Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

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"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

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After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

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The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372549]

Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=314259]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4661 project_image_fid=372550]

Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=4661]

Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355297]

The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355293]

The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355303]

The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=925]

Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=5374]

The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5743]

The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Rainbow Bay apartment doubles in price since off the plan sale during pandemic

Australia Post is one of the country’s most trusted institutions, powering one of the largest delivery networks in Australia. As online shopping continues to scale, Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online.

That scale of eCommerce activity has fundamentally changed expectations around how and when parcels arrive, and what happens when someone isn't home.

<h3>Problem solved with Parcel Lockers</h3>

The traditional alternatives to home delivery are far from ideal. Buildings can rely on reception teams to manage deliveries, which introduces ongoing staffing costs and liability concerns. Parcels can be left in common areas, which creates security and aesthetic issues. Or residents are redirected to nearby Post Offices for collection, which shifts the inconvenience rather than solving it.

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The data behind that frustration is significant. Nationally, around 9 per cent of deliveries are carded, meaning the recipient was not home and must collect the parcel from a Post Office. That figure reflects the national average reported between November 2025 and January 2026. In Melbourne, that figure rises to 20 per cent. In high-density living, it climbs again to 28 per cent. In other words, more than one in four deliveries in Melbourne apartment buildings results in a failed first attempt.

<h3>How Parcel Lockers work</h3>

The mechanics are simple. When a parcel arrives, the resident receives a notification either through the Australia Post app or via SMS. They scan a QR code, use their one-time PIN and the compartment opens. The parcel is secure, accessible and removed from the lobby floor.

Located in thoughtfully chosen, easily accessible areas, including external building interfaces, mixed-use precincts or shared communal zones, Parcel Lockers enhance convenience without requiring internal building access or additional operational oversight.

<h3>The scale of the network</h3>

This expansion represents Australia Post's largest investment in parcel infrastructure to date, building on momentum that began in 2011 when the first 24 Parcel Locker sites were introduced.

Today the Australia Post Parcel Locker network spans over 1,400 locations and more than 105,000 individual compartments, with major investment already underway to significantly expand the network further.

<h3>What it means for developers and building operators</h3>

A Parcel Locker bank is free to install and free for residents to use. That removes one of the primary barriers to adoption and shifts the conversation from cost to integration.

Australia Post's preference is to engage with developers during the design phase. That allows Parcel Lockers to be located in a considered, publicly accessible space that works for residents and the broader community. Retrofit is possible, and existing buildings can be assessed, but the strongest results occur when Parcel Lockers are treated as part of the core services plan rather than a bolt-on solution.

While the iconic Australia Post red is widely recognised, Parcel Lockers can also be delivered in more muted palettes such as beige or green to align with architectural intent.

For developers, they offer a tech-forward amenity that meets modern expectations, a reduction in courier congestion and building-management load supporting lower emissions and better ESG outcomes, and a meaningful marketability advantage in high-density, eCommerce-active areas, all at no cost for installation and maintenance, with Australia Post funding the program aside from power access.

<h3>Who's using them</h3>

Generational shopping behaviours show strong, sustained growth across all cohorts. Millennials (27–43) led online spend in 2024, contributing nearly $25 billion. Baby Boomers (60–78) increased their online spend by 17.6 per cent, becoming the fastest-growing adopters. Gen Z (13–26) and Gen X (44–59) continue to lean on delivery services as part of their everyday shopping habits.

Internationally, uptake is even more pronounced. Overseas markets are seeing rapid adoption by both developers and consumers, positioning Parcel Lockers as standard infrastructure in many new residential projects. For Melbourne's development community, this signals a shift in baseline expectations. Just as secure bike storage and dedicated parcel rooms have become more common, integrated Parcel Locker networks may soon be viewed as part of the essential service mix.

<h3>The bigger picture</h3>

Parcel Lockers aren't just a logistics fix. Developers invest heavily in lobby design, materials, lighting and landscaping to shape first impressions. Yet a stack of unattended parcels can undo that effort in an instant. Embedding parcel infrastructure early allows projects to respond to how people actually live today, supporting resident satisfaction, reducing operational strain and aligning with broader community and ESG outcomes.

