of $5 million through Belle property leura agent matt Grima. the house was designed for murray and christine wilcox to accommodate their big family. inspired by the local geology, it was built using rammed earth, crushed sandstone, blackbutt and hoop pine timbers. the sustainable single-storey main residence sits on a 5900sq m holding on malvern road. it has five bedrooms, each with garden and bushland views, and there are granite bathrooms with Japanese-inspired bathtubs. the house incorporates passive solar

the Hutt, an award-winning alex popov-designed whale Beach weekender featured on Foxtel lifestyle’s show I Own Australia’s Best Home, has hit the market. popov completed the whale Beach road home in 2006 and as a rental it has fetched $3000 a night in peak season. after the 640sq m beachfront block sold for $3.9 million in 2002, the concrete-clad home was built with recycled Jarrah and a copper roof. it has four levels, with open plan and floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the sand. the floating cantilevered staircase has been crafted from canadian rock maple. there are four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a wine cellar, and a self-contained lower level with kitchen, lounge, decking and heated pool. the top-floor master retreat features an italian marble ensuite and its own private ocean-facing terrace. lJ Hooker palm Beach agent david Edwards is seeking offers until april 24, with $12 million hopes. whale Beach road has had five $10 million-plus sales in the past 12 years. Buyers include deckers executive doug otto, liquor supplier kent walker and the formerly london-based hedge fund “wizard of oz”, Greg coffey. the highest price for a whale Beach home is $13.1 million, paid in 2012 when mining services billionaire John Grill bought the wedge from environmental activist Geoff cousins.

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design principles for heating and cooling, and has a veranda roof that opens. there’s also a multi-purpose garden studio for painting and music. the interior was influenced by the Japanese concept of discontinuous unity, developed in the 1940s by architects Yoshuzaki and sakazura, which involves the incomplete separation of living spaces. the home was constructed by master builder Gerald Verhoeven, with professor max irvine engineering the veranda roofing. craig Burton’s landscape design incorporated zoning for both endemic and exotic plantings. the Blue mountains price record was set in 2008 when carramar, a 1900s weatherboard home at wentworth Falls, sold for $3.3 million. only four homes in the region sold for more than $2 million last year, although that’s well up on the only one sold in 2016.

Futuristic technology is no longer just the stuff of movies. Muse, a hi-tech project envisaged for Melbourne’s St Kilda Road by Devitt Property Group, will feature facial, fingerprint and numberplate recognition technology. The home automation systems in the 14-storey tower, designed by Bruce Henderson Architects, can be customised to call a lift, flick the kettle on or lower the blinds before you arrive. The underground parking is also set up for electric car charging. The double-storey penthouse, which spans more than 1000sq m, is priced upwards of $40 million and the starting price sfor a stake in the 45-apartment development is $2.5 million.

t H E w E E k E n d aust r a l i a n | a pr i l 14 - 1 5 , 2 0 1 8

THE BOYD RESIDENCE SYDNEY

An ambitious work of pure genius, this incomparable residence is the crowning glory of the internationally awarded ANZ Tower in Sydney's CBD, complete with a resort-style rooftop pool, private secured garaging and a private lift. Having a gross floor area of approximately 2,400sqm over three levels that bask in magnificent harbour and city views, it was named the world's finest residence at the International Design & Architecture Awards 2017.

Private Treaty Inspection by appointment

Ken Jacobs 0407 190 152 Bill Malouf 0411 428 354

w w w. t h e b o y d r e s i d e n c e . c o m . a u

Luxury

walker House, a contemporary coastal home in sydney’s Bayview influenced by the designs of richard neutra and Frank lloyd wright, is set to be traded for the second time in just over 12 months. set high in bushland on lentara road, with views across pittwater, the fivebedroom home swathed in glass has five living zones, including a cinema and rumpus room. it set a street record when it sold last year for $7.95 million.

Greg and karen walker paid $1.4 million for the 4140sq m site in 2001 and commissioned northern Beaches architect ray Fitz-Gibbon to design the home along modernist lines. completed in 2007, it was based on the kaufmann House in palm springs, california, which was built in 1946. the walkers sold the home for $5 million in 2009. a decked terrace features a 20m lap pool and spa, and there’s a tennis court, gym and steam room. lJ Hooker avalon agent claudio marcolongo is taking offers until may 22, with a price guide of $8.5 million.

The Port Douglas, Far North Queensland, family estate of the Sydney-based Smith property developer family is up for sale. It comprises The Bali House, Plantation and Meryula.

The estate, which has access to Four Mile Beach, has a asking price of $10.95 million through Queensland Sotheby’s agent Barbara Wolveridge. FIRB approved for international buyers, its sits within the Sheraton Mirage resort, the development of Christopher Skase’s Qintex Group. The Bali House (below) was the first to be built in the resort.

The combined 16-bedroom offering comes with three heated pools on the amalgamated 4265sq m holding.

Another home in the Mirage Resort, Villa 101, has hit the market through The Pink Agency’s Callum Jones. Jones is asking $2.1 million for the four-bedroom absolute beachfront. The owners, who had first pick of the premium villas, have owned this magnificent property ever since it was built, some 30 years ago.

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Bat t Ery p oi n t

Tassie blend a Battery point home featured on Grand Designs Australia has sold. the house, which overlooks the river derwent, sold for more than $4 million to Victorians seeking a sea change. it took just under four years to find its buyer.

Blending tasmanian old and new, the napoleon street residence comprises an 1890s weatherboard cottage at the top of the block, with a striking industrial-modern waterfront addition further down the steep 478sq m slope. the extension is by maria Gigney architects. knight Frank selling agent pam corkhill says they are essentially two properties. the Georgian weatherboard reflects the history of Battery point, with a formal sandstone-edged garden and an outlook from the veranda. a stylish renovation added a home office, a sitting room, a kitchenette and a bathroom.

From the cottage living area, a soundproof door opens to an elevated walkway that leads to the modern home. complete with sleek lines and soaring industrial concrete walls, it has a view of the river from the living area framed by a number of windows. wooden-edged glass doors pivot to open onto a polished concrete deck that acts as an outdoor lounge room with open fire. the master suite features a freestanding outdoor bath on a secluded deck, also overlooking the river. downstairs there’s a 15m heated pool. the garden, which includes olive trees, is terraced down to the waterfront.

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Executive Living With Remarkable Ocean Views 3 N a t a s h a Av e n u e , N o o s a H e a d s

Positioned high on the north facing ridge above Noosa Sound, this executive three level residence penned by national award-winning designer Chris Clout is one of a kind. A sunny north aspect captures the most spectacular views across Noosa Sound, Noosa Heads, Laguna Bay to Double Island Point. The 926m2 site extends down to the Noosa River in the exclusive Noosa Sound precinct. Embracing more features than can be outlined, this is truly a property that needs to be visited.

Inspect by appointment Formal Tender closing 15th May

Adrian Reed 0409 446 955 Ken Jacobs 0407 190 152

Room at the top The last word in luxury living since they first appeared in the 1920s, penthouses have never lost their allure – or their capacity to command a premium price to secure a window on the world by jonat h a n ch a ncel l or

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in sydney’s cBd elevates the Harbour city onto the world stage of luxury penthouse apartments. it was no accident the modern penthouse atop Grocon’s anZ tower rivals the finest in the world, with its art deco fitout more than a nostalgic nod to the pioneering 1920s penthouses of the then-emerging cosmopolitan capitals of new York, london, Hong kong and paris. “the glorious penthouses of the 1920s, 30s and 40s maintain their appeal,” says christies international agent ken Jacobs, “but there is an increased level of interest in new state-of-the-art penthouses.” london holds the mantle of the world’s priciest penthouse sale, with the penthouse in the one Hyde park building in knightsbridge selling for a reputed £140 million, which in 2014 equated to $250 million. the price remains nearly double the new York apartment price record. the 1500sq m space atop the landmark london building on the fringe of Hyde park was bought by an Eastern European billionaire. one Hyde park was developed by the candy brothers’ cpG Group, in collaboration with waterknights, the private company of Qatar’s sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor al thani, and stands as one of the priciest blocks of real estate on earth. the sale topped the previous record, set in the same building in 2011 when ukrainian billionaire rinat akhemtov paid £136 million for two separate penthouses that were combined. with 16,000sq ft (1486 sq m) of space, the one Hyde park penthouse sale reflected £10,000 per square foot – or $93,000 per square metre. that’s likely to be bettered in monaco, where there are long-held $us400 million ($518 million) hopes for the five-level penthouse atop the tour odeon. the near-3000sq m hillside space beginning on the 45th floor has its own rooftop deck and pool, with a water slide that descends one storey from the dance floor directly into the infinity pool. a sale at $us400 million would reflect a price per square metre of more than $us133,000 ($173,300). the penthouse trend began nearly a century ago during the

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roaring twenties in new York, when economic growth triggered a high-rise construction boom. penthouses were then whole-floor, top-level apartments, but space was just the starting point. “i opened the doors and windows of america, and let the air and sunshine in,” Elsie de wolfe, the new York interior designer of the day, proclaimed. Her condé nast apartment fitout on park avenue is credited with introducing chic penthouse living. previously rooftops were for clotheslines, elevator machinery, water tanks and the janitor’s living space. since then the world has allowed a looser interpretation of lower-level penthouse living. new York is still producing new penthouses offering a luxury lifestyle. “the priciest districts in manhattan are Flatiron, the west Village and central park, specifically on 5th avenue, central park west and the newly named Billionaire’s row – a term given to a set of ultra-luxury skyscrapers on 57th street at the south end of central park,” says dolly lenz, who runs dolly lenz real Estate in new York. “some of these are among the tallest buildings in the world, reaching over 300m.”

