BEST OF Australian Homes 2013 · Geraldine Cleary

The Brisbane home of Geraldine Cleary.  Photography - Jared Fowler, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Brisbane home of Geraldine Cleary.  Photography - Jared Fowler, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!  If you are reading this on Christmas Day then you are AMAZING.  Now we wouldn’t usually post on Christmas Day… but I am quite committed to make sure each of our TOP TEN Australian Homes of 201 has their moment in the spotlight, and in order to get through all ten homes between now and next Friday, I can't miss a day! Today's distinctive home in Brisbane's New Farm is a modern Australian architectural gem, and needed little introduction when we first ran this story back in February this year.  Known as the 'D House', this modest yet beautifully designed two bedroom home is a clever and quite significant example of contemporary Australian architecture at its best!  It has been published widely in architectural mags, and has also won many awards, including the Royal Australian  Institute of Architects National Award and The Robin Boyd Award for best residential architecture in 2000. There is a truly magical energy about this space, and I must say, having visited the home in person, it's easy to see why this clever little house has received so many accolades.  It unfolds like a little box of secrets – full of understated design elements and a meticulous attention to detail. There's a nod to Japanese architecture, and 1950's modernism too – evident in the clean lines and elongated horizontal forms, the way light moves through the space throughout the day, the natural air flow, and the way each interior space connects to the outdoors, which of course perfectly complements Brisbane's amazing climate! The D house was designed by revered Brisbane architecture firm Donovan Hill, for their client and friend Geraldine Cleary, a researcher in health and social policy. For many more pics of this beautiful Australian home do pop over and check out the original post here.

Artwork in loungeroom, top shelf from left to right by Robyn Medec, Peter Harding. Next row - studies by Christopher Battersby and Shelly Kelly. 'The wooden box is some sort of Japanese mould - not an artwork as such but a beautiful gift displayed as if it is an artwork' says Geraldine.  Photography - Jared Fowler, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Looking through to the kitchen from lounge - bird sculpture on right 'Swell' by Michael Zavros, 2008.  Photography - Jared Fowler, production - Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.