As Belinda Quinn, Senior Transaction Manager – Retail &amp; Out of Home at Australia Post, puts it, residents increasingly expect delivery solutions that align with real life, are flexible, secure and available whenever they need them.

How Australia Post is solving the parcel problem for apartment living

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Architectural firm Fender Katsalidis, responsible for designing Melbourne’s Eureka Tower, has been awarded the Canberra Medallion, the territory’s highest honour at the Australian Institute of Architects' 2013 ACT Architecture Awards.


The firm's project at 2 and 4 National Circuit Precinct (pictured below) was also recognised with the Sir John Overall Award for Urban Design.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/06/june24fender]}
‘A clear and sensitive introduction of new commercial architecture into the heritage-listed former patents office and a brown field site that creates a comfortable and inviting space consistent with the aim of increasing urban density around the parliamentary triangle,’ the jury said of the project.

Established in 1996, Fender Katsalidis' portfolio also boasts the Melbourne based projects Ian Potter Museum of Art, the Argus Centre, the Republic Tower as well as an upcoming skyscraper for 2015 slated to be the southern hemisphere’s tallest six-star/apartment building.

Previous awards won by the firm include the 2007 RAIA Harry Seidler Award for Commercial Architecture and the AIA Award for Commercial Architecture in 2008.
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Fender Katsalidis claims top gong at Australian Institute of Architects 2013 ACT Architecture Awards

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Architect Andrew Verri of Jigsaw Housing has won the ACT Emerging Architect Prize at the Australian Institute of Architects’ 2013 ACT Architecture Awards.
The awards were held on Saturday night at the National Arboretum in Canberra.
<img alt="verrijune24one" src="/images/stories/2013/06/verrijune24one.jpg" width="370" height="553">
"Andrew’s commitment to smaller, smarter, sustainable homes is providing significant leadership within the architectural profession and the residential construction industry more broadly," the jury said.

Verri has been an active member of the Australian Institute of Architects for over 10 years, serving on its sustainability and practice committees.
Jigsaw Housing was established three years ago and also won the Clean Green Category and Business of the Year in the Canberra Business Point Awards last year.
His company also won the award for Environmental Innovation at the 2012 Sustainable Cities Awards and was voted in the Top 50 Your Future Home Sustainable Building Leaders 2012 by the general public.
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Jigsaw Housing's Andrew Verri wins emerging architect prize at 2013 ACT Architecture Awards

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The recent baby boom in the City of Melbourne has meant existing community facilities are unable to cope with demand.
Interestingly, the boom is largely attributed to the CBD. If there was ever proof of the shift towards urbanised living: this has to be it.
New facilities are being planned to cater for the unexpected number of new babies in the municipality, covering the CBD and a number of Melbourne's inner suburbs. The facilities will provide postnatal care, and venues forparent programs and play groups.
It is well documented that a concentration of student populations can act as a precursor for urban renewal, which in turn provides the catalyst for others, such as single professionals and young urbanites to follow. The recent baby boom shows that new families are the next wave of central city apartment dwellers.
Whilst raising a family in the suburbs may be less expensive, for many this scenario is no longer the preferred option. With congestion bearing heavily on liveability and making for expensive and time-consuming car usage, the better option is to reside closer to the CBD.
As a result, diverse medium and high-rise apartment developments should be a focus, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, to manage both an increase in population and changes in housing preferences.
The future of housing architecture will need to be configured for a diverse range of households and consider demographic aspects such as age and culture. If we also believe affordability – in terms of both purchase price and ongoing cost of running – is a long-term consideration for a family, then we will require more from less as the size of dwellings reduces.
Future housing demand will necessitate greater flexibility in the design of small apartments, at a workable cost level, appealing to diverse household types. A pre-industrial era village or traditional old-fashioned neighbourhood offers each of its residents a chance to develop the network of bonds amongst each other that underpins a healthy community. In this setting, residents can work from home (65% of new businesses start in the home), study, raise a family, house extended families, retire or just hang out.
We will see vertical neighbourhoods consisting of a range of apartments attractive to a range of occupants. There may be roof top gardens for growing food or practicing tai-chi and book clubs or dining clubs can form, catering for the traditional community feel of earlier low rise developments.
While apartments as small as 25 to 30 square metres provide an entry point for home ownership and can accommodate an elderly relative, adolescent or adult child, apartments of 55 square metres can be configured to accommodate a living area, kitchen, bathroom and two other flexible spaces – one being a bedroom and the other possibly being a nursery enabling the families looking to live inner-city.
What this suggests is that the planning policies for our cities must have an inherent ability to dissect and discern direction and flexibly respond to challenges of social change and increasing diversity.
We as a society are changing too rapidly to recycle or rebrand conventional solutions or resort to stereotype prejudices about what constitutes appropriate housing standards, particularly when it comes to apartments and flats.
New development stemming from population growth requires an open mind by governments and planners. Higher density developments are one basic solution to restrict the waste of arable land, reliance on cars as primary transport and provide better-networked communities.
Other forms of inner city and central apartments have been generally accepted and are very much a part of the increasingly diverse society we now have. The fear of density remains palpable in determining planning policy.
Whilst it has been widely accepted that traditional two parent households will be marginally less over the next two decades compared with the number of single households, predicted to soar by 63.7%, little has been forecast in Australia of apartments being a desired family home.
Architects, developers and planners need to recognise this as an emerging residential typology. The apartment-as-family-home is part of Melbourne’s future housing mix.
Rob Stent is a director Melbourne-based architecture, interior and urban design practice Hayball and is a past president of the Victorian chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects. Among the buildings he has designed is Lend Lease’s completed Serrata apartment building in Docklands, one of Melbourne's first apartment buildings to achieve a four-star Green Star rating.
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New high-rise apartment projects part of Melbourne's residential mix: Rob Stent

