With multi-residential living on the rise, we’re seeing more and more examples of just how good apartment life can be.
This year we toured some incredible homes inside new and old apartment buildings, including Sydney’s dreamy art deco Garron Tower, Collingwood’s historic former factory complex and the brand new Surry Hills Village — plus so much more.
Take a look at our 10 most memorable apartments from 2025 below!
Nina Walton and Zebediah Rice’s apartment inside Garron Tower. Charles Sofa by B&B Italia. Coffee table by MCM House. Vintage Hans Wegner chairs from Juliet’s Balcony. Gallery wall featuring art by Nina Walton, Agnes Martin, Oliver Rice, Steven Harvey, Clementine Callanan, Wade Taranto, Chelsea Lehmann, Katherine Hattam. Photo – Milly Mead. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli.
Garron Tower from the boardwalk of the Murray Rose pool. Photo – Milly Mead. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli.
The main staircase to the apartments features plenty of art deco flair: silky oak wainscot panelling, metal balustrades, and a glass block wall. Photo – Milly Mead. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli.
Vintage Tessa T21 Swivel Armchairs and Ottoman, reupholstered by Laws Interiors. Luna Outdoor Chair by King Furniture. Walls painted Dulux Antique White U.S.A. Ceiling and window frames painted Dulux Vivid White. Photo – Milly Mead. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli.
Garron Tower is arguably one of Sydney’s most beautiful apartment buildings.
Located in Double Bay, the 1940s complex combines glorious art deco architecture with dreamy waterfront views.
Below, we visited two of the unique homes inside — and it’s easy to see why the lucky residents say they never want to leave.
Rangehood by Whispair. Vivid slimline sink mixer by Phoenix Tapware. Hoatru Double Bubble pendant by Twentytwentyone. Art by John Lloyd. Fritz Hansen Super-Elliptical™ B611 Table from Cult. Ceramic bowls by Mud Australia. Butter dish from Cibi. Vintage office chair by Kevi. MC20—Cugino stool by Mattiazzi Cugino. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli.
Art (from left) by John Lloyd and Bryce Anderson. Rangehood by Whispair. Vivid slimline sink mixer by Phoenix Tapware. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli.
Art by Ella Dunn. Meta Side Table by New Tendency. Cestita light by Santa & Cole. Bedding by Tekla. Palus Rug by Armadillo. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli.
Lotus Sofa by Niels Eilersen. Vintage coffee table. Acacia rug by Armadillo. Bertoia Diamond Chair by Knoll. Cork Family Stool by Vitra. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Annie Portelli.
A 1960s Northcote apartment proved the ideal base for designer Will Kelly to create his dream Melbourne home.
The removal of bulky joinery in favour of clever storage solutions and a sparing use of bold colour has optimised the one-bedroom apartment, allowing Will to socialise and unwind in style.
The initial buildings in the complex were constructed in 1887. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Emily Nolan of fashion label E Nolan. White fibreglass chair by Functional Sculpture. Claudio Chair by Annalisa Ferraris. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Emily’s living room doubles as a showroom. The gallery wall is made up of pages from old magazine issues, framed by Frames Readymade and hung by Alex Hangs. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Fluff founder Erika Geraerts sits at her dining table made from an old church window. Oblique red bookshelf by Moooi. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Bedroom lamp from Smith Street Bazaar. Bedding by I Love Linen. Aloha Chair by Kjell Grant. Art by Andy Murray, James Watkins, and Charl Laubscher. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
This historic former factory complex in Collingwood is now home to a community of cool creative residents, who relish living in the unique building.
But securing one of these converted warehouse apartments takes a bit of patience — and a lot of luck.
See inside the rental apartments of Fluff cosmetics founder Erika Geraerts and Emily Nolan, the fashion designer behind E Nolan!
‘Yin Open’ vessel (on side table) by Yen Qin from Craft Victoria. ‘Painting Concerning Skin’ artwork by Morgan Stokes from Curatorial and Co. Remnant Side Table by Marlo Lyda from Spence & Lyda. Bowl (on table) from Orient House. IXIA Vase by Hattie Molloy. Photo – Clinton Weaver. Styling – Jack Milenkovic.
Vintage urn and table lamp from Orient House. Vintage stool from Secondi. Photo – Clinton Weaver. Styling – Jack Milenkovic.
Togrul Dining Table by Tacchini from Stylecraft. De La Espada Shaker Dining Chair in Walnut and De La Espada Vega B Chair in Ash Timber from Spence & Lyda. Bowl (on table) from Orient House. IXIA Vase by Hattie Molloy. Photo – Clinton Weaver. Styling – Jack Milenkovic.
Bowl from Orient House. Parmigiano-Reggiano print by Traianos Pakioufakis. Nim Dune Coffee Table by Pinch London from Spence & Lyda. E15 Backenzahn Stool from Living Edge. Bowl by David Collins. Photo – Clinton Weaver. Styling – Jack Milenkovic.
Following a decade living abroad, the owners of this Sydney apartment desired a quintessentially Australian home to re-establish their lives down under.
They engaged Together Design Studio to renovate an Bondi interwar apartment to this brief, introducing a more free-flowing floor plan and interior palette inspired by the nearby beach.
Vintage 1950s French wall light. Tiles from Earp Bros. Spotted gum veneer kitchen cabinets with a custom stainless steel benchtop. Ionian 2 hole bench mounted sink mixer by Perrin & Rowe. Original vintage poster from Letitia Morris Gallery Melbourne. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
Tiles from Earp Bros. Vintage 1970 Andre Cazenave shell light. Vintage CGME ceiling light. Photo – Caitlin Mills. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
Sity sofa by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia, from Facebook Marketplace. Wall light from an Italian auction room. Dining table from Leondard Joel. Custom-made bookshelf. Recycled floorboards from Renovators Paradise. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
Gino Sarfatti wall lights from a French auction room. Michel Cadestin chair from Centre Pompidou sourced and gifted to Jim by his father. Mattress by Koala. Bed linen from Muji. Photo – Caitlin Mills.
