Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

Joel Robinson

First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Renovation

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Renovations to add value are all about being visual and this is especially true when it comes to the concept of renovation ‘cosmetically’.

The clue to what this means is really all in the word ‘cosmetic’. It’s like makeup for your property – you’re providing a visual uplift without doing any of the hefty structural work.

However, the extent of what counts as cosmetic is pretty broad. While some wouldn’t consider replacing a kitchen as cosmetic, some may believe that replacing the doors and handles and re-tiling does count as cosmetic.

As a rule of thumb, cosmetic renovations are generally cheaper than structural renovations and usually offer more bang for your buck. They involve things that are visually apparent, and not hidden fixes such as re-wiring or plumbing.

The following are usually considered part of a cosmetic renovation:

<ul>
<li>Painting (from the walls, to the house’s façade to the driveway)</li>
	<li>Fixing minor cracks in walls</li>
	<li>Light fittings and window furnishings</li>
	<li>Flooring (such as new carpet)</li>
	<li>Re-colouring (such as the surfaces of a bathroom)</li>
	<li>Updating basic household hardware (such as a towel rack, toilet seat or new door handles)</li>
	<li>External flourishes (new house number, letterbox etc)</li>
	<li>Light landscaping (sometimes even adding new fencing)</li>
</ul>
Renovating for Profit’s Cherie Barber says that a 10% spend is the amount required for a cosmetic renovation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=92985]

If you’re unsure whether what you’re undertaking is cosmetic or not, then it’s worth asking yourself whether you require a particular planning or building permit for the job. That usually suggests that the project is slightly more extensive than a cosmetic upgrade, which is typically a “surface” fix.

If you’re changing a floorplan or knocking down walls (particularly load bearing), you’re firmly into structural renovation territory.

However, just because cosmetic renovations are typically quicker, smaller and cheaper (although not always) than their counterparts, it doesn’t mean that you can rest on your laurels. There’s still scope to overcapitalise, to get the renovation wrong and to make crucial mistakes.
</body></html>

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What is a “cosmetic renovation"? Investment terms explained

<html><body>
Consumers are increasingly looking online for bathroom products for renovations, but little is available that offers high quality at a low price, according to a supplier that hopes to fill the gap in the market.
The sanitary wear and bathroom fixtures market in Australia is worth about $1.4 billion a year but major competitors in the sector do not have a significant online presence, said Calvin Ng, director of Disruptive Investments Group which recently bought a 50% stake in <a href="https://www.allurebathrooms.com.au/" target="_blank">Allure Bathrooms</a>.
“The internet has become where consumers are starting their researching journey particularly in the home renovation market,” Ng said.
Studies show that 51% of consumers research prospective purchases online before visiting a store to buy; 44% research and buy online; 32% research online, visit a store to view the product and then return online to buy; and 17% visit a store first before buying online.
“The line between physical and online is blurring and that’s one of our big strategies,” Ng said. “We intend to have showrooms and distribution centres in every state but we think the bulk of [customers’] research will start on the internet.”
Television programs like The Block and House Rules were helping to fuel a mini boom in the renovation market, while declining housing affordability was encouraging people to renovate rather than buying new homes, Ng said.
Allure Bathrooms started in 2010 designing and selling high-end bathroom fittings, vanities and accessories via eBay, and subsequently through a dedicated online store.
The first physical store opened about 12 months ago in Collingwood, Victoria. Although the supplier has only one store, Ng said it was already receiving orders from all over the country from both wholesale and retail customers.
“There isn’t too much in this space that is well-priced and high quality and that’s a huge gap in Australia,” Ng said.
He added that some of Allure’s products cost half to a third of comparable products from larger suppliers such as Harvey Norman and Reece.
“That’s typical of a market that is ripe for disruption,” Ng said.
Similar trends had already occurred in the markets for home electronics and white goods, with businesses such as electronics supplier Kogan, furniture retailer Milan Direct and white goods retailer Appliances Online, taking market share.
Allure plans to open more stores and franchise the business to develop a wider reach across Australia.
The business is already cash-flow positive and profitable. Disruptive Investments Group reported Allure’s revenue in the six months to January 2014 grew by about 65% compared with the previous six months. 
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DIY-renovators heading online to snap up home improvement products

