Hello

This blog is my *virtual magazine* of stunning homes in Australia currently for sale. The homes are not necessarily perfect (like in a magazine shoot) so you need to forgive some obvious mistakes, and just enjoy seeing how others live, perhaps even take some inspiration from here n' there! (if you see your home here, take a bow because I search high and low before I finally decide to post a home for my blog!) THANKS FOR DROPPING BY...

13 May 2013

Henley Homes Williams Landing - new Display Centre!

Hello Henley Homes!

Everyone who reads my AVOD blog knows I am very "drawn" to display homes, is it any wonder!!!

So here I go again!

I actually took these pics during the recent school holidays, with my son Liam.
I love display homes because they are beautiful, and he loves them because some of them have stairs.  What can I say!

Anyway, Henley Homes have about 6-8 homes there on display, all of them brand spanky new Williams Landing!

Enjoy!

(photos in no particular order or reason - excuse the amateur photography, I had my crap little camera with me this day not my flashy Canon 500D - bumma)

CLICK TO TWEET

Loved the Yellow in this home!


 





Gardens etc










I thought even the outdoor walkways between the Henley homes were pretty good!



Living Areas


The thing with Henley, tbh, their living mostly look the same,
they don't appear to have changed much in five years.
So either people love to buy these homes like this so much so that
they don't want to mess with their "proven" selling design formula,
Or they just can't cut "innovate" new decor styling like Porter Davis does,
I'm just saying...

I took this photo because of the lovely aspect looking out of the fountain
We have a tight space (3mts) next to our dining area too,
and this is how I envisioned my dining view would look 
when I designed our home a few years ago,
I even have the fountain hanging there,
BUT not connected and crap (sorry, I mean "toys") everywhere!!


I  just want to move right into a living area that opens up like that
with a huge slider back window!  Don't you!!!
(ok, crap for flies, but there are new ways to help with that too!!)




There's my son saying - "where are the stairs in here?"
Don't you love the sign 'Butler's Pantry - Please Open"  very inviting!!

ARTWORK

The artwork at Henley Homes is what I really enjoyed the most,
not sure why, just eclectic, fun, innovative, interesting and most were unique!
Well Done Henley Design Team I say!!!


This was my favorite art piece they did,
how cute is that - you just want to put them on!

CLICK TO TWEET IF YOU LOVE THESE HOMES TOO!
 

 Just Goregous, probably easy to make too!

Turn your head on the side for these pics!

I'm sorry it's sideways - can't work out how to rotate pics in Blogger,
but you get the idea - very cute!

 More retro uniquness!



Bedrooms



I love the bedrooms at Henley Homes.
Inspiration and ideas everywhere!





I loved the Henley bedrooms more than their living areas,
their bathrooms are above average,
and their kitchens go from average to WOZZA!


 This is my son Liam saying "yeah, I like this room mum!"








By the end of the day, I wanted to buy one of these gorgeous dolls,
they really make an impression on you!
I WANT ONE NOW!!!

 I even took a photo of the make of the doll so I could go home and buy one,
and now I can't read my "out of focus" photograph!!
bugger - does anyone know the make/brand???

I wanted to take this little car home too!
with the boy doll of course!

 And the hats really come off for Henley when they even set up one room as a craft room!
Wish mine looked like that!

And of course my son couldn't resist watching a bit of "Bolt" 
on the tv whilst I was browsing through the single story homes (no stairs!)

Kate (Annie)


19 April 2013

Extreme Hamptons - too much??

Bridgehampton, New York, New York!!!

Price Guide:  $59.5 Million
Not sure it's still for sale, but I'm just saying...

To me, this kind of wealth is embarrassing,
but of course I say that from a standpoint that I will probably 
never be that rich.

Surely there is better things you can do with your wealth...
oh well, I ain't gonna make a change here,
So here's a few pics anyway!

A premiere landing spot for your flashy car!

I love how those upstairs rooms all have balconies...

It's nice, but I wouldn't say its "fantastic",
lacks that "wow factor" to me.
Remember people money can't buy good taste!


 Bowling alley?
Why not!
That is pretty cool!

How beautiful it must be to swim with the kids, 
looks like a lovely place to live and play!

 Well you could ask Jay Z & Beyonce,

 And this is Cheryl Mercuris,
she stayed there for two weeks in December
and paid $500,00 for the two weeks rent!
Apparently she went back for another month later,
all to find a guy to love her - wtf is wrong with this picture!!!