Earlier this year it emerged that dell founder michael dell paid just over $us100 million for a penthouse duplex on Billionaire’s row at one57, the highest ever settled price for an apartment in new York. it topped the longtime record, a $us88 million apartment at 15 central park west bought by russian billionaire and as monaco Football club owner dmitry ryboloviev in 2011. a $us180 million, five-storey penthouse at the crown Building, reflecting $us14,358 per square foot, could set a new record at 730 Fifth avenue, currently being developed by russian billionaire Vladislav doronin. pricey settlements are anticipated this year at 220 central park south, with one of its seven penthouses reportedly attracting interest in the range of $us250 million. the developers are spending $us5000 per square foot to develop the limestone-wrapped $us1.3 billion condo tower. the wine cellars start at $us133,000.

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Clockwise from top left: Robert De Niro’s New York penthouse rental; Portland Place, London; the penthouse atop 252 East 57th Street, New York; and Sierra Tower’s penthouse in West Hollywood

With no shortage of space, penthouses have let in the air and the light in capital cities across the world australians are in the manhattan mix. late last year, the triplex penthouse at the pierre Hotel on Fifth avenue that was sold. the $us44 million apartment, which the late financial analyst martin Zweig and his widow Barbara Zweig once hoped would fetch $us125 million, previously belonged to the late lady mary Fairfax. she sold it in 1999 at $us21.5 million after a fitout by sydney designer Frank Grill. paying $us12 million, it was lady Fairfax’s project after her husband, newspaper proprietor sir warwick Fairfax died.

Expat retail executive david lowy spent nearly $us50 million on a penthouse in one57 late last year, and then listed his lowerfloor apartment for $us27 million. another Billionaire’s row apartment is on the market for $us37.5 million. the 755sq m full-floor penthouse at 252 East 57th street, with interiors by designer daniel romualdez, spans the 65th floor. the six-bedroom, seven-bathroom skyhome has two kitchens and an entertaining space with fireplace offering views across the East river. “there is not another penthouse that compares to this sprawling home in the sky,” says stribling listing agent pamela d’arc. the building features a spa with hydrotherapy circuit, and steam, sauna, ice and relaxation rooms. lenz notes several key enduring trends in new York city’s top penthouses. “the most notable is higher ceilings, which create an amazing gallery-like backdrop to showcase pricey art,” she says. “this of course is very expensive for developers, as it means fewer floors. “outdoor space is also a key trend as many of our buyers insist on indoor/outdoor living – the construction of which before now has been less prevalent. personal elevators are also becoming standard in new developments.” the realtor says her most exciting penthouse sale was earlier this year with a west Village apartment spanning more than 1020sq m. it had been rented by robert de niro and his wife Grace Hightower for several years at $us95,000 a month while their central park west home was being renovated. there are stars aplenty in new York. singer Justin timberlake is seeking to sell his soho mews penthouse, which is on the market for $us7.995 million. timberlake paid around $us6.5 million for the apartment in 2010. He and his wife Jessica Biel paid just over $us20 million for a penthouse in tribeca last year. meg ryan and Jake Gyllenhaal also own in the same block.

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on the East coast of the us, an empty shell of an apartment overlooking the sparkling Hollywood lights is for sale at $us58 million. spanning 650sq m of interiors and 370sq m of terraces, the 32nd-floor apartment sits in the sierra towers block. designed by architect Jack charney in 1965 with classic mid-century lines, it’s listed through christie’s international real Estate agent Joshua Greer. savills london director alex christian says views are one of the important features for penthouses in london. “living life at the top can come with panoramic views of our capital’s iconic skyline, coupled with beautifully appointed designer interiors and state-of-the-art technology,” he says. “there’s a certain prestige about being positioned above the rest.” there are six penthouses currently in central london publicly listed for more than £15 million ($27 million). the priciest is the twolevel apartment in the Foster + partners designed chesham place block in Belgravia, marketed for £34.5 million. spanning 520sq m, it features upper entertainment rooms leading onto a 175sq m wraparound terrace. savills listing agent Ben morris says the penthouse’s views set it apart from many of the offerings in central london. alex ross at savills is marketing a two-level penthouse at portland place in marylebone, on the fringe of Hyde park. the twolevel property has a price of £6.95 million. in australia we only have millionaires’ rows, though knight Frank’s wealth report found australia’s ultra-wealthy population increased by 9 per cent in 2017 – approaching the 10 per cent rate of increase of the world’s ultra-wealthy. the ultra-wealthy are increasingly mobile, albeit increasingly being thwarted by government regulations. “our buyer pool in nYc is divided evenly between international and domestic domicilies,” lenz notes. “international buyers mostly hail from china, the middle East and russia, but this mix varies often depending on a country’s economic health and fluctuating need for capital flight.” in the australasian region, one of the priciest penthouses is in singapore, where there are $us100 million hopes for the wallich residence atop singapore’s tallest tower. the three-level, 2000sq m apartment in the 290m tanjong pagar centre is being marketed by sotheby’s listing agent donald ng.

the likely new australian apartment record-setter was four years in the making. an express elevator leads to the 43rd floor, high above castlereagh street in sydney, where John and marly Boyd commissioned interior designer Blainey north to decorate the near 2400sq m space. it’s set atop the tower designed by richard FrancisJones, the design director of the architecture practice Francis-Jones morehen thorp, who was responsible for the striking crescentshaped roof that takes light deep into the apartment.

Jones says he would be surprised if the apartment was ever repeated again anywhere in sydney. it was ranked last year as the world’s finest residence in the international design & architecture awards. the Boyds, now parents of two children under three years, have decided to move on from their three-storey space, which has been their abode since 2015. it is the highest apartment in sydney with a bespoke sky lounge, just a stone’s throw from westfield tower.

Everything is custom made, including what’s been described as the biggest rug in the southern hemisphere, which was hand-sewn together as one piece. “the idea i tabled with them at [the first meeting] is that i felt there needed to be some sort of connecting [motif] and so we developed this idea of the black ribbon,” north told The Australian’s Wish magazine. it comes down from the ceilings, traces the windows, turns into the bar unit, becomes the balustrade of the staircase and runs into the bedrooms, where it becomes the bedside tables. it ends on the top floor with its pool and cabana. north reckons the apartment even has a Batman feel to it. “when you drive into the basement, you come into your own private lift and ride up into your apartment above a bank, which has views all around the city. it is totally private, it’s totally secure ,and it’s kind of like this life in the sky in the middle of the city.” christie’s agent ken Jacobs is marketing the penthouse in conjunction with lJ Hooker double Bay agent Bill malouf. “the buyer will be brought to the market, because they wouldn’t have imagined an apartment like this existed,” ken Jacobs suggests. malouf thinks that a corporation could be the buyer, for its chief executive or company president. sydney’s apartment record remains the $60 million James packer has agreed to spend for two levels in the yet to be built crown resort complex at Barangaroo south.

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Auction

Teneriffe Hill Remastered Queenslander to a Contemporary Hampton’s retreat !

Situated in a private and elevated enclave, this north facing home has been remastered to tailor for the discerning tastes of young professionals and classic mature families.

You will be impressed by the rare 22 metre street frontage and as you take your first step beyond the walled front courtyard complete with security intercom you are welcomed by a grand voided staircase giving you an amazing connection between the ground and upper floors.

The upper floor boasts 3.5 metre high ceilings with all living rooms flowing to the north facing verandahs creating an ideal casual entertaining space with a leafy and district outlook. The kitchen has a central location for access to all living spaces designed to maximise functionality whilst making entertaining an ease. The custom cabinetry, stone benches and state of the art appliances offer the quality and style you would expect in such a modern lifestyle home.

A luxurious master suite with ensuite which would sit happily in a 6 star hotel, a second bedroom and a study / nursery and bathroom completes the remainder of the upper level.

