There’s no two ways about it – apartment living is the future. As the Australian population continues to grow, we need to start thinking about apartments not as investments or commodities, but as real homes – because first as foremost, that’s what they should be.
We love to feature beautiful, personality-filled apartments – spaces that are full of life, and show just how fabulous apartment-living can be!
So – from a tree-top art deco flat filled with vintage treasures, to an interior designer’s personalised Bondi pad, these are our top five favourite apartments of the year!
The show-stopping Bondi apartment of Yasmine Ghoniem of YSG Studio! Reeno bench mini from Grazia and Co upholstered in Kiwi Boucle from Pierre Frey. Pion dining table by Sancal from Kezu. Banquette custom designed by YSG made by Materialized (with vintage textiles from Cheesoon and Fitzgerald). Lampe de Marseilles by Le Corbusier from Cul. Antique Moldovianl Kilim Rug from Cadrys. Custom open shelving joinery by YSG with assortment of personal ceramics. Luna Bolster Eggshell cushion by Jardan. Bar niche hand painted by Creative Finishes. Fruit bowl by Timna Taylor from the DEA store. Vase Shigaraki Plateaux Vase from the DEA Store. Stool by Henry Wilson. Artwork ‘Corey Worthington’ by by Nick Santoro from Egg and Dart. Opal Cone Floor lamp by Tom Dixon from Living Edge. Photo – Prue Ruscoe. Styling – Felicity Ng
Reeno bench mini from Grazia and Co upholstered in Kiwi Boucle from Pierre Frey. Pion dining table by Sancal from Kezu. Banquette custom designed by YSG made by Materialized (with vintage textiles from Cheesoon and Fitzgerald). Lampe de Marseilles by Le Corbusier from Cul. Custom open shelving joinery by YSG with assortment of personal ceramics. Luna Bolster Eggshell cushion by Jardan. Bar niche hand painted by Creative Finishes. Fruit bowl by Timna Taylor from the DEA store. Vase Shigaraki Plateaux Vase from the DEA Store. Stool by Henry Wilson. Photo – Prue Ruscoe. Styling – Felicity Ng
Custom joinery by YSG made by Xpert Joinery. Lower cabinetry in Deep Reed by Dulux. Calacutta Manhattan marble from Med Marble. Vintage ceramic bowls from the DEA store. Coffee plunger by Jardan. Phoenix Mixer from Sydney Taps. Custom patterned hand painted floor by Creative Finishes. Photo – Prue Ruscoe. Styling – Felicity Ng
Marmarino render on walls. Stone from Med Marble. Joinery custom designed by YSG in Dulux Grey Pail. Wall Shelf from Living Edge. Photo – Prue Ruscoe. Styling – Felicity Ng
Bed linen by Major Minor from the DEA Store. Nude Linen and Luna Bolster Eggshell pillows by Jardan. Floral Bolster custom designed by YSG for the NGV installation and made by Think Positive. Vintage bed throw by Cheesoon and Fitzgerald. Roy floor lamp in bronze by VBO. Rug by Kulchi. ‘Swirl Tables’ by Tom Dixon from Living Edge.‘Bellhop’ lamp by Flos from Living Edge. Signed photo from the Baz Luhrmann Romeo and Juliet production by Hugh Stewart. Paper Mache mask from Hay. Artwork ‘Still Life’ by Mariusz Zdybalv from The Vault. Photo – Prue Ruscoe. Styling – Felicity Ng
Yasmine Ghoniem heads up one of Australia’s most exciting design practices, YSG, so it’s no surprise that her own Bondi home is a knockout!
Previously a dated apartment, Yasmine has transformed the space into a truly incredible, personality-filled first home with little more than paint, 2pac joinery, and a whole lot of love. What a DREAM!
Read the full story here.
Painting by Julia Trybala. Sofa from Dwell. Sculpture by Angus Gardner. Candle holder Clump. Vintage Wassily chair. Mushroom lamp from West Elm. Vintage Kartell side table. Silver bowl from Alessi via Playground. Yellow vase from Marimekko. Incense holder from Soda Fountain. Vintage glass ghost table. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
Vase from Soda Fountain. Black dining chairs from Fredericia. Pendant lamp from Isamu Noguchi. Table from Poliform. Mugs from Marimekko. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
Lauren’s room. Vintage lamp, chair and mirror. Bookends from Lightly. Vintage drawers from Homebody. Candle holder from Angus Gardner. Red vase by Gaetano Pesce x Corsi Design. Rug from Etsy. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
The ornate front entrance is the most decorative part of the art deco building’s character. ‘There isn’t a great deal of rotation through the building, so people often leave their mark with little adornments around the entrance; some ceramic turtles or little cacti,’ explains Frances. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
There are a handful of Melbourne suburbs so sought after that residents rarely want to leave, one of the most prominent examples being East Melbourne. Sandwiched between the CBD and Richmond, this small suburb is impossibly peaceful and leafy – yet mere metres from the centre of town.