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Finding good tenants can be hard.
Buy-and-hold investors typically seek two desirable traits from tenants:
<ol>
<li>Good quality tenants who look after the property and pay their rent on time</li>
<li>Not only finding these good quality tenants, but hopefully tenants that offer longevity to their stay. So, tenants who will stay for a couple of years or more</li>
</ol>
In my investment experience, whilst I’m yet to have a tenant ‘quality’ issue, if you have sourced good quality managing estate agents with a proven track record of property management experience, you should be OK on this front. I have had a somewhat ‘mixed bag’ when it comes to maximised tenant duration.
For some properties I’ve had young family tenants in them for four plus years, yet for others I’ve had a high turnover; with one property changing tenants every six months on the dot. Obviously for investors; minimising vacancy periods or ‘down time’ is a major objective and in one financial year even just a couple of weeks of vacancy between tenants, if unplanned for, can throw the holding cost and tax structure of an investment property in to a tailspin.
So, I’ve recently found myself in the precarious position of being ‘between tenants’ for one of my properties. However, instead of sitting tight with a vacant apartment for a couple of weeks, I chose to take action.
Like somewhat of a guerrilla investor, I’ve been busy most nights after work going over to the property and adding what I call ‘short-term value’.
I’m no Cherie Barber or Nathan Birch (two of Australia’s most revered fast-turnaround property ‘flippers’), however I’ve taken several cues from their YouTube channels to put together a list of time and cost-efficient things you can do in the shor- term to add value to your property whilst between tenants, to maximise return potential and capital growth.
Cost and Return Analysis:
In no order, here is what I’ve been able to do, by myself, after work every night, for the last two weeks. I’ll tell you to the total cost of the improvements along with the result in terms of rental return improvement.
This property is a small (67 square metre) two bedroom apartment in an old 1960s apartment block in Sydney’s Inner West.
<ul>
<li>Tile painting in the bathroom ($230)</li>
<li>Re-painting all bedroom/bathroom/front doors ($60)</li>
<li>Replacing all doorknobs with modern ones ($65)</li>
<li>Replacing living room and kitchen lights with modern ones ($160 including electrician)</li>
<li>Re-netting and re-tubing all flyscreens ($28)</li>
</ul>
Total cost (investment): $543
Asking weekly rent before renovation: $380 per week 
Actual weekly rental return, post-renovation: $420 per week
Rental return gain per week: $40 (effectively an extra $2,080 in rent per year; almost four times return on initial cost). This amount almost pay’s for a full quarter’s strata fees. Plus, the capital gain realised, though I do not yet have a post-renovation valuation report, will be a worthy reward for what has been a duck-in/duck-out light renovation.
To Sum Up
I’m a firm believer in the notion these days that property investors need to ‘manufacture’ return instead of just waiting for it and guerrilla renovations are an easy way to do just that.
Yes, the old investment adage ‘time in the market versus timing the market’ still does apply, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give it a little nudge every now and then.
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Guerrilla renovations: Adding value and rental return on the cheap