The ground level offers 2 additional bedrooms, one with its own ensuite and the main bathroom.

A separate media or living space with a butler's kitchen flows directly to an alfresco dining space overlooking a tranquil, private in ground swimming pool. There is double car accommodation provided although you would be excused for leaving the car at home being minutes from the best river walks, city cat transport, James Street precinct and Teneriffe's café society.

5 AUCTION

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2

12th May at 1.00pm on site if not sold prior

VIEW

Wednesdays 5.30 – 6.00pm Saturdays 12.00 – 12.45pm

AGENT

Vaughan Keenan P 07 3154 6333 | M 0417 057 150 E vaughan@graceandkeenan.com.au 3 Dunlop St, Newstead, Qld 4006

graceandkeenan.com.au

Jamie Durie p H o T o g r a p H S b y d E r E k S wa l w E l l

mElboUrnE

Well played “a delayed pleasure is an amplified one” – that was my favourite line from architect patrick kennedy when i talked to him about this unique home on a well-positioned site in the leafy melbourne suburb of Eaglemont. intrigue in an architectural sense can only be created when you don’t give away your hand at the beginning of the game. This was both the clients’ brief and the architect’s intention. in contrast with the sweeping images of open plan living we are used to, this home is full of little surprises that invite you to explore. They’re wrapped up in a bold curtain of perfectly rendered oversized masonry walls. The result is a curved fortress with perfectly pre-patinaed copper facade that cleverly seduces us into wanting to discover what’s beyond. i asked kennedy if he might be a control freak on these copper finishes. after he politely explained that the Japanese used horse urine to age the copper and he was chasing a more uniform approach, i understood his quest for consistency. (if you’re inspired to recreate the effect, our own porters paints has a finish using copper shavings that can be activated with a patina liquid on almost any surface.) when you walk through the black-stained slatted wood entrance doors, you are rewarded with a breathtaking view of a sculptural, clean white plastered staircase inviting you to enter the upper levels. it’s a functional piece of art making a statement kennedy wants us to remember.

He’s quick to point out that he and his team are always chasing memorable moments, as they create talking points. among my favourites are the curved tips on the bathroom mirrors – a modern take on royal motifs. when you combine design decisions that have a sense of play with sophisticated earthy finishes – such as the grass cloth cladding on the built-in bedroom doors and lightly blonded solid american oak kitchen cupboards – you can get away with all sorts of whimsy, as kennedy calls it. after wrapping the home to create a slightly monastic effect, he added some playfulness to give the owners a sense of refuge from the street, allowing them to relax as a family and enjoy the carefully controlled views. one of the more intriguing of those views is out towards the pool. it is as if the eyelids of the home have been deliberately half closed.

The Japanese use this technique to force the viewer to focus on the garden and it’s one kennedy is well aware of.

The technique is a clever substitute for attached awnings or pergolas and allows the home to be visually presented in its purest form. it’s a great way to protect the integrity of the original design while reducing the energy needed 22

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to cool the home on searingly hot melbourne summer afternoons.

The house has been furnished with a beautiful selection of pieces from Studio moore, and the tiles and the barstools at the kitchen bench have been well chosen. it’s hard to drink in this home in one glance, but that’s precisely what pulls you in. as homeowners, we have been so obsessed with following past trends around open-plan living that we have almost forgotten how to give rooms their own sense of place. compartmentalisation is not a dirty word in home design. it gives us a chance to bring out our inner child and prods us to explore, feel the element of surprise, feel safe and nurtured by the intimacy of a carefully scaled room. it’s a “transterior” concept and can also be used in the garden in creating outdoor rooms.

So let’s not give it all away. let’s claw back the cubby and remember how it felt like to enter that space as a child. let’s take a leaf out of kennedy’s intent and his clients’ willingness to live out a sense of playfulness once the surrounds have been established.

That’s the kind of intrigue you never forget.

In contrast with the sweeping images of open-plan living we are used to, this home is full of little surprises that invite you to explore Above: The home’s fortress-like exterior, and top, the curvaceous interior staircase. Opposite, clockwise from top: The kitchen fitout; the bedroom built-ins clad in grass cloth; a glimpse of the pool; the bathroom

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TrEEHoUSE rEviSiTEd

Sydney’s charming Pittwater Treehouse, covered by Jamie Durie in Mansion Australia last month, is held in high regard by all who know it – none more so than the family of its original architect, Robb Fotheringham.

Although current tenant Louella Tuckey is among many who believed its former owner, architect Ray Gill, designed the inspired hillside home, the Fotheringham family thinks it’s time the true story was told.

“We recall our father’s enthusiasm for the opportunity to pursue his interest in Japanese architecture, freed from the constraints of working to a client’s brief, when designing a holiday home for us on the northern beaches at Avalon,” says son Rowan Fotheringham.

“We listened as, using Norman Carver’s Form and Space of Japanese Architecture as a reference, he spoke about their methods of building, including joinery without nails, and watched intrigued as his plans took shape on his drawing board.”

Fotheringham says construction was “a family affair”, and weekends and holidays were spent working alongside the carpenter erecting the framework.

“We began by cutting a platform into the slope over which the house would sit and used the excavated sandstone to build a retaining wall,” he says. “We completed the fitout with its many unique features ourselves. My sister Jane worked unstacking fruit boxes with the ceramic roof tiles Robb had pulled up the hillside.”

Despite the hard work, he says, they had the “wonderful view of Pittwater from Scotland Island to Lion Island to gaze at through the spotted gums”.

“Ours was the first place to be built on the hillside so we had a feeling of splendid isolation,” Fotheringham says. “Robb’s pioneering work showed it was possible to build on such a steep location.”

Ray Gill’s widow, Jude, says her husband never claimed to be the original architect, although he did build two adjoining pavilions after buying the property in 1984. “He added his own style, always mindful to retain features such as the timber slider air vents”,” she says.

Fotheringham says even these designs were based on his father’s. “When Gill bought the house in the early 1980s, he asked for a copy of the plans, saying he wanted to expand the accommodation based on the original design,” he says. roby n ironSidE

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Dolly Lenz

Local aspect

witH jEnny lEnz

c o ol E y auc t ions

Damien Cooley auction creates the urgency needed for all parties to the transaction to achieve a premium price. it’s also the most transparent way to buy real estate. as a buyer, you can’t afford to not attend an auction if you have any level of interest in buying because a property could well sell below what you thought it might. we sometimes see multiple buyers making offers on properties listed by private treaty. these properties can be converted to auction. auction is the power of competition and the competitive nature of these buyers, their eagerness to own the property and their fear of missing out all contribute to them extending themselves in order to secure the home. it’s really hard to know what you will pay for a property until you are pushed by somebody else and this result actually reassures the buyer they’re making the right decision. some agents like to advertise a private auction to create an exclusive feel to the purchase. private auctions are usually a result of potentially high-profile buyers or agents not wanting other agents at their auction. Every property that goes to auction is different and every vendor’s motivation for selling is different. mcGr at H

Scott Kennedy-Green

c u lt u r a l c H a nGE

Above: Cher’s former home in Hawaii, sold by Concierge Auctions in 2010 for $US8.72 million ($11.35 million)

Auctions gain traction the auction model of selling real estate, a mainstay of property sales all across australia, is beginning to pick up steam in america.

For those companies willing and able to meet the challenges head on, the potential payoff could be enormous. so what are the challenges would-be auctioneers face in the us? the main one is the ubiquitous view that property at auction is distressed and bargains can be had for those willing to jump in. in fact, the overwhelming majority of buyers believe they would pay less for a home bought at auction. while this is a myth in general but especially in the luxury space, it is a belief that still holds sway for many us buyers, leading sellers to hesitate to go to auction and instead use the more common offer and acceptance method. the reality, of course, is very different from the prevailing view. in many cases, properties placed at auction induce serious buyers to place pre-auction offers for fear of losing out to would-be bidders. announced auctions definitely get buyers’ attention and spur interest, which is the ultimate goal of any marketing campaign no matter which method of sale is used. and statistics bear out the fact that prices realised at auction are at least equivalent to those obtained by private contract. the reluctance by sellers at the high end to opt for the auction model is beginning to moderate, due to several factors. the size of the inventory in the luxury space has grown, fuelled by the number of new developments coming to market. these properties are competing with existing homeowners for buyers, thereby increasing time on market for many luxury listings. the sellers, many of whom are baby boomers wishing to downsize and move on with their lives, are recognising that auctions offer a faster way to sell their properties as well as allowing them to

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set the minimum price they are willing to accept. High-profile auction sales of properties owned by such celebrities as whoopi Goldberg and cher have also reduced the stigma associated with going down the auction route. as a result of these developments, many of our clients who would have never considered auction are now approaching us for guidance as to how they could avail themselves of the option. laura Brady, president of concierge auctions, a premier realestate auction company founded 10 years ago, confirmed to us that “the popularity of the auction method has grown tremendously in the us over the past decade, as sellers are searching for more efficient methods to sell their homes – on their timelines”. the main point she makes to potential sellers is that the auction process is now “more akin to auctions of fine art, classic cars or antiques”. one australian company that is seeking to capitalise on these trends and take on the challenge of overcoming the stigma of auctions in america is Harcourts international, which is continuing to invest in its us operations. marketing its auction services as a complementary “personalised solution” to “traditional real estate”, it is seeking to relocate seasoned auctioneers currently working in australia to the us. the stakes are obviously huge, but so are the rewards. the total market for auction sales in the us pales in comparison to the 30 per cent-plus of homes that go under the hammer in sydney and melbourne, but the us market is much larger. luxury property agents would be well served to offer their clients the option as a possible adjunct to their marketing offerings.