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The popularity of home renovation reality television shows like <a target="_blank" href="/news">Channel Seven's House Rules</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/the-gap-narrows-between-the-block-sky-high-and-house-rules-theblock9-houserules_on7/2013060662039">Channel Nine's The Block</a> are clearly having an impact on homeowners but a new survey has found that the vast majority of homeowners wish to renovate to improve their quality of living not to sell and make a profit.
Two out of five home owners (43%) surveyed by Mortgage Choice said they are planning to renovate their homes.
However, of these more than three quarters (77.3%) gave as their reason “to improve my quality of living”. 
Less than a quarter (22.7%) said they were renovating to sell their home and make a profit with around 15% planning to renovate to accommodate the needs of their growing families.
Hardly any plan to renovate to accommodate grandparents or relatives.
 
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="width: 470px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="491" valign="top">
Why are you planning to renovate? 
</td>
<td width="113" valign="top">
Results
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
To improve my quality of living
</td>
<td width="113">
77.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
For profit
</td>
<td width="113">
22.7%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
To accommodate growing children
</td>
<td width="113">
9.9%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
To accommodate a new child
</td>
<td width="113">
4.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
To accommodate grandparents/relatives moving into the same
</td>
<td width="113">
0.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Other
</td>
<td width="113">
6.3%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
Source: Mortgage Choice
Reflecting the improved lifestyle motivations behind renovating, the kitchen and the bathroom are the areas of the house to get makeovers first, the survey found followed by outdoor entertaining areas and the living room.
 
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="width: 470px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="491" valign="top">
What area/room will you renovate first
</td>
<td width="113" valign="top">
Results
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Kitchen
</td>
<td width="113">
28.2%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Bathroom
</td>
<td width="113">
27.0%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Outdoor entertainment area
</td>
<td width="113">
15.1%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Living room
</td>
<td width="113">
10.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Bedroom
</td>
<td width="113">
6.3%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Laundry
</td>
<td width="113">
3.6%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Study
</td>
<td width="113">
1.4%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="491">
Other
</td>
<td width="113">
8.1%
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Source: Mortgage Choice
 The survey also found that the majority of those planning renovations (53%) plan to make major cosmetic renovations with no structural changes such as re-tiling or replacing kitchen cupboards with just over quarter (27%) planning major structural changes such as increasing room space or change the layout of their home.
Most renovation budgets are under $50,000.
The results of the Mortgage Choice 2013 Homeowners’ Intention Survey was based on the responses of over 1,000 Australian mortgage holders, with 444 answering 'yes' to the question: "Are you planning to renovate your home?"
“While renovations can potentially increase the value of a property, our survey results show that the purpose for many Australians is to improve their lifestyle by customising their home to suit them,” said Mortgage Choice spokesperson Belinda Williamson
“This lifestyle focus was further highlighted by the fact that of those Australians intending to renovate, 15% were looking to renew their outdoor entertainment area first. This was among the top three most popular areas to renovate and followed upgrading the kitchen and bathroom at 28% and 27% of respondents, respectively.”
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lschlesinger-FZcF9M3vE6

