Mansion May Edition

Mansion AustrAliA

incorporating news from Dow jones’

Plus

12-page Interiors section

Next level

Coastal luxury beyond the Bali cliché Truffle farms

Issue 17 May 2018

Nosing out a tasty prospect

Wild shores

Kangaroo Island’s bespoke architecture

Jamie Durie

Milan’s Furniture Fair goes green

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A COLLECTION OF 15 EXCLUSIVE G O L F C O U R S E F R O N TA G E H O M E S O N LY M I N U T E S F R O M B R I S B A N E

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Contents 17th-century villa on the border of Tuscany and Umbria, page 36

1 3 L U x U Ry

melbourne grandeur, nZ island resort, Byron hinterland hideaway Palm Beach and Portsea: beachside living that’s all class

1 8 cov E R SToRy

This year, milan’s Salone del mobile asserted its eco credentials

2 2 ja m I E d U R I E 24 doLLy LEnZ

Political undercurrents make themselves felt in the US market

2 6 k a n g a Ro o I S L a n d 28 TooRak

an architect’s projects for the location of his childhood

3 6 m a n S Ion g L oBa L 3 8 Bac k Pag E 41 InTERIoRS

jonathan chancellor

Art director Shireen nolan Writers

Properties that cultivate the prized culinary delicacy

3 4 S T a T E m E n T S T a I Rc a S E S

Turi condon Contributing editor

david meagher

Sydney’s heart of elegance and prestige has timeless value

3 3 T RU f f L E fa R m S

AustrAliA

Editor

Interiors editor

The toniest suburb in melbourne is ticking along nicely

30 BELLEvUE HILL

Mansion

Robyn Ironside

The artfully designed focal point of the home is back

Italian villa, a castle in Ireland and a notting Hill mansion

joel Robinson milanda Rout Elizabeth Redman claire carponen

apartment living on melbourne’s Spring St is back in fashion

Chief sub editor deirdre Blayney

a vaucluse transformation with a mid-century modern feel

Picture editor

4 8 P Rod U c T

These items happily bridge the indoor-outdoor divide

christine westwood

50 my STyLE

Interior designer jason mowen’s European sensibility

craig warren

Advertising Tel. 61 2 9288 3678 craig.warren@news.com.au

nExT ISSUE:

frankie Lipman

june 9, 2018

Tel. 61 2 9288 3630 frankie.lipman@news.com.au

The stunning outlook over the Pacific from a luxurious resort-style residence with interiors designed by Pike withers at Palm Beach, nSw

on THE covER

Mansion AustrAliA

incorporating news from Dow jones’

Plus

12-page Interiors section

Next level

Coastal luxury beyond the Bali cliché Truffle farms

Issue 17 May 2018

Nosing out a tasty prospect

Wild shores

Kangaroo Island’s bespoke architecture

Jamie Durie

Milan’s Furniture Fair goes green

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 may 12, 2018

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Editor’s letter They are two of the best-known beachside playgrounds of Sydney and melbourne, and in recent years they have come into their own.

Palm Beach and Portsea have grown into separate markets no longer completely tied to the fortunes of their capital cities, though the prices being achieved are certainly up there with prestige city values.

Perhaps it’s the fact that Palm Beach and Portsea’s residents have developed their own aesthetic, eschewing the Bali beach cliché, writes jonathan chancellor, and perhaps it’s in part due to homeowners building to complement the settings, making the most of Sydney’s sandstone and the peninsula’s limestone along with the stunning views. another beach location, though a very different one, is kangaroo Island.

I was there recently and stumbled across clever beach houses that had been designed by max Pritchard, the architect for the island’s Southern ocean Lodge wilderness resort. The adelaide-based Pritchard has become well versed in designing around the challenges of wild and isolated locations, having also worked on the Longitude 131° resort at Uluru. meanwhile, jamie durie has just returned from milan’s annual design fair, where botanical and eco themes were showcased. The focus was on where products came from and how they were made, with a solid trend to more sustainable design. australians were there in force. adam goodrum and arthur Seigneur’s Bloom cabinet, intricately made with thousands of hand-tinted french rye straws embossing the face of the cabinet, was a highlight.

In our Interiors section, milanda Rout talks to the owners of what was once a tired 1960s house in Sydney’s vaucluse. The family was “obsessed with Palm Springs and mid-century modern design”, so after living there for a couple of years to get the feel of the place, they turned to friend and architect nick Bell and brought a bit of the desert resort to Sydney’s eastern suburbs. we hope you enjoy this issue of Mansion Australia.

Turi Condon Editor

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Luxury

by ron bay H i n t Er l a n d

Lush life landscaper Jaimie bosward completed samaya Estate two years ago in knockrow, one of the smallest localities in the byron bay hinterland.

He’s now listed the luxury, gated one-hectare estate with a price guide of $4.95 million. it features a series of pavilions that include an outdoor kitchen with wine fridge and barbecue. the master retreat, set behind a new Guinea rosewood pivot door, features italian bedonia stone floors, blackbutt timber benches and hand-made apaiser stone basins and bath. there’s nearly 600sq m of indoor and outdoor living space.

First national byron bay agents Helene adams and adam Guthrie are marketing the ridgelineproperty, which is surrounded by more than 200ha of lush farmland.

The Hamilton dress circle holds the best bunch of Brisbane’s most intact historic homes. Capturing views of the Brisbane skyline and river from atop Hamilton Hill, the late 1880s villa Marie Ville has been offered for the first time in nearly three decades.

The five-bedroom residence was built by Brisbane architects John Hall & Son for one of the co-founders of Castlemaine Brewery, Kate Quinlan, widow of brewer Michael Quinlan, who bought the distillery in 1877. Once known as Eltham, the Victorian Filigree home has verandas embellished with lacework and columns, and original leadlights bordering the entry door. It is set on 1970sq m.

Ray White New Farm agents Matt Lancashire and Christine Rudolph are taking offers until May 24 for the home, which last traded in 1989 for $670,000.

staircases are no longer just a means of moving from one level to another. a growing trend in new builds is to maximise the impact they can have on the hallway. a just-completed home in melbourne’s Hawthorn East home designed by Zeno Entity architects features a jet-black staircase with wine storage openly displayed beneath. the bottles sit in a glass-encased space that holds around 200 bottles. described as neo-deco, it has five bedrooms and five bathrooms. a barbecue terrace adjoins the swimming pool with waterfall.

Jellis craig agents michael Hingston and Geordie dixon are marketing the condor street property for a may 19 auction, with a $4.3 million to $4.6 million price guide. the 555sq m block with its original two-level red brick home last traded for $1.781 million in 2014.

Hawthorn East’s median house price sits at around $2.68 million.

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Luxury

One of Melbourne’s most distinguished CBD apartments has been listed for the first time in more than a decade.

Dubbed The Board Room, the 325sq m apartment is cocooned within the iconic Port Authority Building on the corner of Market Street and Flinders Lane.

Sydney Smith, Ogg & Serpell designed the ninestorey building in 1929 in the Beaux Arts style, winning the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects “Street” medal in 1933.

With three bedrooms and two bathrooms, the apartment was most recently renovated by SJB Interiors, whose stamp is evident in the plentiful bronze fittings. Marble mantels, ornate ceilings, blackwood panelling and parquetry floors feature throughout.

The old board room is now the living area, complete with marble kitchen and moveable bar.

The apartment last sold for $1.05 million in 2006, to K2 Asset Management co-founder Mark Newman. It now has a guide of $7 million to $7.7 million through Kay & Burton South Yarra agents Ross Savas and Jamie Mi. 14

C O OL u M Be AC h

Suspended animation A Coolum Beach home with striking cantilevered podiums has been listed for the first time since it was built 16 years ago. The vendors commissioned prominent Sunshine Coast architect Frank Macchia to design it based on one of his early homes nearby. The result was an imposing residence with suspended concrete slab construction.

The build took 12 months and was completed in 2002. Tinted glass encloses the residence, which has views from the Coral Sea through to Mount Coolum and over the hinterland.

There are three bedrooms, one on each level, each offering something different. The ground level has its own private courtyard, the second has a private study, and the top floor master retreat has ocean views from a balcony that opens off the living room.

Belle Property Noosa agents John Stamp and Ben Radcliff are asking $1.45 million.

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Luxury

Hurakia lodge, a new Zealand listing, is drawing international attention from wealthy private investors looking to secure an island retreat near auckland. accessible only by sea or air, and with a 70m all-tide jetty, the property currently operates as a boutique lodge attracting high-net worth visitors to rakino island in the Hauraki Gulf. the 9ha property with five-bedroom, y-shaped Greg Boyden and Pete Bossleydesigned pavilion accommodation, is five minutes from auckland via helicopter. sydney’s andrew Jolliffe and auckland’s Finn Hurst of ray white Hotels are conducting the marketing for new Zealand-born businessman John macculloch, who has been living in sydney’s Bellevue Hill for the past eight years. offers of more than $10 million are expected. “it is time to let someone else enjoy this island paradise and occupy the front-row seating for the america’s cup defence in 2020/2021,” says macculloch, who built the lodge in 2002. He sold his company auckland aluminium to nZ-listed company Fletcher Building in 2007. there are 120 properties on the island and around 20 permanent residents.

wa r r a w E E

Country-style seclusion

A St Ives home that borders the Gadigal National Park, with views across the treetops, has been listed for sale.