Dolly Lenz heads New York-based Dolly Lenz Real Estate and last year sold more than $US500 million worth of luxury US and international homes.

auction provides an accurate and transparent way to realise a property’s true value in a competitive forum. a skilled auctioneer will create excitement and confidence among buyers, and maximise the sale price for the vendor. it is unusual to see a private treaty campaign swap to auction based on intensity. the most common situation is finding an auction brought forward due to strong multiple buyer activity early in the campaign. when a property is in high demand, the process really comes into its own. it can result in an auction being called days or even weeks out from its original date. an auction will uncover the best buyers in the market at a particular point and is by far the most effective way to achieve the highest possible sales price.

Everyone has a different view on whether an auction sale price is above or below market, and a “bargain” is in the eye of the beholder. the reality is, however, that the market price was met when parties elected to transact by auction on any given day. while the reserve price may be a figure to aim towards and/or provide the vendor with a level of comfort, the decision to sell is made when competition stops or the ability to achieve a higher result is exhausted. a BErc romBy ’ s

Jock Langley auctions make a statement to the market that buyers find hard to resist while also setting a deadline that creates urgency. the emotion created draws the marketplace out and it’s a method of sale that is well understood, particularly in melbourne. if you have a good product to sell in the right market, private treaty can often be effective.

Buyers like the opportunity to buy a property before it goes to a broader market in an auction campaign. in this scenario, the best time to swing into an auction process is if you have multiple buyers willing to compete. we find that private auctions can be more effective, particularly at the upper end of the market, as the privacy of buyers and vendors is respected. Expressions of interest are less transparent and often buyers shy away from the process due to distrust of it. we generally wouldn’t recommend private treaty with an asking price as an upper price has been set. we like to accommodate our vendors’ wishes and needs as much as possible, so if that means not going to auction we will do everything in our power to sell privately in the first instance. if this isn’t achieved, we recommend setting a deadline by auction and the vendors are often pleased with the results.

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ljhooker.com.au

Kangaroo Point 4/33 Ellis Street This award winning Boutique complex has excellent quality throughout and North Easterly river and city views ensuring even the most discerning buyer will be satisfied.

Community Facilities •

Climate controlled Wine Cellar

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Pool and Spa

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Entertaining area

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Gym & Meeting Room

3 Inclusions •

2x wall mounted Sony Televisions • Built in Sound equipment

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Main bedroom, Decina Spa Bath taking in river and city views

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Builtin Rinnai 5 Burner gas cook top

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Laundry Elecrtolux 7 kg Clothes Dryer

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Electronics Samsung Blu Ray DVD/ CD Player

•

Yamaha Amplifier, IPad Tablet controls lighting, blinds,TV Channels and integrated ducted air conditioning

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For Sale Contact Agent View Thursday 5.30-6pm Saturday 11.15-11.45am

Peter Gaston 0419 712 470 LJ Hooker Kangaroo Point

All information contained herein is gathered from sources we consider to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee or give any warranty about the information provided. Interested parties must solely rely on their own enquiries.

RIDING THE WAVE Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, long a sublime holiday destination, is now enticing buyers keen to find a prestige home betwen beach and bush

Above: Shannon Bennett’s place at 1200 Great Ocean Road. Clockwise from main: 63 Morley Street , Wye; 1233 Great Ocean Road; 265 Great Ocean Road; 7 Seahaven Place, Jan Juc.

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along the coast west of melbourne, the Great ocean road is feeling the ripple effects of the housing boom in the city. as prices have soared in the capital, downsizers are able to sell their grand family homes and buy a luxury apartment in town and a house by the beach, with money to spare to fund their retirement. cash is flowing into the lifestyle markets along the surf coast, from torquay and Jan Juc to anglesea, lorne and apollo Bay. the best homes offer knockout views and privacy for their owners, although with only limited space available between the ocean and the bush, some buyers have started to tear down old homes to build new prestige residences.

“Five years ago we were coming out of the European debt crisis, where discretionary lifestyle properties had a really tough period,” Great ocean Properties agent marty maher says. with prices in melbourne and sydney surging in recent years homes on the coast have looked cheap, he says, especially to owners selling a capital gains tax-free residence in melbourne and thinking about splitting their time between the city and the beach. the best properties are often snapped up by someone who already has a holiday home in the town but wants to trade up. with a choice of towns, buyers often base a decision on personal connection. “it’s often where they spent their childhood,” maher says. “we get a lot of people who came down to the family holiday house for years. “the other connection is friends – if they have some friends who bought down here, they come here and have a great time. they might not know the town that well but they see it through their friends’ eyes.” maher recently sold a four-bedroom home at 8 rip View close, Jan Juc, for an undisclosed sum after marketing it with a $4.25 million guide. it’s on a private elevated block and has a northerly aspect and views from every room.

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Great Ocean Road ElizaBEtH rEdman

the agency has also listed a five-bedroom residence at 60 Bimbadeen drive, Fairhaven, with hopes of $2.75 million to $2.85 million. they sold a four-bedroom home at 52 aireys street, aireys inlet, listed for $2 million to $2.1 million. another past sale was 8 ironbark avenue, Fairhaven, which traded for $3 million.

Prices have been firming noticeably over the past 18 months, with stock levels low and the forces of supply and demand at work, says agent ian stewart of Great ocean road real Estate, lorne. “there’s certainly a number of new buildings, but likewise there is also a growing trend of older homes being demolished to make way for brand new, bigger homes.” the best houses – and those that fetch the highest prices – are closest to the waterfront and have uninterrupted views, he says. But one of the top sales ever in the area bucked the trend – 57 George street, lorne, “up the top of the hill, with a fantastic outlook”, sold for $4.8 million in 2010. stewart is marketing 1200 Great ocean road in Big Hill, the holiday home of celebrity chef shannon Bennett, with guidance of $4.65 million to $5.1 million. nik karalis at wood Bagot took inspiration from ned kelly’s helmet. the five-bedroom property is on the hillside close to lorne on a 5100sq m block. it has an ultra-modern, purposedesigned kitchen with miele appliances and a walk-in store room. stewart has also listed the three-bedroom clifftop residence at 1223 Great ocean road in lorne, which has private beach access and sweeping views, with hopes of $4.6 million to $5 million. the agency previously sold a private four-bedroom retreat at 63 morley avenue, wye river, for an undisclosed sum after listing it for $2.15 million. surf coast real Estate agent max dolman says price growth in the region is due to its location between the ocean and national parks and offerings of new land have been limited. “there’s an enormous amount of renovation and rebuilding going on on this section of the coast because there’s a lack of vacant land available,” he says. dolman has listed 265 Great ocean road, Jan Juc, a four-bedroom home on 2.35ha with subdivision potential, with expectations of $5.5 million. another factor driving demand for the surf coast is sits proximity to melbourne, says tim carson, agent at mccartney real Estate. torquay and Jan Juc are only an hour and 15 minutes from the west Gate Bridge to the west of the cBd, allowing some buyers to keep working in melbourne a few days a week. “it’s really the lifestyle aspect, for families to be able to move down here and bring their kids up with all the best schools,” carson says. carson is marketing a north-facing, three-level home at 7 seahaven Place, Jan Juc. it features a heated swimming pool and landscaped gardens and has a guide of $3.9 million to $4.2 million.

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Rural estates jonat H a n c H a nc El l or

Highland fling The serene rural escape south of Sydney is luring more and more buyers in search of a manageable country seat with all the essentials

Ever since colonial days, a favoured rural escape for sydneysiders has been the southern Highlands, just over 100km from the city. over the past few decades, buyers have predominantly come from the traditionally wealthier suburbs of sydney. However richardson & wrench Bowral agent michael maloney says another crop of buyers have been emerging.

“Buyers always come from the northern, eastern and southern suburbs, but more recently from western sydney,” he says. sellers from suburbs being developed around the new airport and greenfield residential development sites are relocating with their windfalls to the Highlands.