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Wendy Moore has nominated her top five favourite items from this season’s renovations.
The House Rules judge and Home Beautiful magazine editor told The West Australian which design objects caught her eye.
<ol>
<li>
The Rita print from Candy and Ryan’s house. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/06/23/Rita-Vintage-Style-Canvas-189x139cm-Selected-Stores-Only.jpg" alt=""> The vintage style print from <a href="https://www.freedom.com.au/homewares/decorator-accents/wall-art/23397224/rita-vintage-style-canvas-189x139cm-selected-stores-only/" target="_blank">Freedom </a>was chosen by Carole and Russell, matching the yellow light shades over their kitchen. “It suited the house rules perfectly,” Moore told The West Australian. Carole and Russell won the highest score for their zone in Candy and Ryan’s house. 
</li>
<li>
The ant-cap lights from Bomber and Mel’s house. Brooke and Grant grabbed some ant-caps from Bomber’s shed to create new lamp shades in their lounge room. Moore called the ant-cap lights “a really clever concept.” 
</li>
<li>
The bedhead from Adam and Lisa’s house. <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2014/06/23/Capture.JPG" alt=""> The <a href="https://www.heatherlydesign.com.au/product/waldorf/" target="_blank">Warldorf bedhead by Heatherly Design</a> that Maddi and Lloyd was summed up in two words: “luxury and style” 
</li>
<li>
The blackwood bench from Brooke and Grant’s house. Halston Joinery made the custom blackwood bench in Brooke and Grant’s entrance, which had a pigeon hole for each of their seven children. 
</li>
<li>
The bath from Brooke and Grant’s house. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/06/23/bath-june-23-one.jpg" alt=""> Brooke and Grant were also given a freestanding bath. "The <a href="https://www.reece.com.au/bathrooms/products/kado-lure-1760-freestanding-oval-bath-white-9502377" target="_blank">Kado Classic freestanding bath</a> from Reece fits perfectly within a 100-year-old farmhouse," said Moore. "A great modern version of a classic look."</li>
</ol>
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Wendy Moore’s top five finds from House Rules

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The Channel 7 House Rules resident design expert Carolyn Burns-McCrave recently shared her top 10 tips for any renovation. 
<ol>
<li>Honestly and clearly identify your needs, wants and motivation for renovating.</li>
<li>Create a master plan so that you do things in the most efficient order.</li>
<li>Hire a design professional.</li>
<li>Design it better, not bigger. It's not how much space you have but how well it functions for you and your family. </li>
<li>Design and document everything down to the last detail so that pricing by builders is accurate. It's vital that quotes are comparing apples with apples and there's minimal guess work.</li>
<li>Work a contingency into your budget and your time frame. It will take longer and it will cost more!</li>
<li>Be patient. Wait for the right builder for you to be available. A good builder is a busy builder.</li>
<li>Communicate with everyone involved in your project. It's a full time job to constantly be in the loop but it promotes a good working relationship that will stand you in good stead when challenges arise. </li>
<li>Keep the faith. Don't start cutting corners at the end of your project because you just want it to be over. Be as focused on what you want at the end as you were in the beginning, because all those finishing touches are what you will see when it's all done.</li>
<li>Enjoy the ride. It's important to embrace the journey of renovating by staying positive and enthusiastic - it is always worth it in the end.</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://au.tv.yahoo.com/house-rules/24224716/carolyn-s-top-reno-tips/#page1" target="_blank">Carolyn Burns-McCrave</a> says she loves watching people develop their eye for design.
{module Do you agree renovations are always worth it in the end?}
 
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Carolyn Burns-McCrave's top 10 House Rules renovation design tips

