When Brigitte and Scott moved to Australia from their native South Africa, they fell in love with Victoria’s Surf Coast and decided to build a house in Torquay. After taking advantage of a “buoyant market” they sold it in 2016, but then decided to build the same house – Boutique Homes’ Barcelona – again. “We loved our Barcelona. We wanted to remain in the Geelong/Surf Coast region, but wanted a larger block of land and a pool,” explains Brigitte ..read more

Having previously renovated an 1880s terrace in inner-city Melbourne, Carmel and her husband Lance decided to look for something with a little more outdoor space as their two young sons started to grow. But, after nothing grabbed them in Melbourne, they decided to search further afield, eventually settling on Bendigo, where Carmel had studied some years before ..read more

When David Cook-Doulton and Martin Shew first spotted the two-storey Victorian property that would eventually become known as Lyon House, they knew it would be perfect for their latest boutique accommodation offering in Ballarat ..read more

After 30 years of owning a Victorian terrace in Fitzroy as an investment property, Jenny Vizard was faced with a dilemma. Needing a new home, she could either renovate the tired inner-city cottage and move in herself, or sell it and buy elsewhere. “I was apprehensive about renovating, but I had a sentimental attachment to the little house. So I felt it was a possibility that was worth investigating,” she said ..read more

When vet Matt decided to make a tree change and move to the Dandenong Ranges, he knew choosing the right location was crucial. “It’s one of those areas where you really want someone with local knowledge to help you with where you buy, because there are good blocks and bad blocks,” he explained. When he came across a 1.4ha site within walking distance of Olinda and Sassafras, he jumped at the chance to buy it, despite the fact the property was looking pretty unloved ..read more

After “spending far too much money” buying their first home at the height of the market in 2007, Julia Cauchi and her husband Dane were determined not to make the same mistake twice ..read more

When a house features a 'Great Room', there is extra pressure to make it into something spectacular, and there's no doubt that designers Curtis Elmy and Trevor Ciona from Atmosphere Interior Design created just that. With its two-metre-high wainscoting, exquisite Thibaut wallpaper and a detailed ceiling adorned with charcoal grey beams, it's not a great room, it's amazing ..read more

As the place where you snuggle or sprawl, celebrate, catch up and cosy up, the living room is one of the most welcoming spaces in your home. But to preserve the calming and comforting effect, a sense of store and order is essential ..read more

Trudy Rice always wanted to make art her career. At high school, she adored her art lessons and dreamt of opening a gallery. But then disaster struck. “At the end of year nine, I broke my arm horse riding and had to take weeks off school,” remembers Geelong-born Trudy. “Unfortunately, that meant I missed the designated day to pick up my coursework for the year and my teacher threw it out. I was completely floored it had ended up in the bin so decided to pursue other creative pursuits ..read more

A relaxed, welcoming style, showcasing the colours of the Australian coast and beach, wherever you are ..read more