Pleasure not profit the reason for most home renovations: Mortgage Choice survey

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Classic Constructions, Melinda Boag Design and Paul Tilse Architect won the HIA 2013 Australian display home of the year.
The display home, Aston, is located 3.5 kilometres southwest of the Canberra CBD in the suburb of <a target="_blank" href="/news">Yarralumla</a>.
<a target="_blank" href="https://theaston.com.au/">The Aston's </a>formal entrance at 15 Abbott Street, Yarralumla certainly sets the tone and character for this elegantly appointed home.
The home features ironbark polished timber floorboards, floor to ceiling bi-fold doors and bluestone walls at the entrance to the lounge.
Aston also includes a Sonos integrated sound system with wi-fi control throughout the house and a Blumotion system is integrated into the kitchen.
The property, which was formally opened for inspections last November, also boasts an outdoor pool and landscaped gardens.
What the judges said:
This home has exceptional attention to detail and carefully blends multiple materials to provide a distinctive home. Featuring integrated internal living areas with external entertaining areas, the free-?owing open plan design is an entertainer’s delight.
The Aston was also the winner of the HIA Kitchen up to $30,000 
Classic Constructions is a family owned business, established in 1987 by Michael and George Tanchevski.
Melinda Boag Design was established in 1993 and is a Canberra-based Interior Design business.
2013 Australian display home of the year finalists:
Metricon, Hunter
Sarpel Homes Pty Ltd, New South Wales
Martin Locke Homes, North Queensland
Abode New Homes Pty Ltd, Northern Territory
Ryan Designer Homes, Queensland
Precision Homes (Australia) Pty Ltd, South Australia
Hotondo Homes, Tasmania
Englehart Homes, Victoria
Ross Grif?n Homes, Western Australia
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ntrotman-Et3xWpamVh

Aston in Yarralumla wins for Classic Constructions in HIA 2013 Australian display home of the year