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Home improvement company Gotta Getta Group has paid $20,400 in penalties after being issued with an infringement notice by the consumer watchdog, which alleged the company engaged in misleading advertising.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Gotta Getta Group offered consumers 60 cents per kilowatt hour for energy fed back into the grid if they purchased a solar panel and entered a three-year energy plan with Simply Energy.
The advertisements, which ran on television, the internet and radio in South Australia during 2013, claimed the feed-in credit meant consumers would recoup the cost of their solar panel up to three times faster than if they purchased it from a competitor.
The ads also claimed consumers would not have to spend any money in order to benefit from the offer.
In a statement, the ACCC alleged the Gotta Getta Group advertisements made false or misleading claims and contravened Australian Consumer Law.
“Gotta Getta Group did not take into account the fact that consumers who purchased a solar system from another supplier would receive the benefit of the 9.8 cent minimum retailer payment in addition to the 16 cent South Australian Government feed-in tariff,” said the competition watchdog.
“Gotta Getta Group charged consumers an amount in relation to the 60 cent feed-in tariff offer, by including in the purchase price of its solar systems an amount in respect of a commission payable by Gotta Getta Group to Simply Energy,” said the ACCC.
However, an ACCC spokesperson told SmartCompany infringement notices are not an admission of conduct.
SmartCompany contacted Gotta Getta Group this morning, but did not receive a response prior to publication.
The incident is the latest in a series of investigations into the energy sector by the ACCC.
Last month, the agency instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Origin Energy, claiming it had made <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/legal/41863-origin-energy-in-hot-water-over-alleged-false-conduct">false or misleading representations to consumers</a>.
In a statement, ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said complex terms and conditions can make it difficult for consumers to compare offers from competing suppliers.
“Suppliers must ensure that representations made about the benefits of purchasing a solar system are truthful and accurate, so that consumers can make informed purchasing decisions, and suppliers do not gain an unfair advantage over their competitors,” said Court.
Melissa Monks, special counsel at law firm King &amp; Wood Mallesons, toldSmartCompany in February the energy sector was one of the <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/legal/35752-accc-to-crackdown-on-drip-pricing-and-big-businesses-posing-as-small-businesses">ACCC’s key priorities</a> for 2014. 
“We will definitely see litigation in relation to the savings ‘discounts off what?’ concerns, likely in the energy sector given the ACCC has been investigating this concern since at least June last year,” she said.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
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ACCC energy sector crackdown continues as solar installer fined $20,400

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A 37 year old Manhattan resident has converted his apartment into a gamer’s paradise.
Chris Kooluris told <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/turned-apartment-arcade-article-1.1816727" target="_blank">The New York Daily News</a> that he decided to indulge his nostalgia after reading Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, a novel about 1980s gamer culture. He’s spent US $26,000 on his interiors renovation, including a number of vintage arcade games and a leather fold out bed (complete with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bed linen).
The senior vice president of a global public relations firm, Kooluris reportedly custom built a four-player arcade console, where he can play thousands of games, including Street Fighter II. Thousands of dollars have gone towards first-edition Transformers action figures.
But it seems that nurturing Kooluris’ inner child has come at a loss – he told The New York Daily News that in the process of building his arcade, his fiancée left him.
In truth, it seems that Kooluris’ extreme renovation makeover was inspired by more than just a book. After moving in with his fiancée, his apartment failed to sell and he reportedly began feeling uncomfortable in his new surroundings.
"This is the extreme reaction of someone who isn't surrounded by his own stuff," he told The New York Daily News. But while Koolouris and his friends reportedly love his arcade-apartment hybrid, it seems that Koolouris might have taken a tiger uppercut to the heart.
"Now that my fiancée and I are no longer together, it's hard to enjoy the room as much as I want to," he explained to The New York Daily News.  "I always end up thinking about her."
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Fantasy renovation: Manhattan gamer turns his apartment into a video game arcade