Built by local builders Oppidan Homes, it was custom designed by the vendors, Misho Stephan and wife LeeAnne, who are of to an acreage. The three-level family home has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and a home cinema.

It overlooks a floodlit tennis court and heated infinity-edge saltwater pool.

Ray White Double Bay agent Gavin Rubinstein is marketing the home for a May 22 auction, with a price guide of $4.5 million.

The modern home in sleek white has been completely rebuilt since the owners bought the 1440sq m block five years ago. It was finished around six months ago.

The record price for St Ives hit $5.6 million last year, up on its $4.1 million record of two years earlier.

the latest trophy home listing in warrawee is wirepe, a country-style home built in the early 1890s by architect maurice Halligan for fellow architect walter windeyer traill on an 1820sq m block among acres of orchards on sydney’s supper north shore. some 120 years later, the Hastings road home retains its privacy amid park-like grounds.

Extensively renovated since it traded for $2.55 million in 2002, wirepe is at the end of a French-inspired gravel courtyard with an original anduze fountain. the colonial bond double-brick home has six bedrooms, three bathrooms, a study, a great room with formal dining and a swimming pool. a north-facing garden room serves as the kitchen and alfresco dining area. French doors open onto deep sandstone verandas. chadwick turramurra agents lynette malcolm and william Zhang have a price guide of $5.4 million to $5.8 million. some of warrawee’s priciest recent sales included the 1928 wichita at $5.25 million and the 1940s dellwood, which sold for $6.5 million. the former record holder, Bremon, failed to find a buyer when it went up against springfield Estate on Pibrac avenue which sold to chinese buyers last year for more than $12 million

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ljhooker.com.au

Byron Bay 9 Brownell Drive

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Australia’s Most Easterly Residence Keeping company with some of Byron Bay’s finest properties, this stunning tri-level home covers a vast footprint. It’s a remarkable residence, which overlooks the famous waters of Wategos Beach and represents an incredible opportunity to obtain an iconic slice of real estate. Offering superb elevation and incredible tranquillity, this inherent beachside charmer is set in a highly sought-after location. As you stroll with your beach towel in hand, it’s hard not to be enchanted by the coastal sanctuary that is Wategos Beach. This wonderful home features generously proportioned interiors whilst space and privacy complement the multiple living areas that are finished in a warm crisp neutral palette which goes hand in hand with the modern renovation.

There are four bedrooms encompassing two levels of the home. The master bedroom is a secluded haven with access via its own private staircase, occupying the top level of the home, enjoys ocean views from a Juliette balcony, and is blessed with an en-suite that

features a deep bathtub for relaxation. The well-established gardens are positioned on approximately 664sqm of land with an interior courtyard adjoining the media and games room.

For Sale by Expressions of Interest Closes 5pm on 8th June, 2018

The property boasts easy access, an excellent floorplan, three car garage and off-road space for a 4th and 5th car, large under house storage and bathroom to wash off when your get back from the beach. There is also the added bonus of a large laundry room and a convenient powder room which is located on the living room level of the home. Enjoy entertaining from the large balcony which has commanding views over Wategos Beach and the hinterland beyond.

Price: Contact Agent

This magnificent home takes pride of place in its elevated position at Wategos Beach and is handy to all that Byron Bay has to offer. A must to inspect.

Liam Annesley 0417 780 795 LJ Hooker Byron Bay 02 6685 7300

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.

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By JonaT H a n c H a nc EL L oR

The high-end homes of these holiday playgrounds have eschewed the fads and taken their cue from the timeless appeal of a seaside setting 18

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a quintessential Palm Beach home sitting above the sand on Sunrise Road, on Sydney’s northern beaches, was truly Qualiainspired. Indeed the designers, Pike withers, helped create the Hamilton Island resort interiors.

“The client had visited the exclusive Qualia resort and wanted us to bring that resort feel into the house,” Pike withers director amanda Pike wrote on her blog. “He wanted a laid-back feel that was intrinsically calming. “a particular request was ‘to be able to sit on the view’,” she wrote – so balconies were extended and an automated sliding roof installed over the living area to allow the house to open up.

The two-level, four-bedroom home at 30 Sunrise Road was designed in conjunction with JLd architects for construction in 2011. It now sits amid lush gardens of australian natives and tropical palms on a 955sq m hilltop vantage point.

It has been listed for sale with $11 million hopes through Ray white Palm Beach agents noel nicholson and Shane clinton, who describe the home as exuding “extra ultra-luxury”. Every OmCaTyO 1B2E- R | ET w H E EW NU DSA An L I A N 1 3 , 82-091, 82 0| 1 6T H kEEEnKdE a TU R SaTLRI a

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Previous page: The Qualia-inspired home at 30 Sunrise Road, Palm Beach, left, and Rovina at Portsea, right. Left: Two views of Ocean Road, Palm Beach. Below: Two aspects of a 1950s classic on Norma Road, Palm Beach.

Bottom: 30 Sunrise Road

room, including the steam room, has views of the ocean and the Palm Beach headland.

Pike recalls that it was important to maintain “an australian feel and avoid the Bali clichés in producing a resort aesthetic”. Homes at Palm Beach, and its melbourne equivalent Portsea, have largely avoided the Bali feel, or even mimicking the Hamptons look. agents report strong summer sales have continued into autumn at these aspirational beach locations. there’s no sign yet that these prestige coastal offerings have been affected by the slowdown under way in both major capital city trophy home markets.

Portsea agent rob curtain at Peninsula sotheby’s, says that if anything, “surprisingly, it’s gone the other way”. that opinion was confirmed when rovina, a clifftop single-level house set on 2000sq m designed by 1960s architect Geoffrey sommers, recently sold for $13.5 million at a private kay & Burton boardroom auction. the five-bedroom home on Point nepean road last traded in early 2016 for $10.7 million – $10.2 million for the house and $500,000 for the boatshed.

Just $300,000 had been spent in the intervening two years by its vendor, Jonathan munz, whose $1.1 billion fortune comes from plumbing supplies. it sold to russell knowles, whose family’s retirement village empire sold to stockland in 2007 for $329 million. unusually for Portsea, the property doesn’t come with a tennis court. there are 30 just on the Port Philip Bay stretch. the home was built for larry and Peggy watkins, well-known in the meat trade, to resemble a roman villa with a central courtyard. despite the disappearance of the traditional australia day weekend auctions, there have been around 20 sales at Portsea and 46 at sorrento so far this year, with 75 home sales in Portsea last year and 125 in sorrento. Portsea’s median house price stands at $1.9 million, with sorrento at $1.3 million. sorrento saw a dilapidated house sold twice within the past year – most recently for $1.6 million, up 35 per cent on its earlier $1.185 million sale. “we have seen tremendous capital gain from the previous year and strong buyer appetite,” curtain says, adding that the strong price gains at Portsea have been in line with other premium

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Homes at Palm Beach, and its Melbourne equivalent Portsea, have largely avoided the Bali feel, or even mimicking the Hamptons look

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locations on the mornington Peninsula. “the Portsea property market is transacting at all-time highs. it’s a wonderful time to sell.” single-storey coastal homes are the most popular listings, according to curtain, who comments that every year the end of the peninsula gets closer to being just another suburb of melbourne. “in a few years there will be no difference,” he says. “the superrich will travel, the rest will enjoy at their leisure and the baby boomers will keep moving here.”

Palm Beach has seen its the entry level price soar in recent years. last year the cheapest sale was a two-bedroom original 1950s home that sold for $950,000. last year’s top sale was $12 million. local lJ Hooker agent Peter robinson suggests the lack of stock is driving sales while demand is remaining consistent and strong. “it is hard to now find options under $5 million in the Palm Beach area for our cashed-up buyers,” robinson says.

He calculates that there have been 24 sales totalling more than $96 million in Palm Beach and whale Beach in 2018. corelogic puts the median Palm Beach house price at $2.6 million. robinson says that summer was interesting, with more owners than ever before using their homes and holiday lettings almost at 100 per cent capacity.