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Amy and Sean, the renovation rookies paid $365,000 for their Brisbane home which is being renovated this week on the Channel 7 series, House Rules.
And their mortgage has been revealed as just $300,000, the smallest among the five competition couples, with NSW yet to be advised.
The previous smallest mortgage was Jane and Plinio in Hobart who paid $355,000 and have a $315,000 mortgage or prize at stake in the Channel 7 home renovation stress series.
The Hobart buyers had the cheapest house in the series hosted by Johanna Griggs. 
The 1960 Nundah, Brisband three bedroom house on a 405 square metre block sold through Go Gecko estate agent Renee Rennie in June last year.
It has 90 square metres of space.
Set nine kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, it was listed with $350,000 plus hopes.  It sold within nine days of its initial marketing with the title held in Sean's name.
RP Data gives <a target="_blank" href="/news">the suburb's median house price as $585,000</a>, having gone up 6.8% over the past year.
Property Observer reported this week that <a target="_blank" href="/news">renovation delights</a> are all the go in Brisbane this year.
The state-versus-state renovation series, from the makers of My Kitchen Rules, delivers exiting true home renovations.
The six contestant couples have put their entire home on the line promising an emotional return to their new homes after the seven-day renovation.
The teams have to work independently on their own zone within each house but they also have to work as a team to ensure each room complements the other when it's completed. The prize is having their mortgage wiped completely.
The six teams competing are: <a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16802165/michelle-steve-nsw/"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16802165/michelle-steve-nsw/">Michelle &amp; Steve</a> (Collaroy Plateau, New South Wales) <a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16802279/nick-chris-vic/"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16802347/amy-sean-qld/">Amy &amp; Sean</a> (Nundah, Queensland)
<a target="_blank" href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16802523/carly-leighton-sa/">Carly &amp; Leighton</a> (Warradale, South Australia) <a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16802965/jemma-ben-wa/"></a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16802965/jemma-ben-wa/">Jemma &amp; Ben</a> (Melville, Western Australia)
<a target="_blank" href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16803037/jane-plinio-tas/">Jane &amp; Plinio</a> (New Town, Tasmania)
<a target="_blank" href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/teams/article/-/16802279/nick-chris-vic/">Nick and Chris</a> (Preston, Victoria)
Each of the six House Rules teams hand over the keys to their homes and allow their competitors free reign to transform their house, so the host Johanna Griggs expects lots of passion and pride in the way teams tackle the renovations.
"It's a bunch of likeable Australians with amazing back stories," Griggs said.
The highest mortgage, and therefore potential prize, is the $545,000 mortgage of the Perth newlyweds Jemma Blenkinsop, who runs a spray-tan business and builder, Ben Van Ryt.
They were first-home buyers in late 2011, but with the Perth property market the way it is, they couldn't afford to renovate their 1950s Melville home <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/renovating/house-rules-judging-with-%24545000-perth-mortgage-repayment-reward-possibility-on-the-line-houserules-theblock9/2013052061490">that cost $555,000</a>.
Adelaide's Carly and Leighton have a $450,000 mortgage secured to buy a 1957 sandstone house in Warradale.
The South Australian couple actually <a target="_blank" href="/news">paid $450,000 for the house </a>which had been listed with $485,000 hopes in May 2012.
Nick and Chris, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/preston-house-rules-renovation-with-%24524000-mortgage-after-%24555000-purchase/2013052961771">the Channel 7 Melbourne House Rules brothers bought their Californian bungalow in Preston</a> for $555,000 last August.
It comes with a mortgage of $524,ooo which will be wiped off the 1930s bungalow which went to July 2012 Ray White auction without success, subsequently being listed at $580,000.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Smallest mortgage rests with Amy and Sean, the Nundah renovation rookies in House Rules, Brisbane Queensland

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Retro kitchens are proving to be a hit with Queensland property hunters, with a 1950s home in Tarragindi being snappily sold recently for $534,000.
The home (pictured above) retains many original features including built-in cabinetry and high ceilings with decorative cornering, but the stand out room is the mint green kitchen. 
Situated on 607 square metres, the three-bedroom home was purchased in 1984 for $76,000.
<a href="https://www.remax.com.au/DisplayProperty.asp?guid=%7bA2F5BE43-0FFD-4CF0-B4BA-36DA4321E7B1%7d" target="_blank">Jerri Harrison-Taylor of Re/Max</a> says the property sold within a week of being listed and she was inundated with calls in the brief time it was on the market.
Not too far away in the suburb of Annerley is an original workers cottage with a blue and white tiled retro kitchen.
The Real Estate Insitute of Queensland's Nicola McDougall <a href="/news">has written on Property Observer today</a> about the appeal of retro kitchens to potential buyers.
Located on Prince Street, the home (pictured below) was built around the turn of the 20th Century and has an asking price of $450,000.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/06/june11annerley]}
It sits on a 412-square-metre allotment and includes three bedrooms and one bathroom.
It is listed through <a href="https://www.reiq.com/House/for-sale/annerley/2504310.aspx" target="_blank">Chris Warren of Re/Max Colonial.</a>
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Queenland retro kitchens a hot option as 1950s Tarragindi house sells

