Architect designed Sydney School waterfront property is a hidden gem
For design lovers, it doesn’t get much better than this Sydney School waterfront home
< 1 min
For lovers of the Emerald City property market, they don’t come much more Sydney than this.
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom waterfront home at 31 Willis Road Castle Cove was built in 1973 and designed by Sydney School architect Harry Howard, an architect and landscape architect who also designed the sculpture garden at the National Gallery of Australia.
The Sydney School architects, including Bruce Rickard and Ken Woolley, took their cues from the local landscape, embracing their bushland settings, natural light and water views building in double brick, with raked roof lines.
The Willis Road property is set over three levels on a 923sqm overlooking Sugarloaf Bay on Middle Harbour. It enjoys a north easterly aspect from the rear and has been designed to capture water views from most points in the house. Bedrooms are spread across all floors, with the master bedroom on the top floor offering commanding views over the bushland and harbour beyond. The property has been partly renovated, in sympathy with the original design and the Corian kitchen boasts Miele appliances and a glass splashback. There’s a second kitchen and bathroom on the lower ground floor, ideal as a teen zone or even overnight guests.
There’s also direct access to the water via the sandy cove and stone wharf.
Chances are buyers will be captivated by the generous balcony on the main floor which offers ample room for entertaining. It’s an ideal spot for enjoying the local birdlife, such as kookaburras, parrots, cockatoos and whip birds.
If you ever tire of looking at the tranquil views, the historic Innisfallen Castle built in 1904 is just across the road. Access to the house via Willis street allows for a double carport.
31 Willis Road, Castle Cove is open via DiJones Willoughby. Auction August 27
Hoping to recreate a freewheeling world tour from their youth, two retirees set themselves a ‘no itinerary’ challenge: Can they improvise their way across seven countries?
Super isn’t your only option. These smart strategies can help you self-fund a comfortable retirement.
The actress and her husband, comedy writer Dave McCary, spent more than three years restoring the house, which is one of the priciest properties for sale in the Texas city.
2 min
In 2021, actress Emma Stone purchased a historic estate in Austin, Texas, with a plan to move her family there. Four years later, she has instead decided to put the property on the market.
The actress and her husband, comedy writer Dave McCary, are asking $26.5 million for the newly renovated estate, according to Eric Moreland of Moreland Properties/Forbes Global Properties, one of the listing agents. The 1.25-acre property, located in the upscale Tarrytown neighbourhood, will be among the most expensive on the market in Austin.
Stone and McCary have spent more than three years renovating and restoring the Texas property, Moreland said.
A spokesperson for Stone didn’t respond to requests for comment. Moreland said the couple’s New York business interests have expanded since they started the remodel, and while they hope to live in Austin eventually, it doesn’t make sense for now.
The couple, who are co-founders of the production company Fruit Tree, own a roughly $12 million apartment in lower Manhattan, according to property records. Stone is slated to star in the upcoming contemporary Western film “Eddington.”
It’s unclear what Stone and McCary paid for the Austin property, since Texas is a nondisclosure state . The Georgian-style brick house dates to around 1940, making it one of the oldest estates in the area.
The roughly 10,000-square-foot estate includes a main house with four bedrooms and a two-bedroom guesthouse. The property also has a pool, a hot tub, and a garage with a screening room and entertaining space above.
As part of the renovation, the couple removed, cleaned and reused all the exterior brick. They also reconfigured some of the living spaces, opening the kitchen to the living room for a more modern layout. It took more than a year just to install the millwork in the screening room, said Moreland.
The contractors are now putting the finishing touches on the property, he said.
The “La La Land” actress has a track record of buying and selling her homes for significantly more than she paid. In 2022, she sold her blufftop Malibu, Calif., home for $4.425 million after buying it for $3.25 million in 2018, according to property records.
Last year, she sold her home in L.A.’s Comstock Hills neighbourhood for $4.3 million, significantly more than the $2.3 million she paid in 2019.
Austin saw an influx of new residents during COVID, but many of those are now returning to the East and West coasts, particularly workers in the tech sector.
While the market “has come down to earth a little bit” since the pandemic-era boom, Moreland said, he has seen a number of $20 million-plus deals over the past few months.
Moreland has the listing with colleague Diane Humphreys.
She built a cult global swimwear label worn by Kim Kardashian and Hailey Bieber. Now, Rebecca Klodinsky opens up about the emotional decision to shut it down — and how starting over led to her next big success in ethical luxury.
Hoping to recreate a freewheeling world tour from their youth, two retirees set themselves a ‘no itinerary’ challenge: Can they improvise their way across seven countries?