Palm Beach enjoyed a bumper year in 2017, with nearly 60 house sales across the 2km seaside haven, which gets invaded annually by holidaymakers in search of summertime fun. many are day-trippers attracted to the area given its long association with the channel 7 soap Home & Away as the set of summer Bay. the increasingly corporate owners at both locations get annoyed when the day-trippers park on their front lawns, especially if, as writer Valerie lawson once noted, they set up with deck chairs and Eskys full of beer and aromatic lunch dishes. robinson doesn’t expect the sydney price slowdown to affect Palm Beach in the near to medium future. “while sydney was appreciating strongly across the past three years, Palm Beach did not see those gains,” he says. “this was a clear demonstration that our market runs its own course. the biggest change is the lack of listings under $5 million. the figures

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from late 2017 and 2018 clearly demonstrate that Palm Beach is one of the strongest suburbs in Sydney right now.”

Robinson recently secured the sale of a norma Road property for $3.85 million. It was the home of local restaurateurs andrew and Pip Goldsmith. They paid $2.625 million in 2015 but didn’t settle until late 2016, with just a minor facelift for the classic 1950s beach house. occupying prime peninsula positions, both Palm Beach and Portsea offer choice – Palm Beach has the ocean and Pittwater, Portsea has Port Philip Bay and the back beach. There are around 1500 properties at Portsea across 92 streets and 1100 at Palm Beach over 31 streets. Palm Beach is about an hour’s drive from the city (outside peak hour) while the trip to and from Portsea can take up to two hours, and with toll costs that can add up to about $20 each way.

Portsea, which still has dirt roads, has about 27 current house listings; Palm Beach has 25.

The priciest offering is on Palm Beach’s ocean Road, the impressive home of Hardie Grant Books chairman, and former Sydney Swans director, John Gerahty and wife Patricia. despite not having the land size of its nearby record setters, it is expected to rival the Palm Beach record. with a handy six car spaces, the Gerahty’s home sits on 965sq m that was part of the deaton family’s Tropique property before it was subdivided. one of the parcels went to current Sydney Swans chairman and investment banker andrew Pridham.

The Gerahty’s four-level home, completed last month by cadence and co, was a no-expense-spared build made the most of its northfacing position, with views to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse. christie’s International agent ken Jacobs calls it the pinnacle of Palm Beach.

Jacobs says the natural beauty of Palm Beach and the lack of apartment developments have ensured continued appeal. He says buyers are divided between those who want the surf lifestyle and boating enthusiasts who prefer Pittwater.

Jacobs agrees with Robinson, suggesting the Palm Beach market is not overly affected by the prices in Sydney.

“General economic conditions have more impact on the Palm Beach market than a direct correlation to what is happening in the

Above: The limestone-walled Fleur sur la Mer, built in the early 1900s, on the clifftop at Portsea.

Below: Two views of Rovina on Point Nepean Road, Portsea

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Sydney market,” he says. “The single biggest indicator of the future strength of the Palm Beach market is the number of significant renovations and new homes being built on prime sites.”

There appears to be a little difference in time on market. days on market siesta at 115 days in Palm Beach and 100 days in Portsea.

However one of Portsea’s longest listings, occupying an enviable position on the Portsea clifftop, is Fleur sur la mer, recently found a buyer after spending more than 400 days on the market.

The 1900s French mediterranean home built for the Ford-cain hotelier family with exposed beams and French parquetry flooring, has four bedrooms and a heated pool on 975sq m overlooking weeroona Bay and Portsea Pier. of course there are limestone walls and paving as it’s limestone at Portsea, sandstone at Palmy.

Portsea’s most expensive mansion has been Ilyuka, which former computershare director michele o’Halloran sold for $26 million in 2010 to John Higgins of Higgins coatings, at a then Victorian house record. The Spanish mission-style home was built in 1928-29 for oil executive Harry conforth.

The Palm Beach record came in 2012 when car dealer Laurie Sutton bought kalua for $22 million, although there was a higher transfer price – an internal Packer family transfer in 2015 at $24 million. kalua is a 1920s plantation-style beachfront trophy home on a 5500sq m dress circle block with a pool, tennis court and views of cabbage Tree Boat Harbour. Sutton is the third owner. It was first sold by the Hordern retailing family to the Joye family for $330,000 in 1978. kalua was one of the first homes in Palm Beach guaranteeing its historical significance. Folklore has it that the Hordern family sent their architect to oahu, Hawaii, to copy “stick by stick and stone by stone” the impressive dillingham plantation residence. at the time of construction there were no roads into Palm Beach so all materials had to be brought in by barge from newport.

Portsea recorded its first $1 million-plus sale in 1980 when property developer david deague bought the Federation-era house colwyn, once owned by the Baillieu family. It was 1981 at Palm Beach, when the late kerry Packer bought his oceanfront.

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Jamie Durie

salon dEl moBilE 2018

Green is the new black Just when you thought milan design week was a little too wrapped up in its new season design labels, the millennials have finally had an impact. and this year the industry has responded with compelling consciousness-raising.

Green is the new black, and it seems ecodesign is finally fashionable. it’s not just about the design, it’s the sustainable and thoughtful ways that items have been manufactured and the conscious choice of the materials that go into them. i can hear the planet sighing with relief.

Valentina Pepe, editorial director of mag by londonart, said it best: “the invitation to innovate is, in fact, an exhortation to not surrender to self-congratulation but to look beyond what has already been done, to set goals in sustainable quality, collaboration, inclusion, sharing and the enhancement of talent.” my first eco impression came from bathroom juggernaut kohler’s installation. in the oldest museum in milan, the museo Bagatti Valsecchi, where i was greeted by an array of original 13th to 17th century armoury, i walked into an upstairs room filled with incredible floral installations. they complemented a dramatic new range of ceramic bathroom sinks that boast a combination

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of digital and handpainted floral imagery incorporated into well-crafted botanical bowls that almost make you feel guilty for washing your hands in them. the following morning i visited moooi’s latest exhibition on Via savona in the tortona design district, where a 200m botanical carpet runner led me to a giant 6m digital bison trudging through the snow towards me and extinction. it was leading us on a journey through a range of pieces designed around the theme of animal conservation, from faux zebra rugs to a statement bison chair. my pick? a playful, glowing origamilike lighting installation featuring flocks of resting birds on a tree-like structure that emitted a soft glow throughout the room. crowds of onlookers waited their turn to squat under the trees just to get their fictional fix of nature. next stop was Brera, where on Via Pontaccio is the fabulous new wallpaper outfit londonart. an italian company, it’s showcasing a delicious range of stunning contemporary wallpapers that calm the senses and lower the blood pressure. it’s compelling, dramatic imagery that celebrates nature in new ways. Playful, thought-provoking and unpredictable, these natural schematics

Top: The Bloom Cabinet, by Adam Goodrum and Arthur Seigneur, created using thousands of hand-tinted French rye straws. Above: Natureinspired contemporary wallpaper by LondonArt

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leave you wanting more kelp in your life. Ginkgo 18055 and king Poppy 18057 by Francesca Besso; life loop by riccardo Zulato 18098; Pettinato by Pietro russo 18028; and Panorama 18064 and Eden 18062 by John lubler are all water-wise, zero-maintenance “gardens” it would be a pleasure to wake up to. it would not be milan design week without the necessary stopover at Paola lenti and her always powerful polypropylene exhibition. she really is the queen of contemporary exploration in textile design. no one has been able to match her skills in the dramatic use of colour, proportion and technical know-how when it comes to outdoor furniture design. this year, lenti continues to push her talents into the great indoors. textile technology around luxury fabrics has advanced so much that in some cases the new super-fabrics have almost superseded the touch and feel of natural fabrics and weaves. and they have ten times the durability in outdoor spaces as well as indoors.

Polypropylene materials are 100 per cent recyclable, antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobrial, and they never collect dust mites or bed bugs like the fibres of the past. these

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Eco-design is finally fashionable. It’s not just about the design, it’s the conscious choice of materials. I can hear the planet sighing with relief

Clockwise from left: Kohler’s floral bathroom installation; ‘Satellite’ floor lamp by Dirk Vander Kooij made of ground-up recycled CD cases; leather origami flowers created by Atelier Oï for Louis Vuitton; Jamie Durie’s Pandanus table in burnt cedar and stone.

Below: Pastel-hued polypropylene outdoor furniture by Paola Lenti

threads are solution dyed, meaning it’s like cutting a carrot in half instead of a radish – the colour goes all the way through.

This year, Lenti took another step forward.

She threaded tapestry cords through openweave lounges to create myriad pastel-infused flowers that match the flowering trees and shrubs she handpicked to complement her elegant outdoor offering.

The Louis Vuitton exhibition was again nothing short of spectacular. Last year was impressive enough, so I was pleased to discover a handful of new pieces to keep us engaged. we were greeted by thousands of floating leather flowers handcrafted by atelier oï – also responsible for that infamous leather hammock – into a kind of luxurious origami. a series of cushions, lampshades, chairs and hammocks boasted unique construction techniques, with the concertina chair still my favourite. a standout was the concertina shade by Raw Edges.