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We’ve long been told that when it comes to selling your home, less is in fact more. That is, your fascination with the colour orange may help you feel all warm and fuzzy every time you open the front door but is probably not everyone’s idea of schmick interior design.
Personally I love orange, and red, and any other bright colour that screams look at me, look at me. I have also, as yet, not attempted to sell said property so the proof may well be in the pudding or hopefully any future would-be buyer will also be a tad colour-blind.
A number of news stories of late, however, appear to show that the tide is turning, and <a target="_blank" href="/news">what is old is actually becoming new and fashionable again</a>.
A movement which appears to me to be in-line with the current fascination of all things 50s, including beatnik fashion, is the increasing popularity of original properties from times gone by – sans renovation. Indeed, it appears the more original the better.
And according to a recent story about a property in <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/real-estate-agents-reporting-strong-interest-in-homes-with-original-features/story-fnii5v70-1226650491793" target="_blank">Brisbane,</a> demand for retro properties is definitely on the rise.
Jerri Harrison-Taylor, from RE/MAX Executives in Coorparoo, said she had been swamped with phone calls since the latest retro offering – a brick cavity house in Tarragindi – was listed. It sold in a week.
And one of the potential buyers said it was the “awesome” white-and-mint green kitchen that was one its main selling features. I completely agree.
I must admit I have long desired a property with black and white tiled floors and a claw bath and a servant for that matter.
My current abode has fabulous original parquetry floors which, just like the colour orange, make me smile every time I get home from work. Who knew that flooring could make you so damn happy? Or perhaps I am a little odd or just easily pleased.
I’ve always thought that part of the beauty of the Brisbane property market is its abundance of homes from yesteryear, especially within the inner-city precinct. And a new property listing on <a href="https://www.reiq.com/House/for-sale/annerley/2504310.aspx" target="_blank">reiq.com </a>for a home in Annerley certainly ticks all of the boxes of retro-cool. In fact, the kitchen goes even one better than I could possibly imagine and has blue-and-white tiled floors, complete with a very fetching red-trim.
Perhaps this renewed fascination with our architectural history has something to do with the current fast-pace of modern life or maybe it’s recognition of the superb workmanship that was part and parcel of homes of a particular bygone era.
Either way I believe your home should reflect your personality and what makes you smile – regardless of supposedly acceptable notions of contemporary colour palates. I reckon you worry about its saleability much later when, and a very big if, you ever decide to sell.
Nicola McDougall is the <a href="https://reiqblog.com/" target="_blank">REIQ</a>’s executive manager of corporate affairs.
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nmcdougall-hv3JvhUJmd

Your home should reflect your personality: Nicola McDougall

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Renovation shows are proving to be a hit with Australian viewers, with The Block remaining popular in its seventh season and Channel 7's new House Rules.
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/house-rules-the-new-addictive-reality-television-show-on-the-block-renovates-for-keeps/2013051261200">DIY shows</a> are likely to have influenced and encouraged homeowners to give their own kitchen that lick of paint or change the tiles in their bathrooms.
Almost 5,000 renovations were listed on <a href="https://www.serviceseeking.com.au/" target="_blank">ServiceSeeking.com.au</a> in the last month, with a high level of renovation activity in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
ServiceSeeking.com.au gives customers an idea of how much money home renovation costs to possibly avoid overpriced quotes from tradespeople.
The website allows you to post your job, then sit back and wait for quotes to roll in.
Exterior painting is the cheapest trade service listed on the site, with an average quote of $40 per hour including paint.
Sydney accounted for almost half of the jobs, with <a href="/news">Blacktown</a> in Western Sydney taking out the renovation hot spot.
The median house price in Blacktown is $390,000 and the median unit price is $301,350.
The Hills Shire region took out the next two spots with <a href="/news">Baulkham Hills</a> and <a href="/news">Castle Hills</a>.
In Brisbane, <a href="/news">Mount Gravatt</a> listed the most renovations, followed by the Southeastern suburb <a href="/news">Eight Mile Plains</a> and <a href="/news">Morningside</a>. 
<a href="/news">Glen Waverley</a> topped Victoria’s list of DIY suburbs, followed by <a href="/news">Hampton Park</a> and <a href="/news">Mitcham</a>.
The average renovation was listed around $3,500.
Gina Rushton of ServiceSeeking.com.au says majority of the renovators on their site are part of “the Bunnings market”; that is, homeowners who have braved DIY where they can then call in the experts for the more difficult task. 
“It is the age of the DIY renovator of the Bunnings market; renovators who try to only need the experts for areas in which they don’t have the tools, skills or know-how.
“It isn’t uncommon for our builders to be called into unfinished homes where people have failed to do it all themselves, possibly inspired by shows like The Block.
“Our business have told us that they spend a lot of time completing half-done renovations,” says Rushton.
Allan Bayad from Handyman-Tastic says he would much rather start from new rather than trying to fix stuff-ups.
“If you or a mate start a renovation on your own and can’t complete it, then expect a trade to come to the rescue, then prepare to pay the full price," he says.
"Nine out of 10 households usually do it wrong. It’s not easy trying to fix stuff-ups."
Kitchens and bathrooms were the most popular renovation over the six months, followed by new floors and paint jobs.
The top eight renovating suburbs for New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria are as follows:
NSW
1. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Blacktown</a>
2. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Castle Hill</a>
3. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Baulkham Hills</a>
4. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Surry Hills</a>
5. <a target="_blank" href="/news">West Pennant Hills</a>
6. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Marrickville</a>
7. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Dee Why</a>
8. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Cherrybrook</a>
QLD
1. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Mount Gravatt East</a>
2. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Eight Mile Plains</a>
3. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Morningside</a>
4. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Coorparoo</a>
5. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Annerley</a>
6. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Aspley</a>
7. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Capalaba</a>
8. <a target="_blank" href="/news">The Gap</a>
VIC
1. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Hampton Park</a>
2. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Glen Waverley</a>
3. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Mitcham</a>
4. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Reservoir</a>
5. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Mount Waverley</a>
6. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Bentleigh East</a>
7. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Craigieburn</a>
8. <a target="_blank" href="/news">Yarraville</a>
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Blacktown tops renovation nation as reality shows influencing the Bunnings market

