The owners of this Melbourne home were living on a narrowboat in the UK when they first tasked architects Topology Studio with designing the renovation. They’d loved how every aspect of their boat was highly considered and purposeful, and enjoyed the relaxed feeling of life on board, often interacting with passersby and other boats. Brunswick Galley House now captures all of the above, perfectly tailoring the old bungalow for the family of four’s new chapter back on land ..read more

This Queenslander in Grange, Brisbane was always beautiful, but both its original and renovated interiors (introduced in 2002) didn’t respond well to the site, climate, and the needs of its new owners. A recent renovation by Bones Studio has rectified these issues, introducing a large void along the southern side of the home to significantly enhance its natural light, and bring tropical greenery into the home. It’s now a more functional and delightful home with a rationally zoned interior and connections to the outdoors throughout ..read more

There’s a dream-like energy to Melbourne artist Morgan Blue’s psychedelic artworks. Her comforting and colourful canvases are filled with childhood motifs and curiosity, reflecting her unique worldview influenced by synaesthesia: the phenomenon where people experience sensory crossovers, like seeing colours in music. We visited her studio ahead of her new exhibition, Featherbed, which opens at Backwoods Gallery this weekend ..read more

Advertising agency founder Ralph van Dijk, and producer Kate van Dijk, bought a mid-century A-frame house in 2013 and have barely had to lift a finger since. Originally designed and built by architect Graeme Over in 1959, the northern Sydney house is one of a kind, and continues to impress 65 years later. They don’t make them like this anymore ..read more

For almost 30 years, Yarrh Wines in NSW’s Yass Valley has been welcoming guests into their winery and cellar door — and they’ve just opened their first accommodation. Book your stay at one of two new tiny houses on the property designed in collaboration by McShane Studio and Cubby and Co ..read more

They say good things take time, and that couldn’t apply more to the renovation and extension of architect Steele Olney’s family home. Back when he first bought this Maitland, NSW property, it was a charming but almost unliveable home for the Studio Dot director, his wife Rhiannon Dawson, and their first child. Seven years and two more children later, the house is still charming, but far more energy efficient and generous, thanks to its re-worked passive design and solar array. Steele shares how he did it ..read more

When the owners bought this 1875-built property, it had been used as an architect’s office for a few decades. They engaged architectural practice BUNSTON with a relatively simple brief, asking for a new kitchen, bathroom and more storage. But the real challenge was turning a former workspace into a familial and functional home. The resulting Kesterson House has been reconfigured around a central courtyard garden, where original bricks and bluestone have been given a new life as part of the building’s inviting new iteration ..read more

Whilst we’re big fans of roast ham or turkey as part of Christmas lunch, in our eyes, the ideal summer festive feast is a whole-baked salmon! Julia Busutill-Nishimura’s version comes with quick-pickled shallots, dill crème fraîche and fresh herby salad on the side — PLUS, it’s so quick to whip up on the day. Find the recipe below ..read more

Set on 48 acres of undulating countryside in Bangalow, NSW, Copperstone isn’t your average property. Created by co-founders of The Range Estates, Emma and Tom Lane, this spectacular estate incorporates a five-bedroom homestead, pool house, wellness retreat (with steam room, infrared and hot stone sauna), gym, tennis court, stables, dressage arena and a walled garden. Plus, with a games room, sandy beach and a two-bedroom manager’s cottage on the site, it’s a paradise away from the hustle and bustle of city life. And, it’s for sale. Take a look below ..read more

Designer and artist Elliot Bastianon has made the most of this modest apartment in Canberra after a two-and-a-half-year renovation. ‘Basically everything’ inside the 75-square-metre home has been replaced — from the bathroom to the kitchen — and despite being within a 1950s complex, the apartment is now all-electric and energy efficient, making it comfortable for Canberra’s cold winters. See the (unrecognisable!) before and after photos below ..read more