Patricia Urquiola impressed once again with her Palaver chair, and the Tropicalist Vase by Fernando and Humberto campana was a screaming success. marcel wanders impressed with a new installation of his leather diamond

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Screen, but if I had to take something home it would again be the great Patricia Urquiola Swing chair in braided leather. milanese art and design curator Rosanna orlandi wows us every year and this year her project Guiltless Plastic was simply groundbreaking. orlandi hand-selected a number of both established and emerging designers to show off their wares in studios that form a labyrinth of small and large rooms, all on several levels, surrounding the gorgeous internal garden where the talks also took place.

There were designers using recycled glass from the 50s cut into clever floating discs and backlit as lights, plates also used as clever light fittings, and plenty of recycled plastic works.

The standout for me was the incredible work of designer dirk Vander kooij, who not only created some amazing furniture from recycled acrylic but also designed the robots that 3d-printed them for him. It was the perfect location as the works all sat under a clear roofing system made of the very materials kooij had used to create his pieces. as for the local presence, 26 of australia’s most relevant designers were represented and this year I was privileged to be included among an uber-talented bunch of compatriots.

Tom Fereday created a stunning forged metal chair, handmade in solid aluminium and bronze, meticulously sculpted and beautifully finished.

He diligently oversaw the process, and it’s proudly australian made. adam cornish offered a beautifully simple and highly functional stool with a tactile metallic finish that was carefully manipulated. This man is one to watch.

The star of the show was the Bloom cabinet, by adam Goodrum and arthur Seigneur. an exercise in patience, discipline and tenacious thirst to deliver sustainable design through colour, form and craftsmanship, the piece is made from thousands of hand-tinted French rye straws, sliced, turned inside out and embossed into the face of the cabinet. more than 1400 sections are inlaid in the timber to develop the pattern, texture and hue. Goodrum is a master and is at the forefront of australian industrial design. His collaboration with Seigneur, who honed his skills from the age of 16 in both new orleans and France, and his straw-marquetry skill is unlike anything we have seen. architect walter Barda created a stunning feature chair at his first exhibition in milan. my own Pandanus table in solid burnt cedar and stone had a bumpy journey. a simple exercise in biomimicry, it takes its lead from nature, with its twisted trunk base.

I was very proud to stand with such talented australian designers during a week I can only describe as the olympics of design.

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Dolly Lenz

Local aspect

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Brian White we’ve never seen such intensity in the market as we have from the chinese in recent years. trading relations between australia and china have been steadily improving due to the value of our primary products and minerals, and they appear to be unaffected by our government’s housing policy. But the level of chinese buyer activity eventually became very political in australia and in new zealand and the policies used to dampen that interest have worked.

Buyers are always sensitive to whether they’re welcome in a particular market that appeals to them. when a contrary message is being sent, as it now is in australian and new zealand, it’s no surprise that the strength of buyer interest has waned. a big force in the market is now diminished, which means a number of developers are finding projects harder to finalise, with bank finance for these buyers harder to come by. this affects the job market and flows on to people’s spending power in the economy.

History has shown that governments eventually reverse these restrictions, paradoxically as a means of reinvigorating the economy. one does wonder if despite the hype, this most recent development with chinese buyers in australia is just one more cycle in the constant ebb and flow of the global property market.

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Michael Lang Policy

Winds of change chinese buyers, long a mainstay of the us housing market, have been steadily increasing their investment dollars, especially since the financial crisis of 2008. in fact, over the past three years chinese buyers of us real estate have led all other countries both in overall dollar volume and the number of properties purchased. one new development that has attracted chinese interest is apartment 29w at 215 chrystie street on new york’s lower East side, pictured above. asking $us9.995 million ($12.958 million), it is one of 11 condominiums designed by Pritzker Prize award-winning architects Herzog & de meuron. in the 12 months ending april, 2017, chinese investment in us residential real estate reached $us31.7 billion dollars, so President donald trump’s recent comments on trade with china have some asking what impact a potential trade war could have on the overall us real estate market. trump has repeatedly said he’s unhappy with the size of america’s trade deficit with china and what he describes as china’s “unfair” trade practices. as the us is china’s largest export market, he believes he has leverage and has threatened to impose tariffs on chinese imports. to date, china has responded by threatening to impose trade tariffs on us goods such as agriculture and other “trump-friendly” industries. it does not appear that this will be a brief skirmish; rather, it could be a longer battle that gets much worse as political considerations complicate what would otherwise end with a common-sense resolution. we’ve had several discussions with our chinese clients about what they foresee as the fallout from all this tough talk. there appear to be two camps: those who believe the developments will have virtually no impact on their plans, and those who think the tough talk will spur activity in case relations turn sour. one chinese client who has bought many properties over the years told us “the likelihood of a prolonged trade war is virtually zero”. He is

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Above: Apartment 29W at 215 Chrystie Street, New York

much more concerned about the rapid rise in us prices, which has reduced investment returns to negligible levels. the us, he believes, needs china to fund its large budget deficits and china needs the us to buy its products. reaching a deal is easier than most people realise and the alternative is not tenable for either side. while this scenario is the likely result of the current impasse, it is by no means certain. within the real estate community there is much discussion of the EB-5 Program, a law enacted by congress in the early 1990s to stimulate investment in the us by foreign nationals. as inducement for investing a significant sum in a business, it allows a foreign national to obtain the much-coveted green card. since the law was enacted, chinese applicants have been granted a greater number of EB-5 visas than citizens of any other country. the program has also been used by american developers to fund real estate projects at a lower capital cost than would otherwise be available. a setback to the program would have serious consequences for developers relying on foreign capital for their projects. while congress has extended the law several times, a significant impasse between the us and china could put the program in serious jeopardy if the us implements rule changes that could impose harsher requirements on chinese applicants. so what is the likely outcome of the latest tough talk? it’s clear that trump has domestic political concerns that require him to take a strong stand against the chinese government, while chinese President Xi cannot afford to be seen as weak when responding to us demands. a protracted standoff is more likely than a quick resolution, but in the short term the impact on us real estate purchases by the chinese will be negligible. However if we enter a period of escalating retaliatory steps the impact could be appreciable.

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.

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there are still offshore purchasers in melbourne, but the numbers would be close to half what they have previously been. government policy changes have affected property sentiment. there have been several, but the top two are the 7 per cent foreign surcharge for all offshore purchasers, and the removal of off-the-plan stamp duty concessions – effectively an extra 5.5 per cent tax. we are still competitive, but it has most certainly reduced the flow. Foreign buyers/investors often just carry on regardless. the biggest influences are taxes, together with economic and political stability. the motivation is different for different countries, but the main drivers – education, opportunity and an accountable government – will always be the leading factors.

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Ged Rockliff many foreign investors have very long-term views on their global investment strategy, and while there are normal market cycles, they are inclined to invest in countries with transparent government, security of tenure and sound long-term economic fundamentals. the nsw state government’s increased stamp duty for foreign purchasers has clearly had an effect but i would suggest the slowdown was already well under way, and when analysed in the context of what other nations are charging foreign purchasers (for example, Hong kong, singapore and vancouver) it is clear we are not alone. australia came through the global Financial crisis better than most and our relative political stability is undoubtedly a factor in investors’ long-term decision-making. the current slowdown is likely to be a pause rather than a long-term trend, as foreign buyers are also driven by long-term opportunity, security, wealth preservation and lifestyle. changing politics and the emergence of china, and to a lesser extent india, as economic powerhouses create uncertainty and to a degree opportunity. regulator aPra and banking restrictions have had the largest impact, both in new transactions and in raising anxiety around the settlement of new apartments purchased off the plan. there have been instances of inevitable delays in settling, but that said, the number of defaults has been significantly less than some anticipated. t HEEE KwEENEDk E n C |T OmBaEyR 1 28--193, , 22001168 THE W An Ud S TaRuAsLtI r Aa N l i| a O

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Remote architecture TURI condon

FAR PAVILIONS Building off the beaten track has its challenges, but demand for uniquely beautiful hideaways remains strong among design-savvy clients 26

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Top: Dune House, Yorke Peninsula.

Left: Little Sahara Visitor Centre.

Above: Middle River, top, and Southern Ocean Lodge. Below: Sandhill Pavilion House, Island Beach. Top right: Award-winning home at Emu Bay

It’s not often that an architect is able to design for one of the most beautiful, if at times most inhospitable, places in the world. Max Pritchard has – over and over again.

In his latest commission, the Adelaide-based architect is working on a luxury property for chinese clients on windswept kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia.

The award-winning Pritchard has been drawn back to the island – where he was born and spent his first 11 years – after designing the famous Southern ocean Lodge, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in March this year.

“I didn’t work there for a long time,” he says. “Then I did Southern ocean Lodge and have done five houses or so.”

Most kangaroo Island projects done by his firm, Max Pritchard Gunner Architects, are for clients from Adelaide or Sydney, though one was for a permanent resident.