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The Princeton, Double Bay penthouse of the late interior design doyen Leslie Walford has been relisted for sale after its contents were sold off and its been restyled on an estimated $10,000 package.
The decluttering of the Princeton, Double Bay penthouse may help its sale giving buyers some relief from the distinctive Walford style.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/09/oct3penthouse]}
It was initially listed for sale with $4.95 million-plus hopes through Christies International agent Ken Jacobs, but now the apartment comes with a $4 million-plus hopes through Christies inconjunction with Paul Biller and Brad Caldwell-Eyles at 1st City-Hasemer+Caldwell.Eyles.
It has been listed by Walford's partner, Colin Davies.
<a href="https://www.kenjacobs.com.au/570519/" target="_blank">The penthouse </a>with 279-square-metre garden terracing sits atop the 1939 Art Deco Double Bay complex with northerly views across the harbour to Manly.
The apartment now has furniture installed by Kris and Greg Leveson who were among the pioneers of the Sydney property styling industry some 25 years ago after the then antique dealer couple discovered the business opportunity when they were selling their own family home.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2013/05/may21walford]}
The Princeton interiors previously showcased the tastes of Walford, who retired just six years ago after an international career spanning five decades. The bones of the apartment remain - polished timber floorboards, high vaulted ceilings, ornate cornices, curved bay windows and french doors - and Walford devotees would see  a few remnants amid the decor.
The funeral of the doyen of Sydney interior decorators Leslie Walford was held at St Marks, Darling Point in February 2012 after he died peacefully at the Sacred Heart Hospice, Darlinghurst.
<img style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/walford.jpg">The Society of Interior Designers suggests Walford was one of the best-known figures in Australia in interior design having worked at the top levels of design for several decades, not only in Australia but also in Europe, Asia and the UK.
His business, Walford and Horgan Interiors – regarded by many as a byword for excellence in design – had many wealthy clients that included the media tycoons Reg Grundy and the Fairfax, Murdoch and Packer families.
He was described this week as “the man who 70 years ago began the slide away from drab interiors filled with Victorian brown furniture,” by John Furphy at the Australian Art Sales Digest.
"A good antique can be more of a friend than an object that doesn't have a past," Walford repeatedly suggested.
Surrounded by an eclectic collection of furniture and artwork, he celebrated his 85th birthday in January 2012 at his Double Bay penthouse, but abandoned his regular sojourn to <a href="/news">his Sri Lanka villa</a> due to his deterioriating health.
His entertaining tips were published in <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&amp;dat=19830206&amp;id=gp1WAAAAIBAJ&amp;sjid=BucDAAAAIBAJ&amp;pg=6419,1954543" target="_blank">a 1983 interview piece</a>.
His funeral notice acknowledged he was the dear friend of Richard (Dick) Keep and of Colin Davies.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
When he was two years old Walford’s father died and his mother took him from Sydney to England for his schooling, and from there he went to Paris to study design.
It was in Paris that he developed a passion for period furniture, returning to Australia aged 27. In 1957 he established an antiques and decorating business in Double Bay's Knox Street.
Walford, who was proud his parents had convict ancestors, grew up with a love of Sydney.
He was a foundation member of the Society of Interior Designers and its national president from 1965 to 1966 and again from 1978 to 1979.
He was very much tapped into the Sydney social set – and for many years wrote <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ef1jAAAAIBAJ&amp;sjid=JOcDAAAAIBAJ&amp;pg=1549,8720788&amp;dq=leslie+walford&amp;hl=en" target="_blank">a weekly Sunday paper column</a>, Our Town.
