Joanne Hawkins

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

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

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

Whether you're designing a new kitchen or giving an existing space a quick refresh, you'll need some on-trend inspiration! Here are five of the latest kitchen design trends, complete with beautiful contemporary decors from Laminex Forecast 2020 to match.

The kitchen truly is the heart of the modern Australian home. It’s a practical space where we prepare food, but also a place where we come together with family and friends. And because it has such a prominent position adjacent to dining and lounge areas, your material choices here, particularly for benchtops, will have a huge impact on the style and function of your home’s interior and the lasting impression it makes on visitors.

Mention Hamptons style and you’ll probably think of chic and sophisticated beach houses, full of natural textures, light-filled spaces and an abundance of ocean-inspired blues and whites. Australians are also fans of the Hamptons aesthetic, which originated in the exclusive coastline of Long Island, north of New York, with its distinctive houses made from brick, shingles and stone.

Have you ever wished you could take a little bit of the country home? That feeling of being surrounded by nature, with gum trees, big skies and views that seem to go on forever.

Our homes should be the place where we feel calm and at peace, inducing feelings of serenity and reassurance...