BEST OF Australian Homes 2013 · Mark and Christine Baxter and Family

The incredible mid-century WA home of Mark and Christine Baxter and Family, designed by legendary architect Iwan Iwanoff!   The Parker dining table extends to three metres and seats up to 12 for their family get-togethers. The dining chairs are Chiswell, the rug is a Versace pattern, the Italian-designed pendant above is an original fixture and on the table are three Fuga bowls by Sven Palmqvist. Far right, one Mark’s favourite chairs in green - the rare Featherston Cone chair 1955, bought for $25 from a garage sale around the corner. (OMG!!) The artworks on the wall are - left, 'Carousel of Love' by Cedric Baxter, top right - Bryant McDiven 1968; bottom centre - a Stormie Mills commission piece painted on back of a drawer, and bottom right - a painting by Alan Baker.  The console in the dining room features (from left) a sculpture cut from a steel girder by Albert Wilson 1974, a Gregory Bonasera piece in black; a white porcelain piece by a WA ceramicist, a Becky Blair work called 'Night Vision', an Oiva Toikka Raven, a black and white vase by Paloma Picasso for Villeroy & Boch, a figure sculpture bought for $5 at swap meet.  Photo - Angelita Bonetti, Styling / Production - Anna Flanders.

Painting on console, Night Vision by Becky Blair. An Oiva Toikka Raven ('bought cheaply at an antique auction because the auctioneer had no idea of its value!' says Mark). Black and white vase by Paloma Picasso for Villeroy & Boch, a figure sculpture bought for $5 at swap meet.  Photo - Angelita Bonetti, Styling / Production - Anna Flanders.

The formal living room - a homage to Mark’s chair collection! Clockwise from back left - the Elda chair in leather and fibreglass by Joe Colombo 1963, the Rondo chair designed by Gordon Andrews 1956 (famous for being used in Star Wars the movie, while the designer is also famous for designing the Australian currency, says Mark!), Contour Featherston upholstered chairs. The coffee table was designed by a  local WA craftsman in Walliston in the 1970's. Photo - Angelita Bonetti, Styling / Production - Anna Flanders.

Our top ten homes of 2013 just wouldn't be complete without including one of the incredible mid century homes in WA we have featured over the past year.  We've been lucky to feature a number of amazing homes in this area with thanks to our amazing Perth-based contributors Anna Flanders and Angelita Bonetti - thanks for your brilliant work ladies! This very special family home, which we originally featured in October, belongs to design enthusiasts and avid collectors Mark and Christine Baxter and their daughter Aisha.  Their unique modernist home was designed in 1969 by revered Bulgarian architect Iwan Iwanoff, who was responsible for a number of incredible homes in Perth at that time.  (Thanks to Anna and Angelita we have featured quite a few of them now!). Now retired, Mark is an avid collector of all manner of beautiful things, including Australian furniture/chairs, 60 - 70’s art, Scandinavian glass, kokeshi dolls and many other objects which perfectly complement this truly amazing home.  'The house is the perfect gallery to display my collection' says Mark.  It's great to see Iwanoff's legacy so perfectly preserved here, and layered with the Baxter's own incredible collection of mid century furniture and design - it couldn't be in better hands! For many more pics of Mark and Christine's amazing mid century home in WA, do pop over and re-visit the original post here! 

The garden is a whirl of green, Mark says he is currently redesigning it,so it’s in reconstruction mode!  Mark’s fabulous big sputnik pots line the verandah. Photo - Angelita Bonetti, Styling / Production - Anna Flanders.