The bits and pieces that he’s sold to clients over the years turns up occasionally at auction, such as a <a href="https://www.mossgreen.com.au/auctions/artwork-detail.asp?idImage=3267" target="_blank">1957 acquisition</a> of an American feather picture of the eagle and flag.
In recognition of his contribution to the profession Walford was made a life fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, and in 2008 he was inducted into the DIA Design Hall of Fame.
Some of his collection was auctioned on his retirement in 2007 by auctioneer Mossgreen.
The contents of the Walford apartment were sold at another auction through Mossgreen last November. The sales tally suggest around $540,000 was grossed, including the buyer's premium, from about 400 household items.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/walford1.jpg">
The items represented five decades of accumulation by the noteworthy decorator to old Sydney money – and some later arrivistes.
They were listed by Walford's partner, Colin Davies.
<a href="https://www.kenjacobs.com.au/570519/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The penthouse </a>with 279-square-metre garden terracing sits atop the 1939 Art Deco building with northerly views across the harbour to Manly.
The interiors showcased the tastes of Walford, who retired just five years ago after an international career spanning five decades.
It was built with polished timber floorboards, high vaulted ceilings, ornate cornices, curved bay windows and french doors.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
The initial Double Bay purchase cost $125,000 in 1975 from Sabrina Van der Linden.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/walford4.jpg">
The apartment, which comes with 500 square metres of space, was consolidated with another purchase in 1978 from the photographer Ann Riddell.
Born to parents who celebrated with two bottles of 1918 Bollinger, after his 1927 birth, Walford was sent off at the age of 11 to England. (The champers bottles, below, went unsold with a $100-150 estimate.)
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/walford3.jpg">
After time in the British Army, he studied interior design in Paris. He had self-deprecating pretensions, often joking he was conceived at the Ritz. Then hastening to add it was the <a href="https://www.photosau.com.au/BlueMountains/scripts/ExtSearch.asp?SearchTerm=004039" target="_blank">Ritz Leura, Blue Mountains guesthouse </a>rather than the Paris hotel one he loved so much.
His penthouse apartment ceiling was painted with a bamboo and foliage pattern and suspended from this was a large Fortuny silk lantern from Venice.
"This traditional Chinoiserie effect is rather lovely in European decorating," Walford once told then SMH Sydney Magazine home decor columnist Margie Blok.
She was among the auction crowd that watched the Fortuny fabric tiered ceiling light (below) fetch $3,172.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/11/walford2.jpg">
Among the dearest items was a pair of Louis XV carved walnut fauteuil, signed Blanchard, French 18th-century armchairs that fetched $26,840.
A pair of Italian Blackamoor figures of two Nubian men, 19th-century, sold for $23,180.
A 19th-century French white porcelain and gilt bronze mounted elephant and pagoda form clock century fetched $7,320.
One of the cheapies appeared to be the Ross Watson painting, James II and youth, 1986 oil on canvas which fetched $3,416. His works are in significant private collections including Sir Elton John, James Wolfensohn and the British peer Lord Cholmondeley. <a href="https://www.rosswatson.com/index" target="_blank">Watson</a> was a 1990 Moet &amp; Chandon finalist.
The Historic Houses Trust (HHT) has become the home of some papers from the archive of the late Leslie Walford.
The Sydney Morning Herald's then Title Deeds columnist Margie Blok delivered a tribute at Walford's funeral.
"To a sparkling and beautiful star.
"He was the saviour of the most ordinary dinner party, for he could weave wonderful tales and rivet an audience," she said.
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