Contemporary Brighton home transformed by design doyen
Once home to Australia’s kitchenware king, this Brighton residence is now on the market with a $15m–$16.5m price tag.
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Alex Schiavo, James Driver and Jia Teresa Wizel of Kay & Burton Bayside, have listed the contemporary Brighton residence and are asking for expressions of interest by 5pm on September 16.
Brian Davis, founder of the Decor Corporation, lived at the Wolseley Grove home until his passing in 2021. Davis built his humble homewares company from the ground up in the late 1950s, eventually securing lucrative contracts with Coles and Woolworths.
He then went on to sell his award-winning designs around the world and was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia’s Hall of Fame in 1996.
After his estate was sold in 2022 for $8 million, the current owners engaged Frank Macchia of Macchia Design Studio to inject some Byron Bay je ne sais quoi into the then four-bedroom mid century modern house.
Today, the reimagined five-bedroom home on a grand 1630sq m is a private retreat with all the mod cons expected of a 21st century beachside home.
Beyond the double entry doors, the expansive ground floor has been created for quiet contemplation and meaningful gatherings.
The open plan footprint flows via seamless bi-folds to the outdoors, with the layout centred around a reading and conversation space featuring integrated seating and inspired planting.
There is also a fireside sitting area, window seats and a banquette dining zone next to the unique limestone kitchen with its vast island bench, Wolf appliances and large butler’s pantry.
Macchia’s modern touch has introduced Tongue & Groove oak floors, sand-laced wall render, fluted windows, custom made concrete basins, designer lighting and bespoke joinery throughout.
Additional entertainment areas on the lower level include a separate media room and the north-facing landscaped backyard complete with a family-friendly heated pool and spa. There is also a decadent outdoor spa, self-contained poolside pavilion and gym with a space for a sauna.
While four bedrooms with ensuites and a dedicated study space sit on the entry level, the first floor is home to a palatial suite with a lounge area and bedroom featuring a yard-facing balcony, walk-in wardrobe and a twin-basin ensuite with multiple skylights.
The new-look Brighton residence also has a big wine cellar with tasting table, a large laundry, an attic storage space, reverse-cycle heating and cooling, comprehensive camera security, bore-water irrigation, a substantial wine cellar, a lower-level powder room, and undercover parking for at up to three cars.
A unique Brighton property, the Wolseley Grove house is close to Church and Hampton streets, sought after schools, Sandbelt fairways, city trains, the Bay Trail, and Brighton Beach.
Listed with Kay & Burton Bayside, 3 Wolseley Grove is on the market via an expressions of interest campaign closing on September 16.
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A landmark Watsons Bay residence formerly owned by businessman Mark Bouris has returned to the market, bringing one of the harbourside village’s most distinctive homes back into play.
The five-bedroom property at 23 Robertson Place occupies 654 square metres opposite Robertson Park, within footsteps of Watsons Bay Beach, the ferry wharf and the celebrated restaurants lining the foreshore.
Its position places the home at the centre of one of Sydney’s most recognisable harbour villages, yet its substantial proportions, private outdoor areas and garaging give it a degree of separation rarely found so close to the waterfront.
The residence was previously owned by Bouris, the founder of Wizard Home Loans and chairman of Yellow Brick Road. Property records show it last changed hands in November 2013 for $7 million, having sold for $890,000 in 1995.
That 2013 transaction was handled by prestige agent Bill Malouf through Highland Double Bay. Bouris was the vendor when the home last sold.
Architect Malcolm Sholl designed the contemporary residence around a fluid connection between its interiors and outdoor entertaining areas. Extensive glazing draws natural light into the principal rooms, while district views take in the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Travertine flooring extends through the principal living areas and out towards the terraces, reinforcing the relationship between the home and its coastal setting.
At the centre of the residence is a marble kitchen equipped with Gaggenau gas appliances and an integrated Miele coffee machine. It connects to expansive open-plan living and dining areas designed for both family life and large-scale entertaining.
Five double bedrooms are accompanied by three bathrooms and a guest powder room. Informal living spaces include a home cinema.
Outside, there’s a 23-metre lap pool and an alfresco entertainer’s terrace. Internal access from the garage and accommodation for four cars are especially valuable in the tightly held village location.
The address also carries an unusual fragment of local architectural history. Woollahra planning material identifies portions of an early Victorian cottage dating from about 1839 within the contemporary three-storey residence, placing the property within the wider Watsons Bay heritage conservation area.
The home made headlines for another reason in January 2025, when a Ferrari left the road and struck the property. Two occupants of the vehicle were taken to hospital following the incident.
The Agency’s Ben Collier has a $20 million guide.
Watsons Bay remains one of Sydney’s smallest and most tightly held prestige markets. There have only been two house sales in the suburb so far in 2026. The suburb record was set late last year when yachtie Linda Goddard paid $35.5 million for a Pacific Street waterfront.
The sports-car maker delivered 279,449 cars last year, down from 310,718 in 2024.
When the Writers Festival was called off and the skies refused to clear, one weekend away turned into a rare lesson in slowing down, ice baths included.
