Verdant views

There is a little slice of paradise in the rolling hills behind the northern New South Wales coastal resort of Byron Bay. Lush green land with stunning views often with old farm houses poised on top of a ridge. Where once dairy cattle grazed or avocado trees groaned under bumper crops now cashed up tree changers create little kingdoms. As much as I love a good old Queenslander-style house restoration (this one was moved here) it's the gardens that I'm concentrating on today. A simple, classic layout with emphasis on the house and that view. Such green goodness in Federal by Secret Gardens.

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Madeleine Blanchfield and the Coogee House

Renovations took this Coogee, Sydney duplex apartment from ground floor flat to modern house with great outdoor living. New layout, new kitchen and new bathrooms within, pool and entertaining space out, all the time respecting the building's history by combining old and new. A fabulous example of making the most of what you've go. New work from Madeleine Blanchfield Architects.

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A serene exuberance

There is an exuberance, a riot of colour, pattern and texture that defines Los Angeles based interior designer Betsy Burnham's work. In this house though, dark wood and black framed steel and glass windows and doors anchor an uncharacteristic neutral palette. Colour is expressed subtly in public areas while in the private bedroom and bathroom areas it makes a playful return. An eclectic style is perhaps best described as Rajasthan meets Myanmar meets Moroccan and Spanish Mission. An exotic yet elegant and serene house. Mt. Olympus by Burnham Design.

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Bali escape

I had planned this virtual Bali escape for days then this morning I heard the news that flights to the Indonesian island had been suspended due to volcanic ash clouds off shore. Oh no! We were all going to be lolling by the pool by the time this post went live. Fortunately we aren't actually going. The volcano won't actually spoil our trip. This is a virtual getaway after all. We can still plunge in the pool, shower outdoors and languidly lounge on all those built-in benches. Welcome to your Tuesday escape ... Fella Villas.

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Inside Out House

A single piece of art from the homeowner's collection provided the inspiration for this stylish Sydney renovation and extension by Amber Road Design. A parents' retreat, facade and landscaping were created always with consideration of the interaction of internal and external spaces.

"Blurring boundaries between the inside and out was essential. By creating a louvered facade, it provided the end user a myriad of experiences throughout a single day."

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