Southern ocean Lodge – an exclusive wilderness resort perched over the ocean – opened the island to the international market, including chinese travellers. Pritchard’s latest clients have been regular visitors to the lodge and now spend a few months a year on the island.

“They have bought a small winery,” he says. “They absolutely love the island. It’s a huge jump coming from a city of 20 million to kangaroo Island.”

The multi-million dollar new accommodation project is at Middle River on the north coast, above one of the island’s pristine beaches. It will be a second home for Pritchard’s chinese clients and will also be used for tourism. “It’s a spectacular location with big coastal views,” he says. working on an island a two-hour drive then a 45-minute ferry trip from Adelaide has its challenges.

“Everything comes across on the car ferry,” says Pritchard. “There is a regular ferry that goes every day and trucks go on it. But it’s adding to the cost – like any remote location there is additional cost.” when Southern ocean Lodge was being built for clients Baillie Lodges, products were sourced from all over the world, but Pritchard had to be conscious of their availability. James and Hayley Baillie were very experienced in high-end tourism and expected a certain standard of fittings and workmanship, he says.

The bigger problem was labour: “There is not the pool of tradesman on the island with experience for a job like that,” Pritchard says. nearly all the tradespeople were brought in, but then they had to be housed. The Lodge’s staff accommodation was built very quickly, initially to house those working on it.

The tilers came from Sydney and some of the cabinet work from Gosford, but most of the cabinetry came from Tasmania, Pritchard says.

“It was finding who was the best and available. we had a lot of timber cabinets that came from Tasmania, where they had that experience.” They were packed and shipped in containers then the cabinet makers arrived to install them. while Pritchard has designed luxury properties in a number of remote locations, from beach houses along South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula to the Longitude 131° resort near Uluru, also for Baillie Lodges, he remains anchored in South Australia. He has watched the property boom in Sydney and Melbourne with interest.

“In South Australia, it’s a different economy to nSw. I see the ridiculous amounts – they seem so to us – that are spent over there,” he says. “we do houses around the $2 million mark and Middle River [kangaroo Island] will be more. It’s one of the more expensive ones we have done.”

Meanwhile, the firm undertakes more design work out of the city than in it. “we are lucky that we get design-orientated clients who have beautiful sites,” Pritchard says.

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Bellevue Hill jonat h a n ch a ncel l or

Sydney’s Bellevue Hill had a steady spate of trophy home sales last year, reaffirming its position as Sydney’s priciest inland suburb. The likes of Belhaven and Bonnington both fetched more than $20 million in 2017, while other notable sales touching the $20 million mark include Sundorne, the redundant cranbrook School offering.

Last year there were five sales over $10 million, the most since 2014. This year there has been one.

Sally dale, state director of property valuation firm opteon, says the recent Sydney dip hasn’t affected the prestige market. “with signs of a softening market in the past six months across Sydney property, the prestige market appears to remain largely untarnished,” she says. dale cites Bellevue Hill’s strong performance over the past few years following a decline in the market at the turn of the decade. “after 2011/12, there was comeback growth in 2013, a somewhat steady 2014, and then rapid growth from 2015 to 2017,” she says.

“This three-year period saw record volumes of sales occurring in the trophy home prestige sector, which I define as the market $10 million and above. This record growth is largely attributed to business and consumer confidence, share market performance, the australian dollar, foreign buyer activity, and economic conditions domestic and abroad.”. coreLogic puts the current median house price for the suburb at $5.4 million – well up on the $3.4 million median of early 2015.

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Prestige and provenance are proving a bulwark against any dip in the Sydney market

The priciest sale this year has been a 1930s family home on Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill’s most prestigious street, which fetched around $19 million off market. It was bought by cathie oppenheim, wife of Paul oppenheim, the boss of investment banker Plenary Group. The property had been owned since 2010 by Francesca Harvey, wife of barrister malcolm Grace, who bought it from hotelier John Ryan and his wife Sarah for $13.5 million.

The oppenheims have since listed their property on 8 kambala Road with $11 million hopes. Ray white double Bay agents Elliott Placks and ashley Bierman are marketing the five-bedroom home, which features a number of alfresco areas that look out across the city. It has several living zones opening to the 890sq m gardens,

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which include a 15m saltwater pool and adjoining cabana, complete with a built-in barbecue and jacuzzi.

The home has undergone extensive renovation since the couple paid $4.6 million for it in 2007.

Placks and Bierman recently sold elsewhere on kambala Road a 1920s stately home that last traded for $6.5 million some 15 years ago.

It had $15 million hopes after a big renovation by the owners, cookbook author Judy Phillips and her property developer husband Rob. one of the most recent trophy sales in Bellevue Hill was at 8 Ginahgulla Road, a four-bedroom home that fetched around $14.5 million. It has a 6000-bottle climate-controlled wine cellar, retractable glass doors extending the lounge and dining spaces out to a courtyard with harbour views, and a 13m saltwater pool. alison coopes at agency by alison coopes sold the property in conjunction with ashley Bierman.

Victoria Road, a long stretch with many hidden battle-axe residences, retains Bellevue Hill’s priciest properties, with four of the six most expensive home purchases located there. It holds the suburb record, set in 2015 when Leura, an 1890s Federation Queen anne-style home, sold to chinese businessman and yachtie wilson Lee and his wife Baoyu wu for $30.8 million through Ray white agent michael Finger.

Federation-style properties, a signature of Bellevue Hill, are always

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Opposite: 1920s stately Kambala Road home. Above: 8 Ginahgulla Road. Below: Hordern House Bottom: Drumalbyn Road offering with Peter Glass pool

in high demand. dawn, built in 1916, is the latest listing on Bulkara Road. one of the finest Federation arts and crafts homes to be built in the suburb underwent a restoration in the 1980s under the guidance of the late australian architect Ian mckay. dawn was owned by bookmaker william Browning and his wife nellie in the 1940s, then later transferred to their son arthur Browning, a bookie and friend of Sir Frank Packer. Set behind a grand sandstone wall, the residence is wrapped in verandas, and has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a versatile yoga room with views from Sydney Harbour to South Head. The 1420sq m grounds complete with established gardens include a two-storey, one bedroom guesthouse that was once the chauffeur’s quarters.

The property has been listed by Gayle Rich, former owner of Paddington’s crystal gallery and widow of the late Traveland founder Steven Rich, who bought the home in the 1980s. Their children – Jodee, founder of social networking website PeopleBrowser, and daughter nicolet – also have a stake. Sydney Sotheby’s agent michael Pallier is expecting around $16 million for the offering.

The agency’s Ben collier has just listed a drumalbyn Road home with $15 million hopes. The six-bedroom contemporary residence with mediterranean features, and Peter Glass-designed pool, was last bought for $11.71 million by mariner Securities director Gary Symons and wife Jane Hewitt, who founded UniLodge. They secured the OC 6 H|E TwHEEE k WEEnEd K EaNUD m aT y O1 2B-E1 R 3 , 280- 9 1 8, 2 |0 1 T S TARUaSLTIRaAnL I A N

home from Peter cosgrove, chairman of aPn news and media.

Ginahgulla Road is home to two of Bellevue Hill’s best-known trophy homes, the Hordern House and Rona, both of which remain for sale after listing in 2016.

The heritage-listed Hordern House takes its name from the establishment Hordern family. It was built as a wedding gift to June Baillieu and Samuel Hordern, who united two of australia’s most prominent families. Professor Leslie wilkinson designed it 80 years ago and it still bears the Hordern coat of arms.

Set behind a walled entry with a church-style forecourt, the home has Spanish mission-style arched doorways and eight bedrooms. The pool was added in the 1980s. It’s listed through Ray white agent Gavin Rubinstein and Elliott Placks. nearby, Rona, an updated ridgeline 1880s Victorian Rustic Gothic Revival abode that has been home for the 13 years to property developer Terry agnew and his wife kyril – remains listed through Bart doff at Laing & Simmons double Bay, in conjunction with Ben collier.

Its former owner, Sydney art collector John Schaeffer, returned to the neighbourhood recently as the buyer of the Tudor-style Bonnington, the home of the late businessman neville christie sold through Richardson & wrench agent michael dunn. The 1930s residence was designed by acclaimed architect F. Glynn Gilling on more than 2200sq m subdivided from Rona.

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Toorak jonat H a n c H a nc El l or

Holding its own Melbourne’s most prestigious enclave is maintaining its ascendancy toorak’s whisper-quiet deals are keeping melbourne’s most prestigious suburb ticking along nicely. its residential house price record has been broken for the second time since last july, and both listings have been under the radar. mowbray, a grand 1920s mansion on st Georges road, sold for a now confirmed $38 million last year. its off-market listing smashed the previous $26.25 million sale of the thoroughly modern home built by the billionaire Besen family on towers road in 2016. the five bedroom, two-storey home with a self-contained guest wing was built by noted 1920s architect christopher cowper. it sits on 5000sq m, along with a swimming pool and tennis court. the record price has now been narrowly edged out by a property that sold last month at a private off-market auction. the sale is believed to have been brokered by marshall white agents marcus chiminello and richard mackinnon. the buyer was ruslan kogan, founder and chief executive of online shopping website kogan.com. telecommunications investor Philip cornish paid just over $4 million around two decades ago to consolidate the property. set on four blocks totalling 2600sq m, the classic Frenchinspired sandstone mansion comes with a pool and court. the toorak home of Good Guys whitegoods executive chairman andrew muir and wife Emma has also quietly sold for around $28 million. it’s been bought by sasa nikolic, an executive at bathroom and plumbing products supplier reece.

