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News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
The Block stars share game-changing renovations tips to add value to Aussie homes
If your renovation dreams begin with a Pinterest board and end with a budget blowout, you're not alone. Australia's top home experts say too many would-be renovators are skipping the fundamentals, and ending up with houses that look great in photos but fail to deliver where it counts. Whitefox founder and The Block judge Marty Fox said the homes people fall in love with are never the flashiest. Why The Block architect says beige is over 'They're the ones where nothing feels forced, just smart, beautiful spaces that feel effortless to live in,' Mr Fox said. Mr Fox and his wife Charlotte recently transformed a forgotten Toorak house into a breathtaking family sanctuary, complete with slab marble bathrooms, a backyard pickleball court, and designer finishes sourced from Europe. But Mr Fox said it's not about throwing money at a problem, it's about vision, planning and understanding how design choices shape real life. 'You can spend millions and still get it wrong,' he said. 'What makes a home sing is when it reflects your lifestyle, where every detail has purpose. 'Not just what's trending.' That same message is echoed by The Block's resident architect Julian Brenchley, who has spent more than a decade watching contestants battle budgets, briefings and breakdowns under national scrutiny. 'Design isn't decoration,' Mr Brenchley said. 'It's problem-solving.' Mr Brenchley warns that many renovators rush toward open-plan layouts without truly understanding how to zone space for function, acoustics or family life. 'Everyone wants big and open, but with no structure it just becomes an echo chamber,' he said. 'You need flow, you need quiet areas, you need smart storage.' And while bold facades and glossy finishes once dominated display homes, The Block architect believes people are moving away from trying to impress. 'Buyers don't want trophy homes, they want liveable ones,' Mr Brenchley said. 'People are moving away from trying to impress, less facade, more feeling that's the future.' That's the design philosophy embraced by The Block 2023 winners Steph and Gian Ottavio, who said the biggest shift they've noticed post-show is emotional design. 'Great design slows you down,' Ms Ottavio said. 'It makes you breathe deeper when you walk through the door.' The couple recently completed a Japandi-style design for James Hardie, a fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian principles, favouring clean lines, warm timber, earthy tones and layered textures. 'It's not just a trend,' Mr Gian said. 'We design for how a home feels, at 7am when you're rushing out the door, or when you collapse onto the couch after a long day.' And Ms Ottavio said the days of designing for resale are fading fast. 'Buyers can smell inauthenticity,' she added. 'You can walk into a house that's had 200k thrown at it and still feel nothing. 'But give me a home where the spaces are well-planned and thoughtful, and I'll take that every time.' Mr Fox, who's sold some of Melbourne's priciest real estate, agrees that emotional pull is everything. 'You want buyers to walk in and picture their kids playing in the backyard, not wondering how long the floors will last,' he said. 'At the top end, people want turnkey — but more than that, they want soul.' The Block judge said he's also big on quality over quantity. 'Don't waste money on trendy tiles you'll hate in six months,' Mr Fox said. 'Spend where it counts, good stone, beautiful lighting, tapware that feels solid in your hand.' So what's the golden rule when planning your dream reno? For Mr Fox, the answer is simple. 'A home is about memory-making,' he said. 'Get the fundamentals right, and the magic follows.' The Block stars top 5 reno tips 1. Don't follow trends Whitefox founder and The Block judge Marty Fox said fads fade fast. Use natural materials, classic finishes, and design choices that will still look good in 10 years. 2. Prioritise flow and function over fancy facades The Block architect Julian Brenchley warns against 'facade obsession.' Focus on how your home feels and functions day to day, not just how it looks on Instagram. 3. Plan every detail, especially the basics Know your marbles, timbers, lighting, and layouts. According to Mr Fox, great renovations hinge on understanding materiality and making intentional choices early. 4. Design for emotion, not just aesthetics The Block 2023 winners Steph and Gian Ottavio recommend designing for how a home makes you feel, from 7am grogginess to post-work recharge, not just its visual appeal. 5. Think lifestyle, not just location. The right home isn't just where it is, it's how you live in it.