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It’s becoming a trend – well-located dumps selling for prices that would normally be achievable by trophy homes.
But, property owners shouldn’t go knocking walls in and stripping carpets from floors in an effort to get in on the action. It’s all about two things:
<ol>
<li>The buyer 
</li>
<li>The block</li>
</ol>
Property Observer notes that while the sales appear to be becoming more frequent, so-called “crazy Sydney prices” have been achieved by “dumps” for years.
For instance, in 2011 the termite-infested 58 View Street, Annandale sold for $800,000, $150,000 over reserve.
And 20 Union Street, McMahons Point, which was actually marketed by Blues Point Real Estate as “The Dump” (including on the signboard) snapped up $1,905,000 in June last year noting it was suited for builders, renovators and handymen. The 1880s terrace required a “total overhaul”.
Here are some of the most recent dumps achieving trophy home prices.
Stanmore - $923,000 sale
<img src="/images/2014/06/10/stanmore%20june%2010%20one.jpg" alt="">
This terrace home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-stanmore-116950047" target="_blank">19 Durham Street, Stanmore</a> reportedly had more than 20 parties registered to bid.
The two-bedroom property saw bidding open at $600,000, according to the Inner West Courier, and sold to a builder – the majority of the interested notably came from developers and builders.
<img src="/images/2014/06/10/stanmore%20june%2010%20two.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/10/stanmore%20june%2010%20three.jpg" alt="">
It hadn’t been on the market since its 1937 build and the two-bedroom, one-bathroom property was listed for auction as a deceased estate.
On 172 square metres, the agent described it as an art deco “very, very basic terrace” in “TOTAL disrepair” but on the best street. Photos show that there were holes in different surfaces as well as rubbish and dirt strewn around.
Leichhardt - $980,000 sale
<img src="/images/2014/05/26/leichhardt%20may%2026%20seven.jpg">
This property in Sydney’s inner west, in desperate need of renovation, was sold last month for just shy of $1 million, and had been empty for 20 years.
The <a href="/expert-insights/buying/rotting-leichhardt-shack-sells-for-just-shy-of-1-million">80 Edith Street house had an $800,000 opening bid, Jonathan Chancellor reported</a>, and was on 278 square metres.
<img src="/images/phocagallery/2014/05/leichhardt-may-26/liechardt_0003_leichhardt%20may%2026%20three.jpg.jpg">
It had development approval for a new home, and initial expectations were for $850,000 plus.
The rebuild is expected to net $1.6 million plus.
Redfern - $1.025 million
<img src="/images/stories/2014/02/03/red1/redfern_0000_1.jpg.jpg">
The February sale of a<a href="/news/redferns-median-house-price-hits-1-01-million-as-termites-dont-stop-debut-2014-auction-success"> “near knock-down” property at 48 Chelsea Street, Redfern came in $75,000 above reserve</a>.
The public trustee auction did require that the weatherboard timber façade would be kept under City of Sydney guidelines.
<img src="/images/stories/2014/02/03/red1/redfern_0002_3.jpg.jpg">
It was on 108 square metres and was marketed as “ripe for renovation”.
The buyer was from a family of builders.
Article continues on next page. Please click below.
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
Mona Vale - $1.8 million
<img src="/images/2014/06/10/mona%20vale%20june%2010.jpg" alt="">
Sold at auction in February, it was up for sale for the first time in 50 years, and was a timber and sandstone cottage on a 565 square metre block.
Including ocean and beach views, the advertisement noted that 93 Narrabeen Park Parade needed “substantial rejuvenation or demolition” of the two-bedroom, one-bathroom home.
Tennyson Point - $3,788,000
<img src="/images/2014/06/10/tennyson%20point%20june%2010.jpg" alt="">
Sold in September last year <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-tennyson+point-114600047" target="_blank">27 Beach Street </a>was snapped up by a family who spends most of the year in China and are intending to live in the home, Domain noted.
The fibro cottage is on a waterfront site, and includes 1,120 square metres of land with 20 metre frontage.
Property Observer notes that the few images available suggest it is in slightly better condition than some of the other “shacks” on the market, but the 1950s home was advertised as presenting the opportunity to “modernise, further develop or rebuild and create the dream lifestyle in an amazing location (STCA).”
With “one of the largest stretches of tidal sandy beach available on the bay” the level of interest is unsurprising.
Bondi Beach – approx. $15 million
<img src="/images/2014/06/10/bondi%20june%2010%20one.jpg" alt="">
And then there’s this <a href="/news/bondi-beach-knock-down-sydney-school-architecture-mansion-fetches-around-15-million">intense late-September sale of 23 Wilga Street</a>, as reported by Property Observer.
The three-storey brick home was on the market for the first time in 53 years, and after passing in at auction sold afterwards for around $15 million, although the price and buyers remained undisclosed.
Previously, triplex apartment developers were keen, offering around the $10 million mark, however suggestions are that it was an owner occupier who finally snapped up the property.
The site was advertised as ready to “contemporise or reinvent” and includes 700 square metres of land with substantial frontage, including ocean views that “can never be built out”.
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The Sydney dumps that sold for trophy home prices

