Step into this marvellous home and count to 10. Chances are, this is the longest anyone has spent inside the Roubiceks’ house without succumbing to the desire to run outside and explore the incredible outdoor area; the gorgeous view over Sydney’s Pittwater is the undisputed star of this abode.

Anita jokes that “everyone calls us the local church because of the candles. It’s something I really like; rather than a lot of overhead light I prefer natural and mood lighting, which explains the lamps and candles.”

A professional background in construction and interior design gave this innovative young couple the inside edge when they renovated a 1930s home in Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

The move from a modern, one-bedroom inner-city apartment to a three-bedroom Federation home in the Eastern Suburbs was certainly a big transition and a complete lifestyle change for Sergio and Jacqui. However, both of them say they were drawn to this property from the start.

Close to the city but away from it all, treetop living was the answer for this busy family. Looking for a home that was peaceful and central, Michael and his wife Angela were drawn to this secluded property, perched high on a rocky escarpment, for its light and bright living spaces. “Living here is like living on the Central Coast, but I’m literally 15 minutes from work,” Michael says of his home on Sydney’s North Shore.

CONTEMPORARY STYLE

If you’re looking for a holiday in paradise, you can’t go past the glittering waters and stylish lifestyle of South Africa’s coastal city, Capetown. Achim and Shubha Wambach fell in love with the popular tourist destination on their first visit in 2001, and now welcome international visitors to their beautiful holiday house, Aquatic Villa. Danielle Hanrahan talks to them about their enviable home away from home.

Domenico Lopresti, the co-founder of gelato chain Gelatissimo, opens the door to his waterfront sanctuary in Sydney, which boasts expansive view over the sparkling harbour.

It’s little wonder that this home in Sydney’s Darling Island pops with colour and has a summery freshness to it. Its owner is gelato king Domenico Lopresti – the co-founder of Gelatissimo, the gelato chain he started with his brother Marco. The duo’s Italian gelato-making heritage dates back four generations and continues to grow in popularity as each year passes.