OWN A MELBOURNE MASTERPIECE BY BYRON’S RECORD-BREAKING ARCHITECTS
From a record-breaking beach house in Byron to a modern Melbourne dream home, the creative team at Workman Design is turning heads.
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Their exquisite attention to contemporary detail recently earned Melbourne-based architects, Workroom Design, ultimate bragging rights after a home they crafted broke a new price benchmark in Byron Bay.
Now there is a chance for Melbourne design lovers to buy their very own Workroom home in Hawthorn – at half the cost of the Byron pad.
That prestige beach pile just sold for $33.5 million, snapped up by Chemist Warehouse billionaire couple Damien Gance and Sasha Robertson. However, the newly listed Workman creation at 73 Kooyongkoot Rd in Hawthorn is on the market with Kay & Burton Boroondara via an expressions of interest campaign guide of $13 million to $14 million.
The Mediterranean-inspired five-bedroom, six-bathroom residence might be a world away from famed Belongil Beach but the acclaimed architects still met the brief with the same level of expert detail and finishes.
Surrounded by lush landscaping by Ben Scott, the Hawthorn home is a modern marvel with a striking sculptural façade, a thoughtful layout and carefully considered touches from chevron oak herringbone flooring and Italian porcelain tiling, to stucco Veneziano walls, marble surfaces and fluted glass detailing.
Beyond a covered front patio and formal foyer, the large lounge room has a striking black marble fireplace, and across the hall, there is a home office with integrated cabinetry.
Down a glass gallery and north-facing central garden, the rest of the ground-floor layout reveals the everyday family zone. A sleek kitchen hosts a sculptural natural stone island bench, full suite of Wolf appliances, and built-in Sub-Zero refrigeration. A hidden butler’s pantry with all the trimmings has a door to the side garden, offering easy access for caterers.
The adjoining dining and family rooms feature expanses of north-facing windows for loads of natural light, and a covered outdoor room is the perfect spot for all-weather barbecues and alfresco entertaining beside the heated pool.
Further options for gatherings with family and friends include a lower level gold-class home cinema and a custom-designed showcase wine cellar with sculptural curved detailing.
In addition to a guest bedroom on the lower ground floor, the upper accommodation level has four more bedrooms and a multipurpose living room.
Each bedroom has an ensuite and built-in storage, however the palatial main bedroom wing is an oasis with a vast dressing room, a private terrace and a grand bathroom with circular freestanding bath, steam room and custom-designed vanities.
The long list of added extras elevates the house to a dream home, thanks to inclusions such as a lift to all three levels, a six-car garage, hydronic heating, ducted air-conditioning and vacuuming, an alarm, and CCTV surveillance.
Located in the coveted Scotch Hill enclave of Hawthorn, the tree-lined street is characterised by its stately residences and enviable position close to Melbourne’s leading private schools including Scotch College, as well as parklands, transport, and popular shopping precincts such as Camberwell Junction, Glenferrie Road, and Auburn Village.
Expressions of interest for 73 Kooyongkoot Rd, Hawthorn close 3 April at 5pm Scott Patterson, Ross Savas and Jamie Mi of Kay & Burton Boroondara.
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Buyer demand, seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme are setting up a frantic spring, with activity likely to run through Christmas.
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The spring property market is shaping up as the most active in recent memory, according to property experts Two Red Shoes.
Mortgage brokers Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton and Brett Sutton point to a potent mix of pent-up buyer demand, robust seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme as catalysts for a sustained run.
“We’re seeing an unprecedented level of activity, with high auction numbers already a clear indicator of the market’s trajectory,” said Sutton. “Last week, Sydney saw its second-highest number of auctions for the year. This kind of volume, even before the new First Home Guarantee Scheme (FHGS) changes take effect, signals a powerful market run.”
Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton added a note of caution. “While inquiries are at an all-time high, the big question is whether we will have enough stock to meet this demand. The market is incredibly hot, and this could lead to a highly competitive environment for buyers, with many homes selling for hundreds of thousands above their reserve.”
“With listings not keeping pace with buyer demand, buyers are needing to compromise faster and bid harder.”
Two Red Shoes identifies several spring trends. The First Home Guarantee Scheme is expected to unlock a wave of first-time buyers by enabling eligible purchasers to enter with deposits as low as 5 per cent. The firm notes this supports entry and reduces rent leakage, but it is a demand-side fix that risks pushing prices higher around the relevant caps.
Buyer behaviour is shifting toward flexibility. With competition intense, purchasers are prioritising what they can afford over ideal suburb or land size. Two Red Shoes expects the common first-home target price to rise to between $1 and $1.2 million over the next six months.
Affordable corridors are drawing attention. The team highlights Hawkesbury, Claremont Meadows and growth areas such as Austral, with Glenbrook in the Lower Blue Mountains posting standout results. Preliminary Sydney auction clearance rates are holding above 70 per cent despite increased listings, underscoring the depth of demand.
The heat is not without friction. Reports of gazumping have risen, including instances where contract statements were withheld while agents continued to receive offers, reflecting the pressure on buyers in fast-moving campaigns.
Rates are steady, yet some banks are quietly trimming variable and fixed products. Many borrowers are maintaining higher repayments to accelerate principal reduction. “We’re also seeing a strong trend in rent-vesting, where owner-occupiers are investing in a property with the eventual goal of moving into it,” said Jarrett-Dalton.
“This is a smart strategy for safeguarding one’s future in this competitive market, where all signs point to an exceptionally busy and action-packed season.”
Two Red Shoes expects momentum to carry through the holiday period and into the new year, with competition remaining elevated while stock lags demand.
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