 Wow - funnily enough, if you look at other houses in the area,
they are all quite impressive like this one,
so that must be one hellova suburb to live in!!!

And here's the lucky owners,
Joe Farrell & his cute family!
Talk about lucky people....

Here's some more info from THIS article:

Bridgehampton - Joe Farrell built a hundred homes in the Hamptons before he started work on the largest project he has ever undertaken, his new 30,000 square-foot home on Halsey Lane in Bridgehampton. The house is for sale for $59.5 million but Farrell is not really interested in moving out just yet. 

The house has a bowling alley, a squash court, a children's playroom complete with a DJ booth, a karaoke stage and a dressing room. You can also climb a rock wall in the basement inching your way up one hand and one foot at a time until you reach the ceiling complete with a specially designed padded floor to cushion your fall should you miss one of the protruding ledges on your way up or way down.
The amiable builder adheres to a 'life is too short' philosophy that is reflected in his no expense spared approach to home construction.

You can play a few rounds of virtual golf and skate board on a specially designed indoor half pipe. After that you can relax in a massage room, soak in a hot tub or hit the Jacuzzi and sauna after you work out in the gym. No expense has been spared in creating this full home spa that rivals many professional operations.
Clearly this is no ordinary house but then Farrell is no ordinary builder. The house is a real estate broker's dream as well as a buyer's fantasy come true. Brokers often say the best house to buy is the house a builder builds for himself. That's when no expense is spared and no detail is overlooked as the house approaches state-of-the-art perfection.

The house has nine bedrooms and 11 and half baths. One of the highlights of the first floor is the 10-seat mini-movie theater complete with interactive seats for family members and guest who tire of watching one of the many flat screen televisions. The walk-in refrigerator makes large scale entertaining easy.
The detailing is meticulous right down to the decorative moldings and tile work. The kitchen is to die for even if all you do is boil water. The pool house befits the 60 by 20 foot heated gunite pool complete with electric pool cover and underwater stereo system. The set up gives new meaning to sitting by the pool on hazy summer days when the ocean is too dangerous and the bay is filled with jellyfish.

The house alas, is no where near the ocean or the bay, a factor that does not seem to deter Farrell or the enthusiastic brokers who want to sell this house as the Farrells get comfortable enough to enjoy a July barbeque or two.

The amiable builder adheres to a 'life is too short' philosophy that is reflected in his no expense spared approach to home construction. "I hired the guy who programs the planes for the King of Saudi Arabia to work on the electronic and computer systems in the house," Farrell recounted. He also hired an architect who worked on the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach to come in and create the spectacular playroom area in the basement. A 100 man crew worked six days a week for a year-and-a-half to complete the understated manse that sits on an 11.5 acre flag lot in agricultural reserve. 

"I wanted to build a house that was equal to the property," Farrell said, pointing to the scarcity of land remaining in Bridgehampton where even small building lots are hard to come by.
Rumors that the Jonas Brothers are renting the house this summer are not true according to Farrell who notes he turned down a number way north of $1 million for a summer rental with an option to buy a few weeks ago. "I don't need the money, and I just can't move my family out for the summer like that," Farrell said. The house is available for two weeks of your choice this summer for $495,000.

Gary DePersia of the Corcoran Group is one of the high powered Hamptons brokers involved in the process of selling Farrell's house. He is as enthusiastic about the house as its builder. "There is nothing like in on the market. It is a beautiful home." DePersia said.

The 46-year-old former Wall Streeter who once worked on the commodities exchange explained he had always wanted to be a builder. "I couldn't do it until I was 31. I needed the money to buy land, so I made a lot of money so I could afford to buy land. Then I started building, Farrell said. "I love it. I followed my heart."

Having built his first house in Upper Brookville before entering the Hamptons market in 1996, Farrell now lives as a year-round resident. "I don't like the ocean," he said, "because I live here all year. The wind on the beach is bad in the winter."  

"I didn't build this house to sell it," Farrell explained as he described his new home. Completed on May 1, the family moved in shortly after that. The house went on the market a few weeks later as word spread among the real estate community. "They all said there was nothing like this so I put it out there because there was so much interest."
If you Build It, They Will Buy It
According to Farrell, who is no stranger to the high end of the market, you must understand the psychology of the rich and the very rich when you build luxury homes.

"The most important thing to a billionaire is time," Farrell said. "The beauty of my house is that they can move right in. It takes four or five years to build a house like this. These are people who know they are not going to outlive their money. So if they see something they like and they want it, they will buy it." 