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Home buyers have distinctly different tastes, and very often different tastes to the vendor selling them their much-loved home. While differences in opinion over furniture and even window furnishings can be looked over, murals and colours remain contentious.
Murals, particularly those covering entire internal walls, are often beautiful. However, they’re also often much to do with personal choice – and your potential buyer may not appreciate the sheep you’ve painted through much of your lounge room.
Having explored the properties with murals that are currently on the market, it’s clear that there’s no consistency across the board in price range, area or artistic skill of the painter. Each case is going to be individual.
We also clearly remember<a href="/news/sa/lleyton-hewitt-s-west-lakes-mansion-in-adelaide-back-on-market-at-3-million"> Lleyton Hewitt’s mural next to his Adelaide property's pool</a> (pictured below), that divided readers and the Property Observer team.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/west%20lake%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
So what do you think – does it give the property an uplift and character, or should those looking to sell their house hit up their local hardware shop for a neutral colour shade?
This home, at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-helensvale-116749295" target="_blank">3 Eildon Place, Helensvale</a> in Queensland (pictured below), has had a $26,000 price drop and is advertised for $439,000 negotiable. It’s a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a number of great features – including enviable timber flooring and a lovely kitchen.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/helensville%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
It also features a Balinese mural in the enclosed entertaining area with a heavy focus on nature and green/blue hues (pictured below). Obviously the work of someone with much experience in painting, we don’t deny that it’s certainly exotic and might appeal to some. The rest of the house is fairly neutral.
For this reason, Property Observer thinks this home passes the mural test.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/helensville%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
Meanwhile, in Western Australia’s South Yunderup is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-south+yunderup-116717067" target="_blank">7 Banksia Terrace</a> (pictured below), asking $1,450,000.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/south%20yunderup%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom house features a “Rammed Earth Wall mural” by the Margaret River artist Lynne Tinley.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/south%20yunderup%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
We adore this. It’s subtle, fits in with the theme of the room, and has the local fame aspect that we believe will attract the $1 million plus buyers. It also doesn’t make up the focal point of the room, even though your eye is somewhat drawn to it. The house itself is actually constructed of Rammed Earth, so it ties in beautifully and has a certain Australian flavour.
Careful attention has been given to the terracotta and brown colours and shape of the piece, so we certainly don’t think that a bucket of paint is warranted.
See over page for more
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
In South Australia, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-residential+land-sa-minlaton-2502952" target="_blank">Lot 52 of Leonard Court, Minlaton</a>, is up for sale. With four double bedrooms, this holiday-style home has us torn.
Clearly a well-loved space, with a huge blue-coloured mural on the living room hall (pictured below) – courtesy of the builders who have owned the home since it was built – we can’t help but feel that the colour choice makes the central area feel a bit cold, particularly with the tiles.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/milaton%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
