Property of the week: 23 Barr St, Balmain
An extraordinary warehouse conversion in the inner west delivers in spades on luxury living
3 min
Artist Sandra Leveson is known for her luminescent paintings and prints, embracing vibrant colours and abstract textures in her work. So it comes as no surprise that her private home and studio of the last four decades has been a grand converted warehouse brimming with natural light and oodles of open space.
The one-time chemical warehouse in Sydney’s inner west is an extraordinary urban transformation blending a raw industrial palette with a savvy floorplan to create a unique work-from-home experience. Simultaneously a home, a studio and a gallery, Leveson’s Balmain bolthole is a testament to her artistic legacy and creative mind.
Selling agent Danny Cobden of Cobden Hayson, who is taking the property to market with a $7 million price guide, said the rare listing is an opportunity for a buyer with vision.
“It’s such a truly unique offering for Balmain. Warehouse residences do come up, but they’re pretty rare and this particular one hasn’t been to market in about 40 years,” he said.
“This is certainly very liveable as is, but it’s also an extraordinary blank canvas for somebody new to come in and put their own stamp on it.”
Measuring 535sqm of internal living space, the residence sits on a 573sqm block incorporating ample room for outdoor entertaining, storage and parking. The former atelier features a striking 29m-long facade with a dramatic sawtooth roofline providing spectacular double-height vaulted ceilings and plenty of floor space. Elevated steel-framed windows, exposed steel beams and a contemporary mezzanine upper level layout are reminiscent of Manhattan’s coveted lofts but rarely seen in Sydney.
The vast open plan ground floor space is anchored by a huge L-shaped entertaining gallery and living room punctuated by a central fireplace. While the high roof line and cavernous space are showstoppers in themselves, the piece de resistance is the 11m by 3m pool and private sundeck sitting at centre stage in a rooftop terrace visible from almost every corner of the property. Under the pool, there is hidden storage, as well as a laundry.
The commercial-grade eat-in kitchen has stainless steel surfaces and appliances and the ground floor also houses one bedroom with an ensuite, plus a self-contained one-bedroom apartment.
Up on the second level, two open plan bedrooms overlook the gallery space with two bathrooms, a dressing room and a second living area.
Additional amenities include a secure lock-up garage with a 3m clearance and loading bay, off-street parking and a lush tropical entry garden. The quiet cul de sac position tucked behind Darling St is close to Ann Cashman Reserve.
The Balmain warehouse has a price guide of $7 million and is on the market with Cobden Hayson via expressions of interest, closing September 25. For more information contact Cobden Danny Cobden on 0411 144 210.
Porsche has revealed a one-off 911 GT2 RS that brings the extraordinary silhouette of its 935/78 “Moby Dick” racing car onto the road. Created by Porsche Sonderwunsch with Manthey, the commission began with a near-new GT2 RS. The owner requested greater performance, a Slantnose profile and a rear wing influenced by the limited 911 GT3 …
Continue reading “Porsche Builds a Road-Going “Moby Dick” From a 911 GT2 RS”
The 1860s Darlinghurst mansion Stoneleigh could become Sydney’s most expensive home ever sold under the hammer when it goes to auction. Clint Ballard is giving buyers a $28 million guide for the heritage-listed mansion on Darley Street, opposite Iona, the former home of Hollywood royalty Baz Luhrmann. Stoneleigh is being offered for sale for the …
3 min
At the northern tip of Point Piper, hidden from the street and positioned directly on Sydney Harbour, “Radford” combines cinematic views, rare waterfront access and a fascinating connection to one of Australia’s most storied estates.
The five-bedroom residence occupies land once belonging to Paradis Sur Mer, the celebrated three-block waterfront estate that made Australian property history in 1982. The original mansion became the country’s first home reported to have sold for more than $5 million—and may also have inspired one of its fastest and most profitable resales.
Property developer and yachtsman Bernard Lewis purchased the estate at auction for $5.25 million, only to sell it within hours to English betting magnate and thoroughbred breeder Robert Sangster. Lewis reportedly made a $500,000 profit in the process.
Sangster renamed the property Toison D’Or—French for “Golden Fleece” and the name of one of his racehorses—and established it as a Sydney base with his then-wife, Susan. The estate subsequently changed hands and identities again, becoming Paradis Sur Mer, or “Paradise on the Sea”, during Susan’s marriage to financier Sir Frank Renouf.
After another headline-making sale near the peak of Sydney’s late-1980s property boom, the original mansion was eventually demolished and the waterfront holding subdivided. “Radford” now stands on one of those prized parcels, carrying a thread of that extraordinary history into the present day.
Harbour views take centre stage
Designed by award-winning architect Victor Berk and constructed in the early 1990s, the three-level modernist residence has been planned around its exceptional position.
Panoramic views stretch from the Sydney Harbour Bridge across Shark Island and Rose Bay to Manly. A prized northerly aspect fills the home with natural light, while bedrooms and living spaces open to decks, balconies and terraces overlooking the water.
The main living areas flow to a broad alfresco entertaining terrace, sunny swimming pool and level harbourfront lawn. Beyond the garden, a private jetty completes the quintessential Sydney waterfront lifestyle.
Inside, generous proportions make the home equally suited to private family life and large-scale entertaining. The formal dining area can accommodate up to 14 guests, while a Gaggenau-appointed kitchen incorporates an island, walk-in pantry and casual breakfast area opening to the poolside deck.
A fireplace anchors the principal living space, complemented by high ceilings, travertine floors and expansive glazing that keeps the harbour present throughout the home.
A private sanctuary on every level
The main bedroom is accompanied by two walk-in wardrobes, a sitting area and an ensuite featuring a spa bath, separate shower and twin basins. Three further bedrooms each have an ensuite, while a gym with its own kitchenette, built-in storage and bathroom can serve as a fifth bedroom or private guest retreat.
Additional spaces include a fitted home office, an upper-level family area, sauna, two powder rooms and a substantial laundry. A lift connects all three levels, and the central staircase sits beneath an atrium-style glass roof fitted with an electric retractable blind.
Ducted and zoned air-conditioning, extensive storage and a security alarm add everyday practicality. Internal access leads to an oversized secure double garage, with additional driveway parking.
Set in an elite cul-de-sac on one of Australia’s most prestigious waterfront streets, “Radford” is close to Lady Martins Beach, Prince Edward Yacht Club, the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Rose Bay’s marinas and leading schools. Double Bay’s restaurants, boutiques and village amenities are only minutes away.
It is an exceptional harbourfront residence in its own right—but its connection to the record-breaking Paradis Sur Mer estate gives it a place within the wider story of Sydney real estate.
Property details
Address: Wolseley Road, Point Piper, NSW
Bedrooms: Five, including a flexible gym or guest suite
Bathrooms: Five, plus two powder rooms
Parking: Oversized double garage and additional driveway space
Key features: Northerly aspect, panoramic harbour views, private jetty, swimming pool, level waterfront lawn, lift, sauna, home office and Gaggenau kitchen
Architect: Victor Berk
Agents: Michael Pallier, Sydney Sotheby’s & Brad Pillinger, Pillinger
A haven for hedge-fund titans and Hollywood grandees, Greenwich is one of the world’s most expensive residential enclaves, where eye-watering prices meet unapologetic grandeur.
From warmer neutrals to tactile finishes, Australian homes are moving away from stark minimalism and towards spaces that feel more human.