There's a lot to like. Collectors of fine wine will have plenty of room to store their stash in this house where the open floor plan makes entertaining easy. Devotes of the Home Shopping Network and other shoppers will love the package room. This is where the Fed-Ex guy and the UPS man can drop off packages without entering the house stowing them safely in a small storage area accessible by its own outside door. The ultra sophisticated Crestron automation system will shoot you an email when a package is delivered just so you know what's going on at the house while you are out at the beach or in the city.
The 2,800 square foot master suite on the second floor is a perfect retreat when you tire of the seductively paneled library on the first floor. You can sit upstairs and watch the impressive train set, the kind that bedazzles hobbyists who spend hours in their basements playing with their railroad cars, miniature houses, depots, trees and assorted street props that populate a miniature city, on television in the living room if the luxurious basement bores you or you want to join the rest of the family as they huddle around the fire. Control the lights and temperature in the house from a computerized touch pad on the walls in most of the rooms. ( "The house is too big to have to go walking from room to room to turn off all the lights," Farrell said.)

"I only work with the best and the smartest brokers," Farrell said. He is not worried about selling it. "I wanted to build a beautiful house for my family. I enjoy the bowling alley. We had eight couples over for dinner the other night and we went bowling. I love to play squash. I don't drink or go to bars. I stay home. These are all the things I wanted to have in a house."

Gary DePersia, a superstar broker at the Corcoran Group is representing the property for Farrell along with a handful of other brokers selected by Farrell. DePersia is as enthusiatic about the property as its owner-builder. "There is nothing like this in the Hamptons," DePersia said and this high-end broker has seen it all over the years. "The property is great, and the house has all the amenities
and then some."  

The secret to his success as a builder? "I get the best guys, I pay them right away and they work for me. I am the fastest payer in the industry," Farrell surmised. Normally a house the size and scale of Farrell's new digs would take a crew at least three to four years to complete. "I am a type "A" builder. I get it done," he said. Farrell broke ground on Halsey Lane on Nov. 1, 2007.
"I love being a builder," Farrell, the man who followed his heart to success, says with contentment. No job is to big or too small for Farrell Construction which recently completed a 2,400 square-foot house in Southold. That's on the North Fork. "I'll do anything reasonable," said the man who loves to build houses. "You get a great sense of accomplishment when you finish building a house." 

Yikes, long article hu!





03 April 2013

East Brisbane Classic Queenslander Home

A Lovely White Inspired Family Home...

General Features

PRICE GUIDE:  $1.3 Million+
  • Property Type:House
  • Bedrooms:4
  • Bathrooms:2
  • Outdoor Features
  • Garage Spaces:2
How lovely is it to see crisp white
on dark timber floor backdrops!

Just divine...
A nice home.




















AND here's what the Agent said about it!

Reinvented Family Masterpiece
Set in the heart of East Brisbane is this wonderful Old Queenslander home of relaxed contemporary elegance and family warmth. It has undergone an amazing transformation and the renovations subtly blend exquisite traditional features with premium quality updates to create a private playground dedicated to lifestyle and family fun.

Luxurious, yet effortlessly liveable and welcoming, the property is beautifully proportioned, impeccably finished and surprisingly low maintenance. The fully ducted air-conditioned home has been intelligently opened-up to adapt to the patterns of modern life with those sweeping balconies, while still providing private areas for relaxation and restful
accommodation. Whilst retaining its heritage grandeur, security provides easy care comfort, convenience and peace of mind. Internal living exudes luxury and sophistication with a room to suit every occasion, while the floor plan provides great options for the large family.

There is an uplifting sense of space and light throughout, while the enjoyment of indoor and outdoor entertaining has been given top priority with a modern state of the art kitchen, new sophisticated bathrooms and entertainment room as key highlights. The entry sweeps into a gracious formal lounge and elegant formal dining room with an inviting fireplace. This rare offering is framed by beautiful grounds and gardens and the historic home is just a leisurely stroll to Churchie Grammar School.
Features include: - Three/four bedrooms with three bathrooms ( 2 en-suited) - Formal lounge - Large Gourmet kitchen with European and gas appliances and meals area - Stone bench tops - Old Queensland character retained with sweeping balconies - Formal dining with fireplace - Large entertainment room with bi-fold doors - Polished timber floors throughout and expansive balconies - Double lockup garage with remote door - Ducted aircon
- Beautifully landscaped gardens - Electric gates and full security throughout.


WOW