Australia is leading the way when it comes to imaginative interior design for the home. Interiors reporter Natasha Levy reveals eight of the best recent examples, from a pared-back home in Tasmania to a pink-tinted apartment in Melbourne.
Footscray apartment, Melbourne, by BoardGrove Architects
BoardGrove Architects made this apartment look similar to a gallery by tucking away appliances and creating sculpture-like features, like an arched alcove that contains the kitchen cooker.
A colour palette of baby pink and soft grey help soften the concrete floors and walls.
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Italianate House, Sydney, by Renato D'Ettore Architects
Renato D'Ettore introduced brick surfaces throughout the pared-back interiors of this Sydney dwelling to emulate the worn patina of traditional Tuscan or Sicilian villas.
A handful of arched openings were also created to mimic the building's dramatic vaulted roof.
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Curatorial House, Sydney, by Arent & Pyke
A monochromatic colour scheme helped Arent & Pyke visually unite this 1930s Sydney home with its 1980s extension.
The studio hoped that the simple white walls and black timber floorboards would allow the client's unique array of furniture and art pieces to "speak volumes".
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Suburban Canny, Sydney, by Tribe Studio
Quirky decor details add interest to the bright and spacious interiors of this brick-clad Sydney home.
The living area – where surfaces are largely covered by floor-to-ceiling grey cabinetry – features a marble-topped dining table, a ceiling lamp that doubles up as a planter and an L-shaped sofa crafted from three different materials.
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Sunnybanks House, Tasmania, by Core Collective
Core Collective combined white-painted walls with concrete floors and timber joinery inside this seaside home to create a neutral backdrop for the client's extensive collection of art and literature.
Touches of warmth are offered by statement pieces of furniture, like the tan-leather armchair which sits in a corner of the kitchen.
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Highbury Grove, Melbourne, by Ritz & Ghougassian
The surfaces of this Melbourne home are lined with simple concrete blocks, which contrast against tactile eucalyptus cabinetry and velvet seating.
Sheer white curtains can be drawn back to reveal courtyard gardens populated with native plants like Australian tree ferns.
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St Vincents Place Residence, Melbourne, by B.E. Architecture
Splashes of colour and vintage furnishings sourced from across the globe helped B.E. Architecture avoid creating a starkly minimalist family home.
Here, in one of the bedrooms, a jade green wall panel has been unusually paired with dusky brown carpeting.
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Bourne Road Residence, Melbourne, by Studio Four
Studio Four fused indoors and outdoors by fronting areas of this Melbourne dwelling with expanses of glazing – the bedroom now boasts views of leafy green trees.
The calming, all-white colour-scheme matches the building's pale facade, which the studio likens to a blank canvas.
Find out more about the Bourne Road Residence ›