The mural wraps all the way around the living/dining and into the kitchen.
This New South Wales home, for $675,000 at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-wooloweyah-109279301" target="_blank">171 Lakes Boulevard, Wooloweyah</a> (pictured below), is another we’re just not too sure on.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/wooloweyah%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
With not just one, but a number of murals, it can quickly become an overwhelming prospect.
The first, which hits you upon entrance is a sunset-over-a-lake mural. Another separate private entrance “features a wall length display of outback Australia including gumtrees, kookaburras &amp; kangaroos”.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/wooloweyah%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
While these might be passable, we definitely think that paint may have been needed to attend to the spa room, which has trees and other plants painted around it. The blind may have been a saving grace in breaking up the room, but it appears to be a floral-affair. We think this is a little overwhelming, although it may suit some.
Heading to South Perth is a particularly unusual mural, for the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-south+perth-116741759" target="_blank">$2,650,000+ 33 Hampden Street</a> (pictured below) five-bedroom, three-bathroom listing.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/south%20perth%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
Through double doors in the “large, front facing activity room” is the solution to no ocean views – paint them. You can see the bright sky and blue painted ocean, plus beach and lighthouse, through the doors.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/south%20perth%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
While it’s hard to tell from the photos, it’s actually not too garish and may actually make an attractive addition to a modern house that already has some aspects of a beachside theme.
In the one shot of the courtyard, from the side, it actually blends in very well.
Have a look at this Victorian <a href="https://www.realestateview.com.au/Real-Estate/981-bet-bet-creek-road-bet-bet-maryborough/Property-Details-buy-residential-6597535" target="_blank">981 Bet Bet Creek Road</a>, Maryborough house. The five-bedroom, two-bathroom offering is on the market for $300,000.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/maryborough%20june%206.jpg" alt="">
We applaud the owner for having murals outside of the house – on the out buildings, with original outback murals by Daryl Boyd, who is a local artist.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/maryborough%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/maryborough%20june%206%20two.jpg" alt="">
These subtle, exciting pieces make the functional buildings far more interesting, and we doubt would put off a prospective buyer. We’re also thankful that the owner decided to leave the murals outside, with the internal home included stunning exposed beams, leadlight doors and a number of gorgeous features.
Then there's this modern offering, at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-east+melbourne-117153267" target="_blank">11/102 Jolimont Road, East Melbourne</a> (pictured below). While we're not sure whether it's wall art from the clever home stagers, who appear to have done a fabulous job with this home, or actually painted on - we're in love with the mural-style art at the bed head. The apartment, expecting up to $800,000, really benefits from this modern addition. With a touch of whimsy, and clearly facing out onto the balcony - we can't think of many better examples of subtle murals that work so well.
<img src="/images/2014/06/06/east%20melbourne%20june%206%20one.jpg" alt="">
What do you think – should owners paint over their murals?
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Should you paint over that "artwork" before selling your home? Five examples of murals currently on the market