Veteran southern Highlands agent drew lindsay at drew lindsay real Estate has also spotted the trend.

“Historically our main market was from the eastern suburbs and northern beaches, but now our clients are from all over sydney,” he says. the weekender crowd still dominates the demographic, but there has been a growing trend towards permanent residents. “our main market is the weekender market, but there are many buyers who commute to sydney and also work remotely from home,” lindsay says.

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Top and Below: Rosehill Farm at Kangaloon, reputedly bought for $5.35 million by tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes. Opposite: Three views of Ennismór at Berrima, top, and Kooyong, a weekender on 50ha, bottom

angus campbell-jones at campbell jones property is seeing the full-time trend. “the demographic has traditionally been weekenders. However we are seeing more people moving full time, particularly if they are educating children in the Highlands as there are some fantastic schooling options.” knight Frank agent deb cullen says that many sydneysiders feel comfortable buying that second home in the $2 million to $3.5 million range. one of the biggest prices paid this year was for rosehill Farm, a 45ha kangaloon property complete with top-of-the range equine facilities. it sold for $5.35 million, reputedly paid by tech billionaire mike cannon-Brookes the property features a stable complex, two horse stalls, a dressage arena, and a country homestead designed by richard rowe and finished with interiors from coco republic.

Gardens are by landscape architect michael Bligh. the Englishstyle walled garden includes an orchard, veggie gardens, croquet lawns and outdoor alfresco spaces under a wisteria-covered pergola complete with fireplace and pizza oven. the homestead, which has a wraparound veranda, was built in 2005 and incorporates elements of new England architecture. spanning 540sq m of internal living space, it has five bedrooms, a gym, study, and a walk-in cool room for catering. cullen, who sold the home with richard scholl, says Highland buyers can be split into groups.

“For the cEo-type clients, the popular sizes are always the 100 acre assets that allow a country lifestyle with stock,” she says. “For other sydneysiders, the smaller properties up to 50 acres are more than suitable to allow the freedom and lifestyle you don’t have back in the city.” cullen says the lifestyle aim of most of her buyers is to feel like a farmer part-time, or at least to be able to escape for part of the week. lindsay describes the current southern Highlands market as “vibrant”, suggesting many properties are being listed but, as in many areas of sydney, they are not all on the open market.

Ennismór, the weekender of the sydney-based stevens family

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mornington peninsul a

The good oil

who run the drone company measure australia, has been listed for $3 million by Drew lindsay and John renouf. the 50ha Berrima estate last traded for $1.8 million in 2013, the same price it sold for in 2009.

Complete with a four-bedroom architect-designed home, the property includes an 8ha lake. there are also six dams, a bore with a holding tank and a 120,000 litre rainwater tank, as well as sheds, an orchard, a chicken coop and a day yard for horses. lindsay also has swanton, a historically significant sandstone cottage dating from 1827 at sutton Forest. the 36ha holding, which has an asking price of $3.45 million, was once part of James atkinson’s estate, oldbury.

Despite the lure of the region’s rolling hills, the top end of the southern Highlands market hasn’t always been as buoyant as it is now. Just five years ago, southern Highlands agents were having a tough time. says maloney, “2013 was a difficult year to make rural sales. it was the bottom of our market. things gradually improved, with many sales as well as an increase in prices of approximately 10 per cent to 20 per cent in 2017.” maloney says that the year to date has been the best on record, citing a lack of stock driving higher prices. He thinks there will be a

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sale of $10 million-plus in 2018. “the greatest growth in rural property has been in the $1 million to $2 million bracket,” he says.

Campbell-Jones has found the $2 million-plus range has had strong growth, and there has been some growth in the $4 million-plus bracket, but not as much. “purely a function of supply and demand,” he says. “there are more people with $2 million than $4 million.” the most popular size is around 40ha, according to maloney, who has recently listed Kooyong, the 50ha southern Highlands weekender of stephanie and mark Darling, for $3.885 million. mark was the founder of Fountainhead Water Company and stephanie, the author of Secrets of a Beauty Queen, was the beauty director of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. the Darlings built their estate 15 years ago with the help of architect richard rowe. reflecting a european aesthetic, the brick and render home is made up of four bedrooms, with French doors, an iron roof and wraparound verandas. it has expansive outdoor spaces complete with a fireplace, tennis court and a lake with folly. like most properties in the southern Highlands, Kooyong, which was landscaped by michael Bligh, lends itself to agricultural pursuits such as cattle or horse grazing. there are steel cattle yards, nine dams and fenced paddocks. maloney says cattle grazing is the most popular pastoral pastime in the Highlands. Campbell-Jones says a 40ha holding qualifies for primary production status for cattle. maloney sees a variety of buyers, all wanting something different, although he says estates catering for the horse enthusiast are preferred. “there are many equine pursuits, be it thoroughbreds (racing, breeding, spelling), polo, dressage, eventing, pony club or harness racing,” he says. last year’s top sale offered both when the former rugby league player-turn-hotelier steve Bowden bought the 258ha Hill top holding Wattle ridge for $8.25 million. as a working farm it was capable of carrying 50 breeding cows and horses.

William Zuccon designed the property’s six-bedroom american georgian-style home, completed in 1998 with interior decor by thomas Hamel. there’s also an all-weather tennis court, heated pool, dressage arena with two stables, and a three-bedroom guest cottage.

We can’t all buy property at Puglia, which produces almost 40 per cent of the olive oil in Italy. There are some 60 million olive trees in the region, millions so old they are heritage protected.

There are only 900 growers in Australia. They grew 120,000 tonnes of fresh olives, worth $240 million, in 2016/2017, with 95 per cent used to extract 20,000 litres of olive oil. The remaining 5 per cent was allocated to table olive production.

Australian properties with olive groves typically only see the odd bottle of olive oil produced, mainly for family use. But the Green family established an award-winning estate, L’Uliveto Verde (The Green Olive Grove, above), at Boneo on the Mornington Peninsula, when they bought a 19ha holding in 2007.

The enterprise kicked off when the family planted 3250 olive trees across 16ha. The grove, planted in an inherently Italian style, is laid out in a traditional European diamond pattern, with trees in diagonal rows five and seven metres apart. Those used for oil are Italian varieties, Frantoio and Lucino, using the Spanish-origin Paqual as a cultivar. The table varieties are a classic Greek kalamata.

There’s also a large organic orchard with 70 different fruit varieties, along with an organic vegetable operation.

The European influence continues to the property’s sixbedroom Mediterranean-style homestead. The rendered home, framed by classic pencil pines, sits at the end of a sweeping gravel driveway. Behind the arched timber door is a baronial-style entry hall with terracotta tiled floor. The kitchen and living areas have views over the garden, pool, tennis court and olive grove.

Peninsula Sotheby’s International Realty agents Rob Curtain and Linda Boulter are marketing the property for an April 19 auction. The price guide is $3.5 million to $3.8 million.

For the wine and olive lover, there’s the Hunter Valley Pokolbin, NSW, estate Olio Mio, which has just been listed by Jurds agent John Edmundson. The 24ha property features a 10ha olive grove and a processing plant, as well as a 2ha vineyard and garden. It comes with a southern European-style six-bedroom homestead that last traded for $2.75 million in 2002.

The olive grove, established in 1997, has produced premium extra virgin olive oil, made from fruit harvested and processed onsite within 24 hours of picking.

With now more than 75,000 trees across Australia, the olive harvest has commenced in Queensland and Western Australia then progressively moves south, with NSW in April, Victoria in May, South Australia during June and Tasmania in July.

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ljhooker.com.au

Palm Beach 37 Norma Road

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Spectacular Views, Sun And Future Potential Spectacular beach and ocean views, a wonderful panorama of the exclusive headland enclave of Whale Beach, and gloriously endless skies provide the ultimate backdrop for this unassumingly charming home. The ridgeline position allows the home to benefit from the glorious northern sunshine whilst boasting panoramic views south.

Classic in its simplicity yet stunning is its appeal, this home is sure to leave a lasting impression.

The gardens, professionally designed, are breathtaking. With level lawns, meandering pathways, evergreen shrubs, natural rock formations and dry stone walls, they are reminiscent of a bygone era.

In the house, the extensive use of a white palette enhances the feeling of space and light. The open plan living and timber floors feel understated and relaxed. 3 bedrooms deliver plush accommodation and there is a delightfully private 4th bedroom with en-suite located adjacent to the main house, ideal for guests.

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Auction Wed 2nd May - If Not Sold Prior View Saturday 11.15 - 11.45am www.37normaroad.com

Peter Robinson 0401 21 90 77 Palm Beach 9974 5999 1073 Barrenjoey Road

All information contained herein is gathered from sources we consider to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee or give any warranty about the information provided. Interested parties must solely rely on their own enquiries.

