Australian House & Garden April 2021

“So many of these beautifully conceived ROOMS would have been rejuvenating RETREATS during last year’s HIATUS on life as we know it.” It’s Top 50 Rooms time and on the following pages, we are delighted to reveal a dynamic and diverse line-up of rooms that hit the right note in terms of visual impact and homeowner happiness. When I think of top lists of any kind, I am immediately transported back to primary school in Brisbane when I was obsessed with listening to the latest hits on my favourite radio station, 4IP. I can still see the logo – a denim record cover with a zip down the front. With no digital or online offerings – hey, there wasn’t even an FM band – we made a weekly pilgrimage to the record…

FIRST IMPRESSIONS I’m a newcomer to H&G and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t discover it sooner. I squeal with delight as I turn the pages, each one packed with fresh, fun and colourful ideas that I’d like to incorporate into my own home. I’ve earmarked almost every page! As a first-time mum, sleep-deprived and surviving on sugar and coffee, you, my lovely H&G, are my tall glass of wine at the end of the day. I think you could call me a certified groupie. Thanks for all the inspiration. Elice Tanner, Kilmore, Victoria LOOKING AHEAD You could say that I’m a dreamer... When I pick up a copy of Australian House & Garden that’s exactly what I do, I dream! As I read the articles and pore over the images, I dream of…

Facebookers loved the Mornington Peninsula home on our February cover, a reinvigorated California bungalow stole the show on Instagram and top spot on Pinterest went to this serene bedroom. Facebook facebook.com/ australianhouseandgarden Highlights from each issue plus links to tours of our favourite homes. Instagram @houseandgarden View the most inspirational images of the month from H&G headquarters and out and about. Pinterest pinterest.com.au/ houseandgardenau Picture-perfect images from our pages and sensational products to covet.…

The patchy facade of this former warehouse in inner Sydney gives little clue to its dramatic interior – and that’s exactly what owners Suzi Dafnis and Peter Johnston (PJ) intended. “It doesn’t reveal what’s inside and we like it that way,” says Suzi. The couple purchased the 1920s warehouse in 2010, after having considered 11 other properties like it. “We’d been living in the US for seven years and decided that when we moved back to Sydney, we wanted to live in a converted warehouse,” says Suzi. “This one was very basic and pretty rundown – essentially just a garage with an office above – and completely unliveable as it was.” But the corner position and its proximity to the city made it too good to pass up. Suzi and PJ engaged…

FIRST ADULT HOME? A tiny studio in Bondi (9). My dad helped renovate the block for the then-owner, so I managed to nab an apartment as soon as they went on the market. I felt like the coolest 21 year old in the world. BUCKET-LIST DESTINATION? New York City in spring or autumn (2). BEST MEAL EVER? Homemade pasta dressed with herbs and fresh olive oil (11) at a small family-run Italian restaurant perched on a cliff on the Amalfi Coast. Divine. DREAM CAR? I seldom commute – work, home, gym and many friends are within a 5-kilometre radius! – but I adore my Mini (7). It’s perfect for navigating city streets. FAVOURITE FLOWERS? There are so many, I don’t think I could name just one! I tend to buy long-lasting types, such as…

“The room is an oasis, the perfect blend of smooth curves and delicate colours.” Owner Greg Natale Greg Natale Design, Surry Hills, NSW; (02) 8399 2103 or gregnatale.com. Sinuous lines are the defining feature of this living room, part of the heavenly fit-out of a two-storey Sydney apartment. “The owner wanted a soft, contemporary space filled with fluid lines, in keeping with the curves found elsewhere in the apartment,” says Greg. He transformed the interior architecture with a new set of stairs, the addition of curved walls and the installation of a built-in bench and cabinetry. He brought in a fireplace, specified solid-oak floorboards in a chevron pattern and updated all furnishings, including the enveloping Tacchini sofas. “The owner loves modern European interiors and wanted a palette of pink, grey, yellow and…