EDITOR’S LETTER
It's easy to open a magazine, flick through the pages. admire the beautiful images and perfect-looking homes and dismiss the stories from the journeys behind these dream home aspirations. Emotion in motion is what it is all about in my ideal home world. I know being too passionate about property and finances is never advised, but how can you not be? It's where you live, where your family and friends meet, where life happens. I love the narrative. I want to know what prompted the owners to decide on this particular house, apartment or piece of land. What brought them to this suburb or town? Why did they crave a sea- or tree-change? If they bought an unrenovated place, how long was it before they decided to hit the green button on project renovation? How did they decide on the master plan and finishes, and what led them to the project team of designers, architects and landscapers if they had one? With insight into the behind-the scenes, you can better appreciate the challenges – and the result.
Whatever the budget, there is always some form of compromise. I admire the converted butcher shop that is the home of marketing director Michelle McEwen and her family (page 22). I love the fact that they got a great vibe when they first saw it: “even among all the design chaos, the house had a nice feel – it felt like ours as soon as we saw it”. And I appreciate that they were patient enough to take on two extensions when the budget permitted, shrugging off the idea of leaving a neighbourhood they loved for an easier fix further from the city.
Our stylish cover house is a quintessential family home (page 74), located beachside in Sydney's east. It is the fabulous and welcome destination at the end of an expat tour for its owners and their two children. When Covid struck, the major renovation had to be underatken via Zoom and the first time the family saw their newly renovated home was when they were released from quarantine
I feel for older readers realising that perhaps the maintenance of a big house, farm or property is no longer sustainable. Even if it is still physically possible, maybe you want to use your precious time for other pursuits. Michelle and Peter have found an excellent solution. After living and farming in the Mornington Peninsula for 40 years, they moved to a large corner block in a nearby township, where they engaged Bower Architects to design a tranquil, light-filled home with easy access and a generous yet low-maintenance garden - see page 169.
Dream homes come in myriad forms, and there is plenty to rouse your inner creative on the following pages. We hope we make the journey as pleasurable as the end product.And if you're an architect or interior designer, our Top 50 Rooms showcase is back, and we would love to see your work. See page4 for entry details.
“With INSIGHT into the BEHIND the scenes, you can better APPRECIATE the challenges – and the RESULT.”