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The House Rules contestants Adam and Lisa wanted wallpaper.
But they got more than they bargained for, especially with the controversial choice of bottle top wallpaper in the dining room which seriously clashed the rest of the house.
Today, our property contrarians Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok discuss wallpaper - and while they don’t mind the odd layer, they certainly don’t favour wallpapering the whole house. 
HE SAID:<img src="/images/2014/03/28/jc-silhouette-7.jpg" style="float: right;">
I’m okay with wallpaper making a statement, but only if used sparingly or as a feature on one wall.  
Generally, wallpaper works best in rooms needing a lift, perhaps a poky second bedroom or a plain bathroom - such as the delightful Vivienne Westwood wallpaper in a bathroom of the Castlecrag mid-century home (pictured below). The property was sold by interior designer Tina De Salis and her husband Edward for $3.01 million in 2012<a href="https://www.randw.com.au/506596/" target="_blank"> through Mark O'Brien of Richardson &amp; Wrench Castlecrag &amp; Northbridge</a>. 
 <img src="/images/2014/05/30/castlecrag-may-30-one.jpg" alt="">
Wallpaper took off in a big way during the 1920s. In this 'Golden Age of Wallpaper', more than 400 million rolls were sold as an affordable and mass-produced alternative to expensive silk and tapestry wall coverings.  
These days, snazzy wallpapers can be an inexpensive solution for jazzing up an original Art Deco bathroom – my preference is the Florence Broadhurst Cockatoos design in black and white (pictured below).
<img src="/images/2014/05/30/Florence-Broadhurst-Wallpaper-Black-Cockatoo-design-wall-may-30-one.jpg" alt="">
The Sydney designer Greg Natale is a strong advocate for Florence Broadhurst wallpapers which initially shot to prominence during the 1960s and 1970s when used by leading decorators of the day, including the late design doyen, Leslie Walford.  
Featuring rich colours, metallic finishes and vigorous designs, the hand screen-printed wallpaper collection was revived during 1990s by David and Helen Lennie, owners of Signature Prints, who drove the business exponentially while establishing the Florence Broadhurst name internationally. 
<img src="/images/2014/05/30/Florence-Broadhurst-in-Art-Deco-Bathroom-may-30-one.jpg" alt="">
While Natale’s Hollywood-style interiors have been splashed across the pages of interiors magazines including Belle, his distinctive decorating style also featured in Inner West Courier real estate pages during late 2012 when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-five+dock-111968655" target="_blank">Laing + Simmons Drummoyne agent Frank Colacicco was marketing</a> a Five Dock house that subsequently sold for $1.34 million. Love the art deco tiles (above) in the bathroom, but the wallpaper is a little over the top. Ditto the wallpapered bedroom (below) doesn't appeal to me, cushions, bedhead and side tables included.
<img src="/images/2014/05/30/Florence-Broadhurst-wallpaper-in-Five-Dock-house-may-30-one.jpg" alt="">
For Margie Blok's opinion click through to the next page below.
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<img src="/images/2014/03/28/mb-silhouette-6.jpg" style="float: left;">SHE SAID:
In my book, the old adage of “less is more” should be heeded when using wallpaper – and in one or two rooms only.
If House Rules contestants, Lisa and Adam, had mentioned “subtle and calm” instead of “wow statement in every room”, then the renovation of their home could have ended up without that nightmare reveal of clashing wallpapers in the open-plan living and dining areas. 
 <img src="/images/2014/05/30/HOUSE%20RULES%20BOTTLETOP%20WALLPAPER.jpg" alt="">
Photo courtesy of Channel 7.
When it comes to choosing wallpaper, DIY renovators should exercise restraint and err on the side of caution, rather than express gaudy evidence of their personal taste in every room. 
Wallpaper should be used as part of a fundamental framework of an overall decorative scheme. It should form the background of a room, not the foreground. For subtle sophistication and a visually rich effect, opt for classic wallpapers with a strié or grasscloth finish.
Given the extraordinary range of wallpapers on the market, it can be confusing to pick the right style and shade for a particular room. While you might lust after a Florence Broadhurst wallpaper spotted in a magazine or admire the wallpaper in a Kit Kemp-designed Firmdale hotel in London, or, it doesn’t mean these will work well in your home. 
<img src="/images/2014/05/30/Kit%20Kemp%20desinged%20room%20at%20The%20Dorset%20Hotel%20London.jpg" alt="">
If you’re uncertain about the type of wallpaper to use, peruse the <a href="https://www.houzz.com" target="_blank">Houzz website</a> - it’s a terrific visual springboard for decorative and architectural ideas. 
Or engage an interior designer to sort it out for you – especially if you don’t have the time and energy to do the choosing, measuring and ordering associated with wallpapering and redecorating.
OTHER HE SAID/SHE SAID COLUMNS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN:
<a href="/expert-insights/building/designer-chicken-coops-for-the-fussiest-of-fowls-he-said-she-said">Designer chicken coops for the fussiest of fowls: He Said/She Said</a>
<a href="/expert-insights/investing/a-frame-houses-do-they-work-he-said-she-said">A-Frame houses, do they work? He Said/She Said</a>
<a href="/expert-insights/investing/do-australian-homes-need-the-formal-dining-room-he-said-she-said">Do Australian homes need the formal dining room? He Said/She Said</a>
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