Kids’ bedrooms

Left: Baber Studio reworked an internal staircase to become a curved interior alcove and retreat area.

Right: Asher’s room from Petite Interior Co

RoSA nn E bA R R ET T

Room to dream Independent bedroom sanctuaries where children can sleep, relax and play are gaining popularity as parents strive to create space and harmony in their homes. children’s interior design has emerged as an industry niche, and parents are planning for their offspring to stay comfortably for longer in the family home by constructing separate wings for each generation. belinda kurtz, the chief executive of interior design company Petite Interior co, says that parents want beautiful solutions to keep their children – and their children’s belongings – happy, safe and secure at home.

“People are becoming a lot more focused on making their kids really comfortable,” she says. “we come up with spaces to suit each particular child.” bedrooms are big business. Prestige, architect-designed homes generally cost from $5000 per square metre to build, and up to $10,000 per square metre for ultra-luxury homes in Sydney and melbourne. And while Australia’s elite have yet to reach the reported $US500,000 ($636,445) excess of pop star beyonce’s nursery for her twins, people are strategically investing in bespoke bedrooms and playrooms for their children. kurtz says the design cost for a children’s room starts at $1500 for a room. Specific bedroom planning can also boost a home’s sale prospects because prospective buyers can instantly envisage their future family life there. kurtz and her electrician husband dean have designed and decorated more than 500 rooms, including commissions for an Abu dhabi-based royal family and Saudi Arabian families, since launching their business five years ago. “we only do children’s rooms at the moment,” she says. “It’s an incredible little hub.”

She says that to maximise their use, bedrooms should have

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Children’s bedrooms are big business and innovative design can capture the imagination of buyers three distinct spaces for children. one is a sleeping zone; the second is a study or play zone, with a desk for older children or table and chairs for younger kids; and the third element is a reading or relaxing space with an armchair or basket of books.

And as every parent knows, storage is key. kurtz says it is by far the most requested element. “often its about giving [the children] special spaces to put those things they love, so they are not clutter anymore,” she says. “The interiors should do the work for the person who lives there. It’s that old saying of a place for everything and everything in its place.”

Architect monique baber says children’s bedrooms should also include an element of whimsy. In a teenage boy’s bedroom, she

reworked an internal staircase to become a curved interior alcove and retreat area. “It was something practical that became somewhere where they can dream a little,” she says. “It’s a little vehicle for creativity and imagination that we try and put in those secondary bedrooms.” baber says there is always an opportunity within cabinetry to transform an area and make a special nook, or have a special window to allow a connection to the outdoors. “It doesn’t take much at all; it’s just a little opportunity for creativity,” she says.

Family homes are also being built with the requirements of growing children in mind. Architect Shaun Lockyer says home plans that create a living space entirely dedicated to growing children – with bedrooms, ensuites and their own entertaining zone – make for happy families.

“There is a section of the house where, in its fully evolved state, kids can sleep, socialise and study independently of the parents,” he says. “That is as important for adolescents as it is for adults.

There is a period of life where kids have to have their own space.

The more you provide that autonomy, the happier that cohabitation of adults and kids will be.”

Lockyer says built-in robes are a must, and separate ensuites for daughters and sons are highly desirable.

And homes with spectacular sleeping quarters are a key feature for prospective buyers. Place agent Sarah Hackett says children’s bedrooms at the high end comfortably allow a double bed, a reading nook and study area, often with built-in cupboards and an ensuite bathroom. but she says one of the main selling points of a home is the master suite, which is becoming more popular as an independent living area. “For the person who is paying the cheque, it is becoming a key feature,” she says.

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Brisbane

Left: The 100-year-old Clonlara in Clayfield.

Right: The games room of 58 Retreat St, Bridgeman Downs

joEl robinson

The sun has been shining on the Queensland capital’s prestige market buyer demand is strong in brisbane, and it’s pushing prestige prices higher. ray white agent christine rudolph says there’s been a tremendous jump in buyer confidence in brisbane this year, with multi-million dollar sales flowing weekly. “purchases of $3 million-plus are now weekly occurrences in inner-city brisbane, for luxury one-per-floor apartments and small lot contemporary homes in suburbs such as new Farm and even paddington,” she says. rudolph, along with new Farm colleague matt lancashire, is marketing clonlara, a 100-year-old home in clayfield being sold by the family of the late sir Edward and lady dorothy williams. sir Edward was a former judge of the supreme court as well as a former australian of the Year. He also chaired the 1982 commonwealth Games. the williams, who had eight children, called the property home for six decades, until sir Edward’s death in 1999. His widow died last year. “clonlara is truly a cherished family home,” lancashire says. “it comes complete with not one, but two, championship-sized grass tennis courts, which became a great meeting place for the neighbourhood kids.” the six-bedroom Federation-era home sits on a vast 3315sq m parcel in the blue-chip inner-city suburb. built in 1916, it was named after an irish village in county clare. the home has retained a number of its period features, including a grand entry foyer. rudolph suggests such a significant land parcel, rarely available so close to the brisbane cbd, will be highly sought after. “the drawcard of brisbane is both its livability and its affordability,” she says. she is seeing signs of a trend for sydneybased corporate executives to buy in brisbane, send their children

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Turning up the heat to private school there, and work out of sydney monday to Friday. they take the early-morning flight back to sydney on mondays. “this is becoming an increasingly attractive and cost-effective option,” rudolph says. off-market sales are also pushing the brisbane market forward. domino’s pizza boss don meij recently sold his six-bedroom ascot home, which he bought just two years ago for $8.615 million, for around $11 million. meij recently paid $7.25 million for a home in nearby Hamilton. another home in new Farm that sold for $2.3 million 14 months ago has just sold off market for $3 million. it’s not just the inner-city suburbs that are driving growth. bridgeman downs, 13km north of the brisbane cbd, has been a consistent performer over the past year or so. the suburb record was broken in 2016 when an americaninspired estate on retreat street sold for $4.96 million. seeking to jump on the hot brisbane prestige market, the property is now back up for sale again. place bulimba agent sarah Hackett, who sold it less than two

years ago, describes it as one of the most spectacular and opulent properties in brisbane. the Gatsby-like home is set in one hectare of landscaped gardens, with winding walkways leading past pergolas, statues and a sandstone well. the near-800sq m main residence, designed by richard Foley, combines the heritage of Queensland architecture with the ongoing Hamptons trend. it has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a theatre room, library and games room. a self-contained pool house accompanies the swimming pool and tennis court.

Hackett has set an auction date of may 3.

Earlier this year, a home on nearby priestley road just missed out on the suburb record, selling for $4.9 million. also sold by Hackett, and also on exactly one hectare, it was completed in 2010, and has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court. buyer enthusiasm for homes on the river continues. at kenmore, jedburgh, a family home built in the 1880s and relocated from inner-city windsor, recently fetched $2.125 when it went to auction through ray white agent barry Quinn. the four-bedroom home, now surrounded by towering river gums, was moved onto its 5260sq m parcel during the mid-1990s. jedburgh takes its name from an earlier dairy farm and is one of the few colonial homes remaining on the brisbane river. at Fig tree pocket, peter bond, the founder of linc Energy, managed to sell his palatial seven-bedroom manor for $7.5 million. the confirmed buyer is businessman clive palmer. Queensland sotheby’s chief executive paul arthur says the most encouraging aspect of the renewed confidence in the brisbane market is that it’s not isolated to a specific pocket, but rather spread across a variety of suburbs. He said due to the increased confidence he is seeing more buyers from interstate and overseas.

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V T F

Villa 101 @ The Mirage Resort, Port Dougla Douglas ass a Premium Beachfront and Poolside Position on The Port Douglas Property Specialists ts

A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity to Secure the Ultimate Port Douglas Position… …

Held by y the Holmes family y for an amazing g 30 y years ever since Christopher p Skase provided p them first p pick of all of the Mirage ge Vil V las. s. s Villa 101 was chosen for its prime position & access to both the beachfront and being adjacent to the 5 acres of iconic lagoo o n pools. s.