Canberra Times
29-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Canberra Times
Multi-award winning architecturally designed Passive House hits the market in Coburg
Tucked down a laneway and hiding in plain sight behind an apartment block you'll find one of the most sustainable and beautiful family homes in Melbourne's cosmopolitan Inner North. Designed, built, and lived in by the multi-award-winning architect-designer duo behind Melbourne Design Studios, Htt 01 Passivhaus is on the market for the first time. For Sale: Htt 01 Passivhaus is on the market for the first time Pic: Supplied Whitefox agent Dylan Francis said of the property: "This is one of the most incredible homes I've ever been through, there's a sense of calm and tranquility like no other. You really need to feel it to believe it." With ten industry awards to its name, including Australian Design Review's IDEA Sustainability award in 2022, not to mention being featured on Australian Grand Designs in 2021, this five-bedroom, three-bathroom carbon-zero family sanctuary takes design and sustainability to a whole new level. For Felicity and Marc Bernstein - partners in business and in life - Htt 01 Passivhauswas an opportunity to prove that sustainability doesn't mean sacrificing on luxury, and to create a warm, welcoming home for their family of six including their gorgeous Golden Retriever, where creativity and treading lightly on the earth could be a way of life. "It's really hard to pick what I love most about this home because there is so much to love. It feels like every detail is a favourite because every element was designed and selected with care, love and consideration," Ms Bernstein says. "But, if I had to pick one thing, it's the communal sunken living area. It invites conversation and connections, as well as family game nights and much loved movie-watching on the big screen - in fact, it's so good that our kids prefer movie nights at home over going to the cinema!" Francis added: "Everything in this home has been considered with such beauty and intention. Tucked away on a bluestone laneway off a main street, it's a hidden sanctuary." Creating a sense of connection and integration is at the heart of the design for the home. While on a very small footprint, the clever zoning and innovative use of structural materials such as cross laminate timber panels, together with triple-glazed glass and wood-fibre insulation, allowed for an open-floor plan that feels expansive at the same time as creating a cozy, warm and welcoming cocoon from the outside world. VIEW LISTING:Coburg, VIC 3058 With over 90 percent of the surfaces made from natural materials, there is a real sense of being at one with nature. "The home has a feeling of calm and wellness," Ms Bernstein says. "When you are in the kitchen, it feels like being part of the garden in your very own private oasis. The full-height three meter high triple-glazed sliding doors connect outside and inside - while having all conveniences including top of the range V-ZUG appliances and a built-in Billy water filter tap at hand." While the home itself is a masterclass in design excellence, with moments of surprise and delight around almost every corner - such as the copious amounts of storage 'hidden' behind natural European oak, and the gigantic nets spanning the loft spaces of the upstairs rooms which invite relaxation and play - the garden is equally as magical. Designed in collaboration with Eckersley Garden Architecture, the lush, south-facing wedge shaped garden is perfect for entertaining and relaxing with family and friends. "We all love spending time under the Ginko tree in the rainwater garden or in the tree house under the Jacaranda tree at the back of the garden, or taking a plunge in the natural pond," Ms Bernstein says. Located in the heart of Coburg's buzzing village-like precinct, with public transport, cafes, bars, restaurants, shops, parks and the farmers market all on your doorstep, Ms Bernstein describes the home as "a wellness sanctuary in the city that feels like being in the countryside. It's so private, there's no one overlooking our property which you usually don't find in the city." When a home offers so much and has meant so much on a personal and professional level, the decision to move on to the next adventure is never easy. "This home is very close to our heart. We will miss it dearly," Ms Bernstein says. "It has been the best family home ever, and we designed it to adapt to ever changing family needs - from young kids to teenagers to empty nesters. We imagined the extra bedrooms could act as study or yoga rooms one day." But, a new chapter awaits for the Bernsteins and Melbourne Design Studios. "We're opening a branch of our Melbourne office in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and will spend substantial time up there over the next 12 months," Ms Bernstein says. "While it's hard to leave, we hope someone else will enjoy it as much as we did. In the meantime, we look forward to our next project, the Htt 02 in Queensland - another showstopper!" Listing agent Dylan Francis of WHITEFOX Real Estate is taking expressions of interest at the $3.8 - $4.1 million dollar level. With the pioneering family on the move, now is your chance to call this timeless piece of architecture that has been built with quality, care and family wellbeing at its heart yours.
