A renovated 1970s mansion on the cliffs of Sydney’s waterfront and Bryon Bay’s home with an underground pool won top prizes at this year’s Home Awards to celebrate Australia’s best residential property.
Among the other contenders was a modern cabin in the woods on the island of Tasmania, a stunning home with eight detached patios in Melbourne as well as an elegant farmhouse style home that opens to the outdoors.
Here FEMAIL searches for outstanding properties among the best real estate in the country – from a Japanese-inspired home with an all-white interior to a heritage federal cottage with a sleek, modern extension and a pyramidal roof angular home.
From a heritage-listed ’70s home perched on the cliffs on Sydney’s waterfront (pictured), to a Japan-inspired home in Portsey, Victoria with an all-white interior, these homes are sure to impress
SRG House, Sydney, New South Wales
Perched on the cliffs overlooking the Parramatta River, this stunning three-story heritage listed home has been carefully renovated to maintain a 1970s charm emphasized by wood-framed windows, concrete columns, and dark natural textures.
Originally built in 1972 and renovated by Fox Johnston Architects, SRG House took its name from famed Australian architect and former owner Sir Roy Grounds and won the Best House in a Heritage Context award.
Its interior features reflect the 1970s, with curved built-in furniture, antique cork floors, and red Japanese finger tiles.
The raw wood kitchen flows into the living and dining areas which have floor-to-ceiling windows to let in light and offer stunning views.
Nestled in the cliffs on Sydney’s waterfront, overlooking the Parramatta River, this stunning three-story heritage listed home has been carefully renovated to preserve the ’70s charm with wood-framed windows, concrete columns and dark natural textures.
The interior design echoes the 1970s with curved built-in furniture, retro cork floors, red Japanese finger tile, and a raw wood kitchen that flows into the living and dining areas that have floor-to-ceiling windows to let in light and offer stunning views.
Federal House, Byron Bay, New South Wales
Perched on a sloping landscape in Byron Bay Hinterland, Federal House is positioned to capture sweeping views of the surrounding woodland from every room and provide a “quiet getaway” for its lucky owners.
Designed by Kim Bridgeland and Aaron Roberts of the Melbourne Architecture Agency’s Edition Office, the one-of-a-kind property with a wraparound balcony and plunge pool was praised by judges for effectively blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors.
The interior is filled with contrasts, such as the combination of dark wood and concrete versus light wood floors and brown leather fixtures.
Designed by Kim Bridgeland and Aaron Roberts of Melbourne Architecture, Office of the Edition, the one-of-a-kind Federal home, perched on a sloping landscape in Byron Bay Hinterland, was praised by the judges for masterfully concealing the lines between indoors and outdoors at the 2021 Homes Awards.
The wraparound porch and sunken pool (pictured left) were praised for brilliantly blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors by the judges at the 2021 Home Awards.
Killora Bay, North Bruny, Tasmania
This modern cabin in the woods emerges from a dense forest of fern bushes, turf and white gum trees on Bruny Island in southern Tasmania.
Natural wood cladding wraps around the Killora Bay home that used to be a quiet vacation home for architect Lara Maeseele and her young family, with dark natural fabrics, an outdoor bathroom, living and dining space and a kitchen with massive glass doors opening up to the surrounding bush.
This modern cabin in the woods emerges from a dense forest of fern bushes, herbaceous plants and white gum on Bruny Island in southern Tasmania.
Natural wood cladding wraps around a Killora Bay home that serves as a quiet seasonal vacation home for architect Lara Maeseele and her young family.
The home features dark natural textures, an outdoor bathroom, and spacious living, dining, and kitchen space with massive glass doors that open onto the surrounding bush.
Franklin, Portsy, Victoria
Melbourne-based architecture firm Ola Studio received an unusual brief from the sole proprietor that called for a “Japanese-inspired misty white cocoon” that is “special, serene, fresh and organic” and it certainly delivered.
