Home buyers looking for an architectural masterpiece, or at least a unique style, might be able to find their dream home among a number of designer mansions now on the market.
Everything from a luxury apartment dubbed ‘the Bat Cave’, to a unique cedar home in the Blue Mountains, to a lifestyle retreat close to Brisbane is up for grabs.
In Sydney, an architecturally refurbished home in the north-west suburb of Glenhaven is expected to sell in the high $4 millions when it goes under the hammer on Saturday.
The four-bedroom resort-style home at 7 Araluen Place, is set on almost 5000 square metres of land, and features an infinity pool overlooking the bush surrounds, landscaped gardens, a tennis court and wraparound alfresco areas.
Louis Carr Castle Hill’s Adrian Epifanino said the home had been redesigned by environmental architect Dick Clarke.
“This house really is special, it’s the only way to describe it,” Epifanino said.
The Glenhaven home has an award-winning pool and a tennis court.Credit: Louis Carr
Up in the Blue Mountains, a home with a unique design, and a wall of windows, has also been listed for sale.
The three-bedroom property at 85 Mount Street is a solar passive house, with its many north-facing windows offering spectacular views of its mountain surroundings and warmth from the sun.
Built in 1989, its cedar house design was based on homes built in the Canadian wilderness, but was adapted for the Blue Mountains’ milder conditions.
The home had a lot of interest from those wanting to turn it into a one-of-a-kind short stay rental, Patricia Rogan from Purcell Property said.
“But some people are looking to live in it because ... they’re looking for something quaint and quirky, and this is definitely that,” she said.
The home has an advertised price guide of $1.25 million to $1.35 million.
Another architectural gem is for sale in Melbourne’s bayside suburb of Brighton. The four-bedroom house at 50a Lynch Crescent was designed by Pink Architects and completed almost three years ago.
The property has been listed for private sale with a price guide of $4.9 million to $5.39 million.
Hush Property’s Andrew Campbell said three-level home had unique finishes like tiled artwork in the main bathroom and wood panelling in the garage, which also includes a car turntable.
“It’s in a prime spot, just a short walk to Church Street and all the schools are right there,” Campbell said.
On Victoria’s Surf Coast, an architecturally designed holiday home in Fairhaven has been listed with a price guide of $3.1 million to $3.3 million.
The glamorous pile at 11 Timbara Cluster was built in 2003, with the architect Aidan Halloran designing it for his sister, selling agent Great Ocean Properties Aireys Inlet’s Marty Maher said.
She sold it to the current owners, who are now selling as they don’t use it as much.
“The house has lots of architectural features that just work. I love the way it’s got two separate sections, which means a couple can just use one part of the house without having to touch the rest,” Maher said.
In Western Australia, a unique penthouse apartment has hit the market seeking offers from $3 million.
The three-bedroom apartment, with dark wood panelling and black accents, has been described as the Bat Cave by interested buyers, Ray White Dalkeith’s Thomas Jefferson Wedge said.
Not only because of its luxury interiors, but because it is an inner-city secret in the heritage listed Wills Building.
“It is a very masculine apartment, but there’s literally nothing like it in Perth,” Jefferson Wedge said. “The master suite is gargantuan.”
The interiors of the apartment at 30/82 King Street, were redesigned by David Barr Architects, after the vendor bought the property as a shell in 2017. The property is priced from $3 million.
In Brisbane, a sprawling architecturally designed homes is seeking offers over $5.7 million.
The seven-bedroom home at 112 Upper Brookfield Road, Brookfield, has been fully renovated using architect Nicholas Harvey.
Brisbane West Real Estate’s Rebecca Harrison said the current owners bought the property in 2018 before completely revamping the house which is set on rural acreage.
“I think the best part of the home is that it’s been architecturally designed with family living in mind,” Harrison said. “In some houses ... you don’t feel you can touch any surfaces because it’s so fancy.
“This has all the bells and whistles, but it’s still a family home - you feel you can still take your shoes off and put your feet on the couch.”