Villa 101 @ the Mirage… At a glance; e; m2 of Freehold Title & Space 278 8m2 ce . Four Bedrooms ms . Three Bathrooms ms . Two Car Accommodation on . $2,100,000 00

View online: e: www.realestateportdouglas.com/property/569 p g /p p y 9 To arrange g your y private p inspection p contact: t Callum Jones on 0437 981 195 t: 5o orr callum@theagentportdouglas.com g p g m For all your Port Douglas property needs visit our office: e: 1/32 Macrossan Street, Port Douglas, QLD, 4877 7

Noosa roby n i ronsi dE

Tight spot A luxury Noosa apartment is not easily relinquished – and the prices tell the story

noosa’s prestige apartment market has a problem that could be the envy of vendors nationwide. with some of the toughest development controls in the country, and a four-storey height limit, there is simply not enough property available, particularly for keen buyers in the $1.5 million-plus range. “we need more stock,” says laguna real Estate owner olivier miller. “if you have an apartment in that price range of $1.5 to $4 million, you actually do have a pretty ready audience.” richardson and wrench principal peter butt is of the same view. “there are 27 three-bedroom apartments along the Hastings street beachfront and a lot of them still have the original owners in them,” he says. “i’d say more than 50 per cent of those properties are still owned by the original owner, which means only about 15 of them have turned over in the past 15 years.” the picture is not much better for neighbouring sunshine beach, which has a mere 54 absolute beachfront lots and only four apartments at little cove. “the last one [at little cove] turned over about five or six years ago,” butt says. “when something happens it’s always big news and invariably we get many offers on properties. the response we get [from owners] is generally “thanks, but no thanks”. corelogic data supports the agents’ views, showing the number of apartments going on the market in noosa Heads last year was at its lowest level in five years. similarly, only 39 “prestige apartments” changed hands in 2017, compared with 51 the previous year. as a result property prices are going from strength to strength, with noosa now laying claim to the most expensive average apartment price in the state. the real Estate institute of Queensland’s 2017 market monitor found prices improved by $15,000 for the year to $500,000 – as rental vacancy rates fell to an incredibly tight 0.6 per cent. and as each year passes, more price records fall. last year, agency owner tom offermann sold a three-bedroom Hastings street apartment for $6.9 million. “unlike sydney and brisbane and melbourne, you can’t go higher density [in noosa],” he says. “there’s no high-rise allowed. it will only drive up the value of properties.”

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Top: 19/8 Serenity Close Middle: Noosa from the air Below: 3/31 Picture Point Crescent

away from the beachfront, apartments remain hot property, with prices in the settlers cove development at $3 million-plus. “the noosa unit market is really making some inroads into the local housing market because we’re pretty much landlocked for houses so our developers are finding old properties in prime locations, knocking them down and building duplexes,” miller says. “duplexes are probably the flavour of the month in terms of having that little bit of private space in the courtyard – people like to touch the earth.” other sought-after qualities in the prestige apartment market are water or beach views, a double lock-up garage, study, two bedroomsplus and a range of facilities within walking distance. “people are going for prime locations and they like modern, they like new and they like the features that a new property gives them,” says miller. recent sales have included 19/8 serenity close, a fine example of what close to $4 million buys. the three-bedroom, three-bathroom north-facing penthouse is part of a resort sanctuary surrounded by tropical gardens. it has almost 500sq m of space with private lift access. within days of being listed, 3/31 picture point crescent was sold for $1.85 million. in a triplex, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom unit has views over the river. and in a lucky break for agent kate cox of richardson and wrench, apartment number one is now up for sale. the agents agree that much of the demand is from within Queensland as well as from interstate, with melburnians traditionally outnumbering those from sydney. but offermann says interest from sydneysiders has skyrocketed in the past two years, with some “very well-known sydney people” buying into the resort town. “since the global financial crisis, sydney prices have increased 125 per cent and noosa is about 25 per cent above GFc levels,” offermann says. “it’s still offering great value from a sydney property perspective.” it should be an estate agent’s dream, but butt says the considerable downside is the difficulty in acquiring stock to sell. “we’re basically built out because we’ve got a town plan that restricts development,” he says. “we’ve had a situation where we’ve been a green-driven lifestyle council [in noosa] and i totally agree with that concept, but we’re now at the point where we need to rethink the town plan.”

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16 Orchid Avenue Tinnanbar Qld WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DO!

Price $599,000

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With sea views to Fraser Island and adjacent to council maintained parkland, this low maintenance 773m2 block offers a quiet secluded haven, perfect for retirees or a family looking for an up-market weekender or holiday retreat. This north facing home is just a moment’s walk to sandy beaches, ideal for swimming, fishing and relaxing, and 10 minutes by boat to Fraser Island.

Featuring 3 extra-large bedrooms with the master suite located in its own wing, boasting sea views, ensuite, walk-in-robe and built in office, this home offers an abundance of functional living space. Includes an open plan living and dining area, fully optioned chef’s kitchen and large outdoor entertaining area. With a triple lockup garage and an abundance of off street parking, there is plenty of room for boat and/or caravan storage.

Other features include; • Daikin Super Inverter ducted Aircon • 1.5kw Solar System with 3kw inverter • Low Maintenance Gardens • Council Rates approx. $2,100 per year The owners are happy to sell this property furnished or unfurnished.

For inspection telephone Marilyn McShannon on (07) 5485 4731 or 0402 218 238 at Queensland Independent Property Agents.

YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!

Agent: Marilyn McShannon Queensland Independent Property Agents 0402 218 238

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Tropical retreat this sprawling villa, on the market for $us3.25 million ($4.24 million), features lush tropical gardens, 60m of pristine beach frontage and great views of the indian ocean. “of the kenyan beach locations, Diani is one of the premier tourist destinations in the world,” says knight frank’s anthony Havelock. it offers “flawless beaches, a coral reef with thriving marine life and ideal surf for water sports, as well as high-quality hotels, resorts, restaurants and beach clubs”. last year, tripadvisor ranked Diani the seventh-best beach in africa, he says. the climate makes it an ideal escape from the european winter.

Villa ahana has an open-air central courtyard with palm trees, and a handsome terrace overlooking the swimming pool, plunge pool, gardens and ocean. there is also a large rooftop terrace with panoramic ocean views. the interior is well thought out, Havelock says, with “a layout that effectively uses the available space to create a continual flow of movement from room to room”.

Design details include graceful pillars, large arched windows and contemporary marble floors. the 2076sq m house, which has five ensuite bedrooms, sits on a 2ha site within a perimeter wall. there are also three partially completed two-bedroom bungalows, and staff quarters. amenities include a boat room and a garage for two or three vehicles. the property would work well as a private holiday home but could also be converted into a boutique hotel, subject to approvals, Havelock says.

REA0486_19656763AY 2018-04-06T10:45:45+10:00

BBiillll c ca ary ry

Originally published on mansionglobal.com

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sstta ar r V V ii ll ll a a w w ii tt H H D Da a zz zz ll ii n nG G V V ii ee w wss

Maison des Jardins, a palatial home on long island, new york, modelled on the Palace of Versailles, has hit the market with a pricetag of $us60 million ($78 million). owner raphael yakoby, creator of the blue liqueur Hpnotiq and pink vodka nuvo, developed a love of everything french when he started his business there, says eloise Halpern of Douglas elliman, who is handling the sale with Patricia Bischoff. the 3.4ha estate is accessed by 7m iron gates that open to an allĂŠe of flowering pear trees. a 400m driveway leads to the limestone residence, which has eight bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, a grand ballroom and staff quarters. the 2044sq m of living space includes Baccarat crystal chandeliers, six 19th-century marble fireplaces, and imported furniture and fabrics that are included in the price.

Villa Jasmine, a grand waterfront residence in Miami Beach’s sunset islands, is the former home of enrique iglesias. the singer bought it as a rundown property about seven years ago and redeveloped it into a Moorish-style Mediterranean house, says listing agent nelson Gonzalez. the current owner acquired it about four years ago. the 7622sq m house, listed for $us19.5 million ($25.4 million), features seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms, intricate doors, arched windows, and keystone and saturnia floors. outdoor features include a courtyard and fountain, a swimming pool, waterfront spa, manicured backyard, gazebo with a summer kitchen and a marble driveway. the home sits on a 708sq m lot with 46m of waterfront. amenities include a large dock and a three-car garage. there is also a two-storey guesthouse.

D Do ou uG Gll a ass e elllliiM Ma an n

BBiillll c ca ary ry

The #1 place to sell your property

this is the place

Mediterranean hues jonat H a n c H a nc El l or

the climate of Victoria’s mornington peninsula, with its cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers, suits mediterranean-style gardens, as well as grape- and olive-growing.

But landscape designer paul Bangay says creating gardens there can still be a challenge.

Bangay was tasked with designing a garden for a repeat client in portsea. the home and gardens (pictured) were built in the provencal style, since the client had travelled regularly to the region in the south of France. what was exciting about the project, Bangay says, was that he had a hand in the design of the house too. “i love nothing more than designing the house and garden together,” he says. “it is so magical sitting under an olive tree in a French-style garden.”

Bangay used traditional elements of the provencal style, with wisteria draped over the home’s facade and a gravel path separating the house from the lawn.

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there is an italianate feel, too, about the garden, which was featured in his 2017 book, Paul Bangay’s Country Gardens. “the more formal style of geometric lines and the use of strong axes and focal points is obvious, while movement around the garden under vine-covered pergolas is reminiscent of a stroll through an old italian garden,” Bangay says. pencil pines, which typically appear in an italianate garden, also feature. lavender, wisteria, cypress, iris and box clouds all love the well-drained, sandy soil of portsea as well as its climate.

