Step inside a collection of Australian homes designed for entertaining family and friends, lifting cues from some of our favourite hospitality venues.
For the love of good food and company, we’ve brought together five homes that are designed for the ultimate host. From a Brighton home complete with a designated dance floor to a home in Sydney’s Northern Beaches with its own outdoor bar, each home takes the term ‘party house’ to a new level.
Spanish Queen House by Robson Rak
Robson Rak’s Spanish Queen House in Melbourne’s Brighton is a celebration of Spanish mission architecture and 1920s splendour. The design team at Robson Rak restored the exterior through a 1920s Hollywood lens with Spanish terracotta roof tiling, rendered white stucco and twisted columns – a signature Mediterranean feature – framing the grand entrance.
Inside, Robson Rak imbued the home with a luxurious palette to reconnect with its century-old bones; Travertine, Carrara marble and plush, jewel-like velvets. The standout feature of the home is undoubtedly the bar, inspired by a 1920’s speakeasy that greets guests at the entryway under the stairwell, allowing for a cocktail on arrival before making your way into the main event.
The tossB Tribe Pendant atop the Featherston Scape Dining Chair by Grant Featherston for Grazia&Co. in Cove House by Decus Interiors.
Cove House by Decus Interiors
In Decus Interiors’ Cove House, the open kitchen, living and dining room take centre stage, positioned at the rear of the home. Spanning 13 metres, the living space opens up onto the generous terrace through full-height glazed doors, complete with an outdoor bar and pizza oven.
Reflecting the client’s love of hosting, a secondary work area is hidden behind the main kitchen bench, equipped with a pantry, wine fridge, sink and bespoke v-groove cabinetry designed by Decus Interiors. It’s the bespoke green marble credenza in the main living space that commands the most attention, separating the open area from the grand piano – a dignified piece in any avid entertainer’s home.
The Mood Club Chair and Natal Alu Sofa by Studio Segers for Tribu in Cove House by Decus Interiors.
The Bambola armchair and Bambouff pouf designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia in Brighton Residence by Golden.
The Surface Wall Sconce by Henry Wilson and ‘Palm jungle’ wallpaper by Cole & Son in Brighton Residence by Golden.
Brighton Residence by Golden
Designed for a client ‘looking for the spectacular’, interior designers Golden and architect Luke Seidler have redefined the typical entertainer’s home in their Brighton project. As part of the brief, the client asked the Golden team to avoid using plasterboard where possible, informing the thorough use of linear timber panelling, art-deco wallpaper and gold marble.
Influenced by Hollywood’s Golden Era, the basement bar steals the show in this home, complete with a dance floor and evoking a cinematic experience through the subterranean brass-framed pool window. It’s here where emerald velvet carpet, caramel leather banquette seating and palm tree motif wallpaper are beautifully layered and finished with ambient gold wall lights and an illuminated onyx bar. Conceived as a ‘venue’ within the home, the bar enjoys all the hallmarks of a regular bar and stands alone from the rest of the home.
St Ninians by Mim Design
St Ninians in Melbourne by Mim Design and architect Ben Robertson is a striking contemporary home for a family of four, designed for flexible entertaining and functional family living. The design team have managed to make way for a music room, lavish formal lounge and pool cabana outside, despite the home’s small scale.
The kitchen, dining room and living room open up directly to the outdoor cooking and living area. Here, children can play in the pool with constant supervision from the parents nearby in a comfortable and inherently welcoming setting.
The Pink Satin Twisted Form sculpture, designed by Anya Pesce in Malvern Residence by Doherty Design Studio.
Malvern Residence by Doherty Design Studio
Doherty Design Studio’s Malvern Residence sees the reincarnation of a 1980s Peter McIntyre home, reinvented through playful colours, sculptural forms and geometric shapes. Upon entering the simple facade, the home slowly reveals a series of tailored spaces that open onto one another.
The revised layout of the home has been carefully considered to allow for seamless and flexible entertaining. All within close proximity to one another, the kitchen, dining space and built-in bar occupy the far left portion of the home, while the private, more formal areas are contained at the front of the building. The cohesive design narrative continues through to the outdoor area equipped with sunken conversation and fire pit and a separate pool pavilion; bringing a sense of Palm Springs’ Mid-Century Modern scene to suburban Melbourne.
