Regional Growth Outstrips Capital Cities
While Sydney and Melbourne slows, the regions forge ahead.
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The ascent of Australian housing values is slowing, with the CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index showing a 1% rise in December 2021, following a 1.3% lift in November.
The softening monthly growth rate — which was as high as 2.8% in March 2021 — is an indication of mixed results across Australian capital cities and regional Australia.
Brisbane, Adelaide and regional Queensland are the only locales where value growth hasn’t slowed.
Brisbane recorded a 2.9% jump in housing values to hold a median dwelling value of $683,552, while Adelaide grew 2.6% month-on-month with a median dwelling value of $569,882.
By comparison, Melbourne saw housing values dip 0.1% in the last month of 2021 while Sydney only recorded a 0.3% rise.
Sydney’s median dwelling value is now $1.098 million — Melbourne’s sits at $795,108.
Away from the capital cities, housing values across regional Australia rose 2.2% in December 2021 — the highest in nine months.
Housing values across regional Australia have lifted 32%, compared to the 20% jump across the combined capitals. The strongest regional markets are found in NSW (29.8%) and Tasmania (29.5%).
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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
A “starchitect” name adds to a building’s allure—and how much an apartment may sell for.