Back in 2007, muir appointed an agent to knock on the door of the then owner, steve Vizard, to buy it for $17.75 million. the orrong

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Opposite and left: Simonds home on Teringa Place. Below, from top: Mowbray, Ruslan Kogan purchase, the former Besen home. Bottom: Barnard Road. Right: Tuileries

Road home, built by the establishment Baillieu family more than 80 years ago, eclipsed the melbourne house price record then held by Toll Holdings chief Paul Little, who paid $16 million for the Toorak mansion coonac in 2002.

There’s nothing quiet about Toorak’s latest prestige listing – the luxury spec build of former boxer turned millionaire home builder Gary Simonds and his son mark.

Gary Simonds founded Simonds Property Group, where mark is a non-executive director. The father-and-son developers spent $6.65 million on a 1960s home on Teringa Place in 2016 and set about building an opulent glass-encased mansion.

RT Edgar Toorak agents oliver Booth and abby Innes are seeking expressions of interest until may 28, with a guide of between $15.5 million and $17.05 million. when selling the property for $4.105 million in 2010, marshall white agent John Bongiorno said you can “never, ever, ever go wrong in Teringa”, describing it as one of the finest locations in melbourne. Teringa Place only holds five homes.

The Simonds home was designed with a curved facade by FGR architects. The contemporary home has more than 1020sq m of living space, including five bedrooms, each with their own walk-in wardrobes and ensuite. The interiors have been overseen by the property-styling company Leloft. on the ground level there’s a formal lounge, study, open-plan kitchen and dining room, and an informal sitting room that opens to a private north-facing rear swimming pool and spa, overlooked

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by an outdoor entertaining area. There’s a gym, theatre and sevencar basement garaging. construction was only completed a week before the home was listed. most of Toorak’s double-digit sales come from north of Toorak Road. Just south of the Toorak divide is a cole court home that has a price guidance of $12 million to $13 million. The home, Tuileries, a mediterranean-inspired three-bedroom residence designed by architect welst walter, was seven years in the making. no expense was spared in the construction. Set in 645sq m of private European gardens, it has been completely handcrafted by artisans and exudes French style, with arched cathedral ceilings and domed French doors. It spans three levels and has a library and conservatory. The 2009-built property traded for $1.1 million in 2001. kay & Burton South yarra agents Peter kudelka and michael Gibson, who are marketing Tuileries, are taking expressions of interest until may 15.

“The Toorak market is particularly low on stock levels for this time of year and therefore prices across the board are remaining very healthy,” Gibson says. meanwhile, chiminello is marketing the priciest property on offer in Toorak, a Barnard Road home that is asking between $20 million and $21.5 million. a collaboration by nicholas day architecture & marino construction, the home has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a formal sitting room with fireplace, expansive formal dining room and a fitted library. a lap pool with water feature and floodlit mod grass tennis court sit in the manicured gardens beside the outdoor entertain-ment area. a lift services all three levels, including the basement, which features a fully equipped movie theatre with rumpus room and a self-contained one-bedroom apartment that has its own private courtyard.

The melbourne property market listings got off to a flying start when there were $45 million-plus hopes for Evans court Estate, a 4970 sq m Toorak compound belonging to the Roche family.

The six-home compound, which has Evans court and Glyndebourne Street frontages, last sold without fanfare in 2015 through williams Batters. abercromby’s agent Jock Langley and cBRE’s mark wizel had the listing for the property, which is now being offered as separate parcels.

The main residence, windarring, dates back to 1918, when it was designed for James Russell Butchar by architects oakden & Ballantyne in what was described as the craftsman style. The derham family, who owned it for decades, undertook renovations that featured in a 1928 edition of The Australian Home Beautiful.

Langley says the buyer pool is getting bigger for the individual properties now on offer. “The appetite for a slice of the Evans court estate is developing, with prospects jostling for position,” he says, adding that the depth of market in Toorak is “as good as I have seen it over the last 30 years”.

But when it comes to auction bidding, action has slowed at the traditional Saturday morning events. Toorak’s clearance rate has deteriorated, but not as much as across much of the prestige innereast auction market, given the emerging chinese buyer hesitancy.

Toorak saw a 65 per cent success rate from its 50 publicised auctions during the initial three months of 2018. South yarra was stronger, at 72 per cent. The inner east recorded an overall 60 per cent, according to researcher scoreLogic, with malvern at 51 per cent and camberwell at 53 per cent. The median house price sits at $4.5 million, down from its $5.05 million peak last year.

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36/87 TOOLGA STREET MOUNT COOLUM QUEENSLAND Located near one of Australia’s most pristine beaches on the Sunshine Coast, 36 “The Lakes” is in a league of its own when it comes to private, secure, resort-style living. Ajacent to the Coolum Resort, this impressive family home offers a multitude of leisurely benefits to its new owners. North facing, the home is filled with comforting natural light, and the spacious interiors possess a peaceful serenity.

• 4 King Size Bedrooms • Private Position • Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen • Spacious Interiors • Outdoor Entertaining • Zoned Air Conditioning • Luxe Gated Community • Tennis & Aquatic Centre

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Lady of the Lakes At Coolum Beach

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View: 19 May 1pm - 2pm Price: Forthcoming Auction

Contact: David Perez 0427 378 600 david@villarealestate.com.au

11 BONMENT ROAD YA R O O M B A Q U E E N S L A N D

Just one kilometre from pristine Yaroomba beaches, 11 Bonment Road was created for the family wanting an exceptional standard in design and build quality. The Melbourne-based owner spared no expense on his lavish holiday home. With 3 levels of opulence, there is room for the whole family and guests to enjoy the wonderful Sunshine Coast lifestyle!

• 4 King Size Bedrooms • Views to Golf Course • Large Butler’s Pantry • Spacious Interiors • Outdoor Entertaining • 2 Separate Living Areas • Luxe Gated Community • Massive Garage Space

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View: 19 May 1pm - 2pm Price: $1,035,000

Contact: Linda Shore-Perez 0427 378 687 linda@villarealestate.com.au

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villarealestate.com.au

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Rural joEL RobInSon

Above: Wongarra’s truffle connoisseurs.

Left: Trentham Bottom left: The Bellarine Peninsula

Buried treasure For those with a nose for the finer things, a productive truffle farm can be worth sniffing out

Plenty of luck goes into finding them, but it’s also needed to grow them. Truffle production requires hot summers and cold winter temperatures, as well as the right soil, and Victoria’s climate helps things along. on the market and set to sell for the second time in four years is wongarra Truffle Farm, a 35ha estate with a fully producing truffle farm on the Victorian coastline. It was handy for its 2010 buyers, local restaurateurs Mikhiala Slade and Steve Earl, who ran the nearby La bimba restaurant.

Slade and Earl paid $1.55 million for the property before selling to the current vendors, performing arts couple Roderick Poole and Suzanne chaundy, for $2 million in 2014.

Poole, who worked for 30 years in the arts industry before selling up and buying the farm, says he always loved great food and cared about where it came from. “after being an inner-city backyard farmer I decided to take the plunge, and this place has everything,” he says.

“The farm is famous for producing the best truffles in Victoria. we have a lot of other chemical free small-scaling farming happening here, but really anything is possible. Such a great part of the world – views over the ocean, the rainforest, the waterfall, and the surrounding landscape is spectacular.”

There are 200 trees across one hectare, planted 15 years ago, while nearby a newly planted truffiere contains a further 200 truffle oaks that can be expected to produce within three years.

Earl told the Herald Sun during their ownership that dolores the pig would identify hundreds or even thousands of dollars’ worth of truffles each year.

Set on the Great ocean Road, the farm has one of the oldest

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truffieres in Victoria. For more than a decade it has produced the much sought-after Perigord black Truffles, the second most commercially valuable species of truffle. named after the Périgord region in France, they grow among the roots of specially inoculated oak trees and are harvested in late autumn and winter. wongarra’s two-storey cedar home sits near a rainforest gully and a waterfall, and is surrounded by an established exotic garden.

There’s also a self-contained cottage on the property.

Great ocean Properties agent Gary Van Someren has a price guide of $2.45 million.

“If you’ve been dreaming of a tree change or sea change, wongarra Truffle Farm offers both,” he said. a luxury estate at Trentham, a small town in the Hepburn Springs shire north of Melbourne, sold recently for $2.2 million.