Bangay says the italian lifestyle, the way people dine outdoors and survive a hot, dry summer, had a huge impact on him. His early inspiration was largely drawn from the great gardens of italy. “it appealed to my very early sense of enclosure and nurturing, and i still adopt this philosophy in many of my garden designs,” he says.

He loves the aged lime-washed walls, the texture of elaborate pebble paving, the simplicity and repetition of the plantings, the symmetry and classical architecture of the villas and the architectural elements that enclose the gardens. “the patina of the buildings and garden structures in italy left me with a lasting hatred of everything too perfect and new,” he says. “i constantly source materials that are worn and full of character, and prefer lime wash over the perfection of acrylic paints – which means i fight a constant battle with clients who look for perfection in materials,” Bangay says. of course a mediterranean garden will not just appear as part of an instant makeover, as its shrubs and trees need time to establish and grow. melbourne garden devotee caroline davies, who currently heads the mediterranean Garden society, spreads the wisdom of water-

wise gardens beyond the countries that surround the mediterranean Basin. the horticultural ethos of the international organisation, established around 25 years ago, arose out of concerns that the world’s gardening literature was dominated by waterhungry gardens in temperate zones. meanwhile, in tuscany, Bangay has recently created a renaissance garden in an old carpark at the monash university prato centre in prato, italy, housed in the 18thcentury palazzo Vaj. prato has been a thriving italian wool textile trading city for 900 years. this work is celebrated in the recently released The Italian Garden: Restoring a Renaissance Garden in Tuscany (thames and Hudson, $49.99). the prato garden is more civic than domestic. remarkably, Bangay created it remotely, using australian creativity and italian style, says carla Zampatti, whose foundation was a supporter of the project.

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pHotoGrapH By simon GriFFitHs

The transplanted garden

A Winter Getaway in the True Tropics of Mission Beach

28 Koda Street, MISSION BEACH “Azure” Absolute Beachfront Home Mission Beach Australia — One of the World’s Great Places

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On the beach, tropical Mission Beach North Queensland with a contemporary design. Spacious and very liveable with a serious lap pool. Imagine strolling out of the house across the lawn onto the beach that is famous worldwide. Taking in the scene of Dunk Island and Bedarra Island plus the eight other islands within the family group. This area is a rainforest and tropical island paradise.

Two story home with 4 bedrooms, air condiƟoning throughout, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, another two bathrooms, and living area downstairs.

Property Ref: 16370 For Sale: $915,000 InspecƟons by Appointment Only Steve Wiltshire, Principal Mission Beach Real Estate 0419 674 409 and (07) 4088 6611 sales@missionbeachrealestate.com.au www.missionbeachrealestate.com.au

Interiors Mansion AustrAliA

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Unveiling a city panorama

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big reveal

An apartment fronting Sydney Harbour was missing one aspect.

This bold renovation overcame the obstacles and delivered a spectacular transformation, unveiling an outlook that was always meant to be

Stor y by m i l a n da rou t Photog raphs by romel l o Per eir a

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the views of sydney from this apartment perched on the harbour at darling point are nothing short of gobsmacking. But the extraordinary thing is that the city views did not exist until now. the west side of the apartment building – built in the 1960s – was bricked in. occupants stared at a wall.

“Body corporates do not usually allow you to change the exterior of the building, but in this case they actually let us remove that whole western façade – and that meant you could see the city,” says Harlan redgen, director of architectural studio redgen mathieson, who transformed the apartment. “it was an amazing thing to do. the views are crazy – they are like being in a helicopter.” redgen tells Mansion the owner of the apartment approached them to totally redo the 15th floor residence, with a few requests: enclose the balcony, get rid of the wall on the western side, reduce the number of bedrooms and make sure the light was controlled. the client then trusted redgen mathieson do the rest – a rare thing and very much welcomed by the architects. so they essentially gutted the apartment and started again. they knocked down every internal wall – except one structural column on the client’s instruction – and completely replanned the whole home. this included reducing the number of bedrooms from three to two and changing the layout. Before the renovations, the internal walls blocked any cross views of the harbour and the surrounds. “what we did was take all the internal walls out, so none of the walls hit the columns [next to the windows] and that meant you could see crossways when you didn’t see that before,” redgen explains. “now, you look out past Bondi and the whole way around the city, to the Bridge and back across. “and what is interesting about the building, which is rare in sydney, is that everything underneath is low-rise and it is on the edge of the harbour, so literally you cannot see any other building. “that is why i used the analogy of the helicopter,” he says, “because when you are there you feel like there is nothing else around you. it is unique.” the other key change redgen and his team made was to make

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the entire apartment very dark to counteract the light from the views. “it’s all black indoors,” he says. “the client didn’t specifically ask for it, but part of the brief was that because the building is west facing and so light, if you did a white interior it would just be blinding. so we did a lot of nonreflective finishes throughout and there is hardly any paint. all the internal walls are timber – there is timber everywhere.” the design studio also put thought into “framing the view” within the apartment. they included an extra-wide entrance corridor – unusual for such a residence. “You walk down the corridor and you are deliberately blind-sighted and then bang, you come to the end of the corridor and there is the view,” redgen says. “But when you first open the door you only see a cube of sky and the corridor.” redgen believes sydneysiders are a bit obsessed with views and “go crazy” if you try to put something in front of them. this is very different from the way it is in Europe, where people appreciate that a small window can actually magnify an outlook and you don’t need floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere. “it’s a little bit like choreographing what you see and when you see it,” he explains. “people can become overly obsessed with views and then forget to frame them or do something with them. [in this apartment], the arrival experience in the corridor is just as nice as when you do eventually get to the view.” the total redesign of the apartment took five months to plan and six months to build. But it wasn’t easy. the body corporate does not allow people to use the internal lifts for renovations, “so you have to build your own lift – a construction hoist – up the side of the building, and everything goes up and down in that”, redgen says. “it is quite full-on. in addition, all the windows, the huge sheets of glass, were all craned in. that was a bit crazy. we had to cancel the crane once or twice because of the wind.” at any stage of the construction, all of it done 15 storeys up in the sky, did it all seem too difficult? “no, not at all,” redgen says emphatically. “when they are hard they are more interesting in a way and it stops you from getting bored. we thrive on having a variety of projects.”

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Etc. sHirEEn nol an

1.

3.

Black magic There’s nothing like the drama of black to lend authority to your decor. Make an impact that brooks no argument with these sleek, pared-back pieces

4.

2.

5.

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Etc. 6.

7.

8.

1. c r E d E n z a innate credenza designed

by Jon Goulder in adelaide black granite and australian hardwood timber. From spence & lyda

4. t a p scala sink mixer with curved spout in matte black. available in several finishes, and with left- or right-hand operation. From sussex

2. s i d E t a b l E suzy square side table in black veined marble with powder-coated metal base. materials and size can be customised. From reddie

5. t a b l E Float coffee table with inverted aluminum cone and mirrored base. From living Edge

3. l i G H t optical pendant light in matte black powder-coated spun steel and blown opaque glass. From space

t H E w E E k E n d aust r a l i a n | a pr i l 14 - 1 5 , 2 0 1 8

7. s o F a de sede leather sofa comes in modules that zip together to create the desired length.

From domo 8. a r m c H a i r marlon armchair in flexible moulded polyurethane with fabric or leather cover. base in spessart oak and black elm. From poliform

6. d r E s s E r balmain six-drawer dresser in american black ash on black powder-coated steel base. From urban couture

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My Style bE l i n da t ry f o u n d E r , a pa i s E r

dEsign HEroEs

Zaha Hadid, Charlotte Perriand & Kelly Hoppen

y personal style is eclectic. while we live in a beautiful Victorian terrace with original bones and many details faithfully restored, her outer dress is anything but period. we’ve built a fantastic collection of art and objets d’art, as well as furniture. i love the mix of an elegant and classical core where cutting-edge art trumps any predictability, or where an exquisite 15th-century classical painting is juxtaposed with a bold piece of street art. i founded apaiser when renovating my own home nearly two decades ago. i was dumbfounded by the lack of options for beautiful, natural-based products, so i set about seeing if i could develop my own. i eventually created apaisermarble, an eco-friendly compound using marble offcuts. it allows us to handcraft baths that are genuine works of art. the perfect bathroom is a place of sanctuary. bathing can be a luxurious respite from our daily stresses. it is the one ritual founded in the notion of cleansing and incorporating the simple yet miraculous effect of water, which truly has the power to restore. it starts with a beautiful bath, of course.

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pHotogr apHEd by julian kingma

bl a inEy nortH, intEr ior dEsignEr