The all-white interior takes cues from Japanese modern design with Akari-style pendant lights, screen room dividers and simple furniture while the eclectic art owner savors the home’s muted peppers and pops of color.
Outside the modern resort-style pool is surrounded by raw concrete fabrics and sunken garden beds and provides a sense of calm.
For Franklin’s home, Melbourne-based architecture firm Ola Studio received an unusual brief from the individual owner that called for a “Japanese-inspired misty white cocoon” that is “private, serene, fresh and organic”
The all-white interior takes cues from modern Japanese design with Akari-style pendant lamps, screen room dividers and minimalist furniture, while the owner’s eclectic art savors muted peppers and pops of color at home.
Outside the modern resort-style pool is surrounded by raw concrete fabrics and sunken garden beds and provides a sense of calm
East Fremantle, Perth, Washington
This East Fremantle home has a stylish modern extension designed by Nic Brunsdon along with the Heritage Federation Cottage that has been added to it.
The home’s minimalist kitchen with skylight and modern finishes, and a sunken elegant living room opens onto a grassy courtyard.
Exposed and gray brick walls fill the corridors where the extension meets the original heritage house, leading to light-filled living areas with wood-beamed ceilings and polished concrete floors.
The elegant modern extension of the East Fremantle house designed by Nic Brunsdon sits alongside the Heritage Federation cottage to which it was added.
Seemingly pulled from the pages of a magazine, the home’s minimalist kitchen with skylight and modern finishes, elegant sunken living room opening onto the grassy patio
Exposed and gray brick walls fill the corridors where the extension meets the original heritage house leading to light-filled living areas with wood-beamed ceilings and polished concrete floors
Bellows House, Flinders, Victoria
Reversed-pyramidal carved ceilings are the prominent feature above the dining and living areas of Bellows House, an inspiring geometric structure of concrete masonry in the secluded Victorian town of Flinders.
The Bellows House, designed by Melbourne-based Architects EAT, surrounds an elegant patio garden with an open fire pit and wood deck and the modern kitchen combines matte black, dark wood, red brick, white tiles and concrete textures.
Reversed-pyramidal carved ceilings are the prominent feature above the dining and living areas of Bellows House, a strikingly engineered, concrete masonry structure in the Victorian town of Flinders
Bellows House surrounds an elegant patio garden with an open fire pit and wood decking
The modern kitchen combines matte black, dark wood, red brick, white tiles and concrete textures
Eight Yard House, Melbourne, Victoria
The Eight Yard House in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, brings the outside in with a series of patios and outdoor spaces that flow seamlessly into the home.
Designed by Melbourne-based architecture firm Studio Bright, the family home features rarely found in such urban interiors: a stunning pool, modern kitchen, glass poolside shower, lush green gardens, cozy fireplace, and light-filled living spaces.
The striking facade with its modern brickwork and clean line design combined with the adjacent traditional houses with balconies.
The Eight Yard House in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, brings the outside in with a series of patios and outdoor spaces that flow seamlessly into the home
Designed by Melbourne architecture firm Studio Bright, the contemporary single family home features a stunning pool, modern kitchen, glass poolside shower, lush green gardens, cozy fireplace and light-filled living spaces.
Long Road, Mount Tamborine, Queensland
In the Gold Coast hinterland, near the village of Mount Tamborine, sits this stunning ranch-style home with a stunning green-tiled bathroom, and wooden shutter doors that open onto the rolling hills and lush rainforest outside.
A pebble-floored courtyard with creeping vines is seamlessly integrated into the home’s dark wood interior featuring elegant black walls and columns, and wood-panelled ceilings.
In the Gold Coast hinterland, near the village of Mount Tamborine, this stunning country house features a stunning green tiled bathroom with wooden shutter doors that open onto the rolling hills and lush rainforest outside.
A pebble-floored courtyard with creeping vines seamlessly integrates into the home’s dark wooden interior, which features elegant black walls and columns, and wood-panelled ceilings.