Two of the East Melbourne’s lucky residents are Lauren Everett, PR professional at Think HQ, and Frances Normoyle, co-owner and designer at furniture selling platform and design business Playground, who snapped up a gorgeous art deco apartment when it hit the rental market in 2019.
Carefully curating their home with considered design and art pieces, this is one very ‘grown up’ share house!
Read full story here.
Mint green side table is a ‘Champ’ stool from Matter Made in NYC. White ceramic lamp by Ben. Ligne Roset ‘Togo’ sofa. Dutch brutalist coffee table from Modern Times. Ceramic candlesticks commissioned by Lucy Folk from Ceri Muller. Artworks on wall: Collage artwork by Linder Sterling; tri-color screen prints with text by Cali-Thornhill Dewitt; neon pink screen print by an all time fave Sister Corita-Kent. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
‘USM shelves from Anibou with an absolute mix of pieces I love and have acquired,’ says Ben. Green ceramic wall piece by Ben. On the right are two charcoal works by Emmanuel Van der Meulen. Brass Snoopy money box given to Ben by his first boyfriend 15 years ago. Celadon green Chinese ceramic Ben started collecting when he lived in Shanghai. Sottsass ‘Shiva’ vase and some of his own pieces and collected marble eggs. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
The lounge room looks out over a great sheltered balcony! Dutch brutalist coffee table from Modern Times. Ceramic candlesticks commissioned by Lucy Folk from Ceri Muller. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
The dining nook. Yellow artwork by Sister Corita-Kent. Table by Desalto. Chairs found in a flea market in Paris. Ceramic vase by Ben. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
Artist and head of brand at Lucy Folk, Ben Mazey, grew fond of apartment living after 13 years living across Europe and Asia. He found few solid options upon returning to Melbourne, except for two developments by Milieu, including one apartment he purchased off-the-plan, and another he signed the lease on the next day!
While awaiting the completion of his off-the-plan apartment, Ben has made this rented space in Collingwood his own with furniture sourced overseas, a vibrant gallery wall, and plenty of ceramics.
See full story here.
A sun-drenched corner. Terrazzo table from Fenton and Fenton. Pink vase by Angus & Celeste. Pink glass by Maison Balzac. Khaki pillowcase by Bed Threads. Dark green pillow from Kmart. Photo – Alisha Gore. Styling – Tess Thyregod.
An outdoor table setting for dinner with friends! Photo – Alisha Gore. Styling – Tess Thyregod.
The art nook from left to right: (top row) Frida Kahlo print; Assisi, purchased in Assisi; Pink Lake, Yorketown by Mitch Payne; Chrysenthemum print by Katie Marx; Portrait of Charlotte by Fiona O’Byrne. Venice watercolour, purchased in Venice. (Bottom row) Oil on canvas landscape artwork that belonged to Charlotte’s grandmother; Woman covering face photograph and swimming photograph from Etsy. Photo – Alisha Gore. Styling – Tess Thyregod.
A lifetime’s collection of cookbooks are displayed on these shelves. Rachel Castle original cake artwork. Portrait of unknown woman, oil on canvas. Dinosaur Designs bowl. Eye, by Liam Nunan. Photo – Alisha Gore. Styling – Tess Thyregod.
Charlotte Ree has lived in Sydney for 14 years, but she’s never seen another property quite like her Potts Point apartment!
The head of marketing at Pan Macmillan Australia, recipe developer, author of Just Desserts and the upcoming food memoir Heartbake, was immediately attracted to the apartment’s unique mix of warehouse features in an art deco building, and of course, its private rooftop!
Read the full story here.
1960s green velvet couches bought from a friend, who bought them from a lady who’d had them in her ‘good room’ with plastic covers on! Coffee table and wooden stool made by Greg Hatton. Large ribbon rosette made by Leila for her store Skinny Wolf. Various cushions from Bonnie and Neil; Greenhouse Interiors; and Aura Home. Plates on display are a mix of Lucas Grogan and vintage. Bowl and vases on the coffee table from Chapel Street Bazaar. Large pills on coffee table made by Leila (‘Because like a lot of people, I’ve been thinking a lot about health recently!’). Flowers all arranged by Leila. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli
Cake, flowers arrangements and curtains all made by Leila! Dulux Submarine on the kitchen cabinets, and Dulux Victoriana on the walls. Ikea lampshades. Dowel Jones Thimble Stool. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli.
Vintage mirror. Vintage oil jars in crate from Camberwell Market. Rainbow neon light from Sunny Life. 1970s pinstripe velvet armchair sourced by Curated Spaces. Sage and Clare cushion. Cymbidium orchid watercolour artwork by Zoe Langbridge. Various pots by Temple & Webster and Few and Far. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli
The maximalist yet personal feel of Leila Sanderson and sound engineer Tony Espie‘s South Yarra apartment is something that can only be achieved over a long period of time… 12 years to be exact!
Leila and Tony have filled the art deco space with plenty of contrasting colour, ribbon rosettes made by Leila (aka Skinny, owner of Skinny Wolf), and foliage from her florist work with Katie Marx.
Read the full story here.