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- News.com.au
Block judge Marty Fox lists $13m Toorak mansion after baring backside in viral post
The Block judge Marty Fox has gone the full monty in Toorak, baring his backside in a cheeky Instagram post to help sell his own $13m designer digs. The Whitefox founder and luxury property specialist used the stripped-back post to prove a point about the home's complete privacy, and launched one of the most headline-grabbing listings in Toorak's recent memory. 'You can walk out into the yard here and you are in the middle of the best urban postcode Australia has to offer,' the post read. 'Yet, not a single person can look at you if you decide to walk the entire property from front to back in the nude.' Now for sale with a $12m-$13m price guide, the renovated five-bedroom estate occupies more than 1400sq m across a merged double block between Toorak and Hawksburn villages. Fox and his wife Charlotte purchased the home in 2021 and began renovating it before settlement under a licence to occupy. The couple moved in the day before Charlotte gave birth to their third child, Bonnie. Six months later, the pair bought the neighbouring property at the rear and joined the two blocks, creating one of the suburb's most complete lifestyle estates — combining urban seclusion with resort-grade features. Originally built in the 1890s, the home was reimagined under the direction of Castley McCrimmon Architects and built by DOME, with interior finishes hand-picked to reflect the couple's timeless design philosophy. Full-slab Italian marble has been used throughout, alongside Murano glass chandeliers, Venetian plaster walls, Perrin & Rowe tapware, chevron oak floors and antique light fittings sourced by Charlotte in Europe. Landscaping by Nathan Burkett frames the home's rear garden, which includes a heated pool, gym cabana with ensuite, wellness deck with sauna and ice bath, and a pickleball court. The garden has been described in marketing as 'Front Garden of the Year material'. The home is being listed by Whitefox Stonnington director Lana Samuels, a prestige agent and social media influencer known for her reach and local buyer network. Listing material calls the property 'a landmark single-level sanctuary' and 'a once-in-a-generation opportunity' to secure a luxury home of this scale and quality in the heart of Melbourne's most exclusive postcode. Fox has described it as the couple's most personal project yet, and one that became the backdrop to milestone family and business moments — including the conversation that led to his appointment on The Block. Expressions of interest close at 3pm on Tuesday, June 24.
Sydney Morning Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
How The Block's serial flipper gained a slice of his neighbour's land
You shall not covet your neighbour's house, but what if you just want a piece of their garden? Serial property flipper, The Block judge and Whitefox chief executive Marty Fox has listed his Toorak family home with a price guide of $12 million to $13 million. The Block airs on Nine (owned by Nine Entertainment Co, which also owns this masthead). The property is set on a large block that was originally two addresses. Fox and his wife and business partner, Charlotte Fox, are moving on after completing a renovation of the home and also expanding the block size. The house is in Charlotte's name. The pair bought the main residence for $7.2 million in 2022, records show, a $50,000 discount on its previous sale price. They then approached a neighbour about buying their property. 'I really wanted to get a court on the property for the kids to practise basketball and get a little bit more active without taking away any of that grassed area,' Marty said. 'I was very lucky to be able to convince the neighbour to sell their property, and then I amalgamated the blocks.' Later that year, the couple bought the home that backed onto theirs for $2.75 million, and they marked out part of that home's garden and attached it to their own original block. The following year they resold the now smaller neighbouring house for a $30,000 profit. On their home's extra land they have added a basketball/pickleball court and a wellness deck with ice bath and sauna.
The Age
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
How The Block's serial flipper gained a slice of his neighbour's land
You shall not covet your neighbour's house, but what if you just want a piece of their garden? Serial property flipper, The Block judge and Whitefox chief executive Marty Fox has listed his Toorak family home with a price guide of $12 million to $13 million. The Block airs on Nine (owned by Nine Entertainment Co, which also owns this masthead). The property is set on a large block that was originally two addresses. Fox and his wife and business partner, Charlotte Fox, are moving on after completing a renovation of the home and also expanding the block size. The house is in Charlotte's name. The pair bought the main residence for $7.2 million in 2022, records show, a $50,000 discount on its previous sale price. They then approached a neighbour about buying their property. 'I really wanted to get a court on the property for the kids to practise basketball and get a little bit more active without taking away any of that grassed area,' Marty said. 'I was very lucky to be able to convince the neighbour to sell their property, and then I amalgamated the blocks.' Later that year, the couple bought the home that backed onto theirs for $2.75 million, and they marked out part of that home's garden and attached it to their own original block. The following year they resold the now smaller neighbouring house for a $30,000 profit. On their home's extra land they have added a basketball/pickleball court and a wellness deck with ice bath and sauna.