It has a 200-tree truffle orchard. The trees, planted in 2007, are expected to bear fruit soon, to the likely benefit of the buyer as well as local diners.

The two-level main residence was built in 2012 after the owners paid $460,000 for the 10.5ha holding in 2007.

They also added a reservoir, which is stocked with rainbow trout, and renovated the old Potato Hut, now a standalone onebedroom studio.

The parkland gardens include three paddocks, mature European and native trees, a fruit orchard, veggie and cutting garden, and a poultry enclosure.

The property was snapped up in 38 days – well short of the district’s 90-day median time on market – through jellis craig Macedon Ranges agent Paul caine.

The truffle card is a draw for land on offer on the bellarine Peninsula. a 51ha estate with not much more than its truffle orchard among seven paddocks is listed for sale. neighbours include wineries and historic homes. no residence as yet, but water views allow RT Edgar barwon Heads agent Peter Lindeman to describe the property as unlike any other in the state. He is quoting around $8.5 million. as a general rule, a mean daily temperature of around 20 degrees in january and around five degrees in july is desirable for truffle growing. Rainfall is also a big factor, with at least 700mm a year preferred. Some rain in the summer months is also required.

Hence the need for gumboots and winter woollies if you’re joining in the hunt for these rare and luxurious culinary delights.

The first australian truffle plantations were in Tasmania in the early 1990s, but these days the delicacies are predominantly grown in the south of western australia.

The state produces around 90 per cent of the nation’s output of truffles.

Rosewood Trufferie, one of the biggest truffle farms in nSw with 2ha of black Perigord truffles from 970 trees, sold for $947,000 in 2014.

The 12.5ha estate is in Marulan, a small town in the nSw Southern Tableland. australia’s largest truffle was found not that far away from Marulan, in Robertson in the Southern Highlands in 2014. The French black Perigord fungus weighed in at 1.172kg – at a time when truffles were worth around $2000 a kilo.

The specimen rivalled some of the biggest truffles ever found in the world.

There are some 160 commercial truffle growers in australia, according to the australia Truffle Growers association.

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Staircases cl airE carponEn

Designers are borrowing from the past to restore grandeur and create a focal point Feature staircases, once synonymous with grand period houses and historic hotels, are having a renaissance. open-plan spaces have made them more important as they're now more visible from or within living areas, says richard mclane of British bespoke staircase company Bisca in Yorkshire. a stunning staircase can enhance any interior. “designers are often asked to maximise or create the illusion of light or openness, integrate storage areas, and work cleverly around room entrances and exits,” says mclane. the right staircase can do the trick. three years ago, sue laing hired mark taylor design to create a bespoke staircase for her 200-year-old, seven-bedroom farmhouse in Henley-on-thames, oxfordshire. the house, previously on a single level, had had a second storey added. “we wanted something lovely, different and modern so that it contrasted with the older elements of the house,” says laing.

Featuring oak treads and stainless-steel handrails, the partcantilevered floating staircase cost £25,000 ($46,082). it was designed to maximise the light and add character, with glass side panels and treads that appear to float. the ground-floor section is set slightly away from the wall to create a shadow gap.

For developers, a feature staircase can give a home the wow factor. a grand sense of arrival can be a key requirement for buyers, says charles lloyd of savills in mayfair. “a staircase can often be the first striking element an owner and their visitors will see,” he says. "it sets the tone for the rest of the home.” statement staircases have risen in popularity in the us, too, particularly in new York, Boston, los angeles and washington, says new York-based architect Jeffrey Beers. “Buyers want to see form and detailing across all areas of the residence,” he says. staircases have been making a comeback as the race to build

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Escalating trend

Top: Bisca space-saver helical staircase, left, and modern zig-zag staircase in a 200-year-old house in Oxfordshire.

Above: The three-floor staircase in North London

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bigger, more beautiful homes has accelerated, according to new York-based interior designer phillip thomas. they can be a “work of art, a sculpture that is not just used but appreciated for its beauty through materials and ornamentation”, he says. more classic styles such as those inspired by the Georgian period are seeing a resurgence in Britain, says mclane. “this sort of design, characterised by simple, classic lines and with authentic detailing, is popular in period properties, but over the past couple of years the number of inquiries for this look has noticeably increased,” he says. sculptural circular staircases are particularly in vogue in new homes at the top end. Beers has created a white plaster-finished circular staircase with dark, solid wood treads, risers and handrails at 277 Fifth avenue, new York, a new 55-storey residential development offering 130 condos. interior designer kelly Hoppen has a staircase as the focal point of High trees, a 1068sq m, sevenbedroom new build on north london’s Bishop avenue by the developer regal london. the white circular staircase, which sweeps up three floors, has black metal balustrades and spindles, and a central cascade of staggered pendant lights. a statement staircase can create drama throughout a house, says simon de Friend, co-founder of regal london, and bring in more natural light if a skylight is installed above. developer werner capital commissioned the stonemasonry company to create a free-floating staircase made from 11 tonnes of French limestone for a recent project, camp End manor, a palladian-style new build in surrey that is for sale for £22 million through knight Frank. an architectural and engineering marvel, it has gravity-defying stone treads held in place by metal tension rods. the staircase accounted for 4 per cent of the construction budget.

First published on mansionglobal.com

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4861 2550

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Cnr Bong Bong & Merrigang Sts, Bowral

Architectural masterpiece in the heart of Bowral

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Arguably situated in the best address in Old Bowral, only a short stroll to the centre of town and historic Bradman Oval.

• Set on over 1/2 acre, the private, level, sunny block is in a quiet street with security gated entry • The north facing residence, unique in design, offers the renovated original Californian bungalow linked via a breezeway to a contemporary light-filled new home • All built to the highest standards with superb finishes throughout • Picturesque views towards Mt. Gibraltar

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umbria

Rustic luxury a villa dating from the 17th century on the border of italy’s bucolic tuscany and umbria regions has been listed for €5.795 million ($9.32 million), according to stribling & associates. the house is within Castello di reschio, a community where benedikt bolza, an architect and italian count, has restored 25 of the 50 farmhouses. it is a 45-minute drive from perugia and half an hour from the village of Cortona of Under the Tuscan Sun fame. the 2.4ha property comprises a main house, guesthouse and outbuildings that include a laundry and pool annexe. the main house has five bedrooms, including a master suite with a terrace, and the guesthouse has an additional two bedrooms. the villa also features an infinity-edge pool and an outdoor dining area. doors in each room open onto the courtyard and gardens. “there is a lot of opportunity for indoor-outdoor living,” says mary ellen Cashma, who has listed the property with barbara evans-butler for stribling. a renovation begun in 2004 has added a gated entrance, heated floors, air conditioning and an automated sprinkler system. there’s an €8127 monthly maintenance fee but that covers services not usually found in a rustic italian farmhouse, including a daily maid and gardening service, and access to a 24-hour helpline. residents can also use Castello di reschio’s amenities, which include a stable with horse riding and lessons, tennis courts and lakes stocked with fish. Foodies can also indulge in wild boar hunting, truffle foraging and cooking classes. a r i e l r . s H a p i rO

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Originally published on mansionglobal.com

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Castletown Cox, a 250-year-old palladian-style irish castle inspired by buckingham palace, has sold for more than its €17.5 million listed price, making it one of the most expensive estates in the country. the 208ha estate, which first came onto the market last July, is the most expensive residential deal in ireland since 2014’s sale of Castlemartin stud in County Kildare for €26.5 million, says James meagher of Knight Frank. the castle has more than 3345sq m of living space, 10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, six reception rooms, a music room, a billiard room, a wine cellar, and updated heating and security systems. the seller was reportedly the britain-based magan family.

built between 1849 and 1864 by Francis radford, this detached, double-fronted mansion in london’s Notting Hill has been listed for £25 million. the house retains much of its charm, from its stucco-fronted italianate style to restored ornate crown moulding.

Contemporary finishes include an agape freestanding soaking tub and underfloor heating. the modern kitchen has sleek balthaup cabinetry, double sub-Zero refrigerators, Gaggenau appliances, and a 5m-long kitchen island. French doors lead to the garden. the home spans 1238sq m, with eight bedrooms and 13 bathrooms (including five half-bathrooms) and eight gas fireplaces. terraces, balconies, and gardens provide plenty of outdoor space. there’s also a car elevator, a dumbwaiter, five parking spaces, a gym, sauna and steam room, and staff accommodation.