With a bit of love and hard work, the owner of this home has unlocked the humble beauty of his 1970s brick apartment in Melbourne.
Jim Ross completely stripped the 40-square-metre home back to basics, removing the vinyl-covered floors and patterned wallpaper, before spending months bringing the new Parisian-inspired interiors to life — complete with vintage gems from French auction houses.
Find out how he transformed the dated apartment into a warm and sunny sanctuary on a $114,400 budget.
Photo – Tom Ross.
The living room opens to a balcony in the treetops. Painting by Gareth Sansom. Sequence Table 01 and Sequence Table 02 by Coco Flip. Photo – Tom Ross.
Birch Plywood by PLYCO on joinery. Rust Decoply Plywood by PLYCO for kitchen countertop. Photo – Tom Ross.
As an architect, CARD co-founder Tahj Rosmarin could see the potential (and the flaws) of this 1960s double-brick apartment in North Melbourne right away.
While the home had great bones and leafy views, its location on the top floor of a walk-up complex limited what structural renovations could be done to improve the ‘stifling’ layout.
But using small interventions like built-in joinery and cost-effective materials, Tahj has cleverly transformed the 66-square-metre apartment into a functional, beautiful and personal home.
Space is maximised in the dining area via a custom built-in bench seat. Nau Broad Pendant over the dining table. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.
The renovation introduces an L-shaped kitchen island with a tiled kick that subtly delineates the dining and kitchen areas. A Nemo Lampe De Marseille provides an adjustable, sculptural light in the kitchen. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.
Playful shades of pink and red in the furniture elevate the apartment’s neutral base and the client’s existing items. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.
The renovated bathroom features matte Japanese mosaic tiles, and large-format gloss tiles. Photo – Jacqui Turk. Styling – Jono Fleming.
The owners of this art deco apartment purchased the coastal Sydney property with a mission to update the space and add character, whilst preserving the period charm of the building.
The three-bedroom apartment still had most of its original features, but the layout was pokey, and more recent updates has stripped the interiors of personality.
A largely cosmetic renovation by Studio Pulp has addressed these issues and more, creating a ‘practically quirky’ base where the Sydney family happily reside, relax, and entertain.
Splashback tiles by Artedomus. Pendant lights by Muuto. Joinery and stools by Made by Morgen. Joinery painted Porter’s Paints Black Sea. Parquetry floors by Made by Storey. Wall lights by Ontic. Tapware by Astra Walker. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Chairs, dining table, side tables, joinery and speakers by Made by Morgen. Rocking Horse by Marinos. Pendant light by Coco Flip. Parquetry floors by Made by Storey. Rug by Halcyon Lake. Flower sculpture by Den Holm. Artwork by Ronan Bouroullec. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Chairs, dining table, side tables, joinery and speakers by Made by Morgen. Rocking Horse by Marinos. Pendant light by Coco Flip. Parquetry floors by Made by Storey. Rug by Halcyon Lake. Flower limestone sculpture by Den Holm. Brass flower stem sculpture by Andrew Hustwaite. Artwork by Ronan Bouroullec. Artwork on right by Bobby Clark. 10A Lamp by Akari. Various vases from Pepite. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
When we last met Made by Morgen founder Nick McDonald at home in 2019, his West Melbourne warehouse apartment had a more industrial feel, featuring a black kitchen, enamel pendant lighting, and darker floors.
Four years, one child, and a DIY renovation later, the apartment is an equally stylish but more fresh and family friendly place to be.
First homebuyers Mathew Fowler and Jonathon Law took the plunge on an off-the-plan apartment in the new Surry Hills Village in Sydney.
They moved in four years later, making the apartment their own with custom-designed furniture and covetable Italian pieces, and they couldn’t be happier!
Custom-built DIY bench with Laminex Peruvian Clay benchtop. 1970s Poppy chair designed by Antonio Citterio and Paolo Nava. Rydeback table by IKEA with Laminex Peruvian Clay benchtop. OP-2 yellow shelf by Mugu. 3D printed totem vase, 3D printed pendant lamp, and blue linen noren all by Seno. DIY Tasmanian oak floating shelf. Harmony sofa by Nick Scali. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
SB005 Ochre Ashtray by Weed’d. Rydeback table by IKEA with Laminex Peruvian Clay benchtop. OP-2 yellow shelf by Mugu. Blue linen noren by Seno. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Chris Castro, Nana Honda, and their cat Mochi in their South Yarra apartment. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Metod cabinets by IKEA, customised with Laminex Alpine Mist fronts. Kitchen mat by Puebco. Tower Salt & Pepper Grinder by Tom Dixon. Fruit bowl by Seno. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Bedding by Suku. Curtains by Lidi. Rustella side table by Kave Home. Cat screenprint by Taro Uryu. 3D printed sconce Seno. Vintage ceramics. Metal shelves by IKEA. Photo – Eve Wilson. Editorial Styling – Sarah Hendriks.
Chris Castro has always been drawn to ‘functional small living’, and it shows in his South Yarra apartment.
The graphic designer purchased this 1970s apartment in near original condition, before stripping it back to a blank canvas, and starting over.
Over several years of stop-start DIY renovations, he’s created an efficient and highly desirable home, punctuated by playful colour!
