Luxury Apartment Spending Sky High
Spending on super-prime apartments has surged in the first half of 2021.
2 min
Sales of luxury apartments worth more than $10 million have risen nearly eightfold during the first half of 2021 when compared to the decade average according to Knight Frank research.
Ultra-rich buyers have splurged more than $650 million in Sydney alone with 67 super-prime luxury apartments changing hands around the country – a steep rise from the 8.7 average annual sales over the past 10 years. Of note, the majority of the transactions were at Crown Residences at One Barangaroo.
Knight Frank defines super-prime properties as the top 1% of each market by value. Around the country that sees a threshold of more than $10 million in Sydney and Melbourne and $7 million in Brisbane, Perth and the Gold Coast.
The recently coined ‘rightsizer’ – those downsizing from stately homes to luxury apartments – tended to target newly built or off-the-plan apartments. However, Sydney differed from the rest of the country where the lack of new stock forced buyers to look at existing builds according to Michelle Ciesielski, Knight Frank’s head of residential research.
“The surge in demand was driven by ultra-wealthy buyers looking for a low maintenance apartment with house-like proportions for entertaining, as well as those seeking a secured luxury apartment residence that can be easily locked up when they jet off for long periods of international travel again next year,” she said.
Higher demand for luxury apartments has lifted values for new apartments by 46% since June 2015 – outperforming the established apartment market which recorded a strong, 31% increase in major cities.
Sydney was the only city that didn’t follow the trend, with the older stock soaring by 48% compared to 30% for new apartments.
Ms Cieselski said apartment values should continue to rise further in the years ahead, with a falling supply forecast.
“In contrast to increasing demand, the pipeline of new apartments in prime regions around Australia will fall by 39% over the next three years across low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise projects, which will mostly be felt in Brisbane and Sydney,” she said.
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3 min
There’s no shortage of design inspiration online but nothing beats the joy of spending an afternoon immersing yourself in a good interior design book. Edited, carefully curated and, above all, designed, these titles take you behind the scenes of some of the world’s most beautiful interiors in a considered way. Think of it like the difference between listening to a few tunes on Spotify versus releasing a thoughtfully crafted studio album. We’ve assembled our top six of interior design books on the market right now for your viewing and reading pleasure.
1. Interiors beyond the primary palette
Step inside the world of award-winning interior design duo Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke in this, their first compendium of their work. A ‘best of’ over more than 15 years working together, it’s a masterclass in working with colour and pattern as seen through 18 projects from around the country. With a focus on the idea of home as sanctuary, this hefty tome offers insight into the mind of the designer with points on where to find inspiration, meeting client briefs and the importance of relationships. Thames & Hudson, $120
2 House of Joy
If there was ever a book title for our times, then this is it. With a subtitle of Playful Homes and Cheerful Living, this book champions fun in interior design, with bold and bright homes from around the world to delight and inspire. While there’s a good dose of the unexpected, like a disco ball in the garden, there’s no mayhem in these spaces. Instead, they’re beautifully executed to tempt even the most colour shy. Gestalten, $105
3. Abigail Ahern Masterclass
Some design books are beautiful to look at, and that’s it. This is not one of those books. A master of colour and pattern, UK designer Ahern offers a practical foundational guide to beautiful interiors, mixing form with function in her latest book, Masterclass. Find the inspiration you need to create a gorgeous home. HarperCollins, $65
4. Interiors Now!
Looking for a visual crash course in international design trends with longevity? This is the book for you. Featuring homes across the globe, from New York to Auckland via Avignon, the biggest dilemma for readers is settling on a style. Many of the projects are owned by designers and creatives, lending a dynamic edge to this tome, now in its 40th year. Taschen, $50
5. Home by the Sea
For many Australians, the ocean holds an almost hypnotic appeal. Home by the Sea by Natalie Walton lets you imagine, for a little while at least, what it’s like living the dream in a beach shack in Byron Bay. The book tours 18 homes in and around the region and the hinterland owned by artists, designers and makers. With photography by Amelia Fullarton, it champions the good life. Hardie Grant, $60
6. The Layered Interior
Released last year, this is the third volume from award-winning interior designer Greg Natale. Different in format from his earlier books, the eight projects featured are Australian but with a slight Euro-centric focus. The writing is conversational, almost intimate, inviting the reader into the most luxurious spaces beautifully captured by photographer Anson Smart. This coffee table tome is perfect for dreamers and doers alike. Rizzoli, $110
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