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Compare agents before you’re sold on one Choosing is easier when you compare agent profiles and sales results

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Spring Street Jonat H a n c H a nc El l or

Room at the top when it was built in the 1970s, 99 spring was one of melbourne’s first modern high-rise apartment towers in the cBd. slowly it evolved into one of australia’s most exclusive addresses. among those who’ve had a bolthole within the 24-storey tower over the decades are the Packers, the Podgorniks and the Potters. kerry Packer’s former melbourne apartment cost $383,000 in 1983, with another $360,000 spent to make up the whole 12th floor. the apartment was sold in 2000 for $1.5 million. the esteemed australian psychiatrist and author ainslie meares was one of the first residents to move into the building, which is set close to the Paris end of collins street. restaurateur George tsindos, who ran the popular Bourke street restaurant Florentino’s, called a 16th-floor apartment his home. the former aBc boss Jonathan shier bought in for $1.575 million in 2013, from zookeeper Emmanuel margolin, one of sydney’s larger-thanlife characters and formerly a car dealer in 1960s melbourne. in 2016, mark nelson from caledonia investments spent $2.41 million on the 24th floor. the easternmost street in the original 1837 Hoddle Grid, spring street is resplendent

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with light, and overlooks the autumnal treasury and Fitzroy Gardens. Bookended by the old treasury Building – one of the city’s finest examples of renaissance revival architecture – and the Victorian-era Princess theatre, spring street has re-emerged in a recent rush as a highrise residential destination, despite its associations with the 1970s. near neighbour of 99 spring, the upcoming no. 85 spring street (architect impression pictured above), ranks among the last developable sites along the famed stretch. its developer, Jeff Xu’s Golden age, proposes a $400 million, 39-level residential project with sculptural contemporary geometry, set above Parliament station at the top end of town. designed by Bates smart, the building’s exterior takes its inspiration from spring street’s European character and the stonework of Parliament House, while the custom brickwork recalls the traditional aesthetic of nearby warehouses. the concept draws upon rationalism, modernism and the German philosophy of Gesamtkunstwerk to deliver a complete work of art across the external form, interiors and material palette.

kristen whittle, director of Bates smart, says spring street is melbourne cBd’s home of grandeur and majesty. and living directly beside substantial mature civic gardens has new yorkstyle significance, he suggests. the initial price list for the 138 apartments at 85 spring ranged up to $8 million for a state-ofthe-art three-bedroom abode.

99 spring street was built as a $2.8 million leighton project to a moore and Hammond design. the krongold carpet family were among initial buyers on the top floor, but its penthouse attracted national attention when owned by entrepreneur robert Holmes à court. the dapper Perth business tycoon paid $160,000 and $225,000 in 1980, to consolidate the floor. it was his base when he plotted his sharemarket raids on nearby melbourne icons the Herald & weekly times and BHP. Encompassing the entire 25th floor, the fourbedroom, three-bathroom 420sq m apartment had a home office and an outdoor terrace offering views over the cBd. at the time it was considered melbourne’s ultimate penthouse, but it has recently faced strong competition from new contenders. the Holmes à court family sold the apartment

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for $2 million in 2003. Businessman and art collector Greg Hargrave bought it for $4.08 million in 2013 and had it transformed by kerry Phelan of kPdo, who installed graffiti art by anthony lister in its lift foyer. Hargrave sold the apartment last year for $7 million. at 85 spring, the communal lobby is the location for Golden age’s grand art plans. it has collaborated with celebrated artist Bill Henson in commissioning his first ever film production, which will be included in an artworks installation.

Bates smart also designed the recently completed $350-million cbus Property project 35 spring street, which rises 45 storeys with 270 apartments priced from $600,000 to more than $6 million. Prices in the development hit nearly $7.95 million in 2013 when Hargrave also bought there. the family of cbus boss adrian Pozzo picked up a couple of apartments, as did chef shannon Bennett. last year cbus also purchased the mercure treasury Gardens Hotel at 13 spring street from the abu dhabi investment authority, with the intention of developing another apartment tower. in between the two sits Philadelphia tower at 31 spring street.

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parisi.com.au

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Interiors Mansion AustrAliA

Vaucluse vacation Recreating that holiday feeling

Surface elements Pieces for laid-back living

Melting pot

Jason Mowen’s eclectic style

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Easy living

Every day feels like a holiday for the owners of this freshly transformed home in Sydney’s Vaucluse, where the pool is a focal point even from the master bedroom Stor y by m i l a n da rou t Photog raphs by tom f erguSon

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t was a wood-panelled room left over from the 1960s, complete with a built-in bar and wall unit, that served as the key inspiration for an extraordinary remake of an old, tired house in Vaucluse in Sydney’s eastern suburbs into a Palm Springs-esque modern family home. “we just became obsessed with Palm Springs and mid-century modern design,” one of the owners tells Mansion. “So the brief to the architect was to keep the old, blend it into the new, make it liveable and modern, and if you want to really push the boundaries we will go there.”

It helped that the owners, a couple with two children aged nine and 12, were good friends with the architect, nick Bell.

“It is always wonderful when you get to work with your mate who

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is also an architect, because they really know how you like to live your life,” the owner says. “we were pretty clear that we wanted a house that you could walk through in your swimmers and entertain in, but we wanted different areas. we didn’t really want that one big living, dining, pool space. we wanted the cosiness of a few rooms, but we wanted it to open up the back to the pool and garden.”

The family lived in the 1960s house for two and a half years before starting the renovations in 2014. This meant living with blue nylon carpet, a blue and green laminate kitchen, and a layout that meant the back of the house (an old lean-to) was entirely cut off from the pool and the garden. The only way you could see the backyard was through a relatively small kitchen window.

“It was in a state of disarray, basically,” the owner recalls. “But we

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learnt how the light came through the house and how the spaces worked. It really helped during the design process. I think it was important to live in it before we renovated it.”

The overhaul saw the layout completely change, with the exception of keeping that one wood-panelled room and all its 1960s details. The living spaces and kitchen were moved and expanded, and Bell and his team installed sandstone flooring in both the exterior and interior.

“It is quite unusual to do that inside,” he tells Mansion. “The dining table in the house ends up being the outdoor dining table as well when you open all the doors up. It feels like you are outside.”

The roofing curves up to the north to get as much light as possible into the house, and this was also the reasoning behind the

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Opening page: The master bedroom and the pool beyond, with its circular roof aperture. The transformation of the home’s 60s layout opened the back to the pool and garden while enclosing other rooms to retain a sense of cosiness

hole in the roof. “you see this circle of light move around and change all day,” Bell says.

The other big move was locating the master bedroom to overlook the pool and make it almost feel like another wing of the house.

“Positioning the bedroom out back next to the swimming pool gives the bedroom a real luxury holiday feel,” Bells says. “It is not often you have people’s bedrooms looking straight onto the pool.”

It was the owner’s idea and it has become her favourite part of the house, along with their bathroom. “we put it in prime position,” she says. “we are very selfish, but it pays off. we wake up every morning and we look out over the pool and literally feel like we are on holiday, even when we have to get up and go to work.”

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Smooth moves 1.

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Blonde wood, neutral stone, sculptural forms... these pieces make the indoor-outdoor transition with a minimum of fuss

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1. ttaa bbll EE string table, inspired by traditional games of cat’s cradle. top in veneer or solid timber, base in black, white or colours, with a range of finishes. From spence & lyda 2. bbEEddssiiddEE ttaa bbll EE companions bedside table by studioilse in solid wood with removable cork storage bowl. available in two heights.

From spence & lyda 3. ddiissHH thoronet dish in travertine marble named after a 13th-century abbey in provence. From Henry wilson

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4. cc uussHHiioonn neolivingstones modular floor cushions in the form of pebbles, made from neoprene for outdoor use. From poliform

7. ttaa bbll EE 390 lebeau wood table by cassina with solid ashwood base in four finishes and top in glass or wood. From space

5. ppoottss pedra hand-cast reconstituted stone pots planted with agave and a ‘copper king’ (‘lady Finger’) cactus. From Hamblins

8. ll iiggHH ttss Flos taccia table lamp with spun aluminium reflector finished in matte white. aluminium base in black, bronze or natural sandblasted finish. From living Edge

6. ccHH aa iirr sibast no 7 dining chair, designed in 1953 by Helge sibast. armchair and bar stool also available. From Hub

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My Style Ja son mow En intErior dEsignEr

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like to make and find beautiful things for my clients, from an individual piece of custom furniture right through to whole interiors. i lived and worked in london and madrid for many years – experiences that have greatly informed my aesthetic – and i now work between sydney and melbourne. my personal style is a definite melting pot, but it seems to work.

Eighteenth-century grisaille panels, 60s French furniture, white slipcovered sofa and armchairs, tables piled high with books and sculpture, lots of low lighting. it’s warm, inviting and interesting. residential has been my thing, but i did a restaurant a couple of years ago and loved it. my dream is to do a small hotel. at the moment i am working on a residence on top of a gallery in sydney, for the gallerist - watch this space! my heroes are Hubert de givenchy and yves saint laurent for their interiors. i love pierre yovanovitch’s new furniture and axel Vervoordt for making something so simple so good. and Zaha Hadid – what an incredible visionary she was.

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Hubert de Givenchy & Axel Vervoordt

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