Perth home to best houses
Gary Takle is used to travelling around the nation for his role as host of Australia's Best Houses but one place he keeps coming back to is Perth.
In his quest to explore what makes a residence truly special, the presenter and author, who has penned 17 titles in the realm of architecture and design, finds himself journeying to WA from his home in Melbourne once a month to scout out more locations for the series, from the palatial and the ostentatious to the contemporary and the cutting edge.
But no matter the style of architecture involved, Takle says the reason there are so many of these amazing homes in Perth is simple.
"It all comes back to money - if you've got a big budget, you can fit a lot into a house," the expert explains on one of his recent visits to the State.
"Because the budgets are big in WA they have to be more innovative in what they can fit into a house. Everything here is lavish; everything here is over the top."
And this is no more true than on this week's episode of Australia's Best Houses.
It's themed around all things luxury and, not surprisingly, two of the homes featured not only come from WA but also from the same riverside suburb, Dalkeith.
The first is a $12 million modern wonder built by Giorgi Exclusive Homes featuring a unique curved roof and a bounty of high-end specifications.
"It's very modern and contemporary and it stands alone - there's nothing you could say it reminds you of," Takle says of the property.
"When you go inside it's breathtaking, not only because it's an amazing house to walk through but when you get down to the finer details, every little thing has been considered. It has three kitchens - you've got the hidden kitchen where you can make mess away from your guests, then there's the public kitchen which is a bit of a show-off kitchen, and then there's the outdoor kitchen."
The house recently sold to an undisclosed buyer, though Takle reveals Formula One driver and Mark Webber's successor Daniel Ricciardo was one of the parties who inspected the property during filming.
"I don't know whether he was looking at buying it, or he bought it, but he was definitely there," the host said.
In juxtaposition to the sleek modernity of the first house, the second Dalkeith property showcased in the episode steps back in time with its grand, opulent finishings and what Takle calls a "Buckingham Palace-style bedroom fit for royalty".
"From the moment you walk in the door it's almost like you'd expect somebody to take your jacket from you, you'd expect to wear a suit because there's that real sense of occasion to the space," Takle reflects.
"Funnily enough, the build itself was about $3.5-4 million so that is actually quite good value for money."
From homes that serve as airplane hangars to cellars with viewing windows through swimming pools, Takle considers himself lucky to stroll through the creme de la creme of Australian residences.
But he says the show ultimately works due to the generosity of the homeowners who allow the public to peek into their spaces and personal lives.
"Houses are important because that's where people dwell as their sanctuary," Takle says.
"They show the world who they are so it's interesting when you meet the owners because their personalities almost always match the house."
And though all these homes are unique, there is no shortage of properties begging to be featured.
Confirming the show is in talks for another two seasons, Takle adds: "While there are billionaires and millionaires around there are always going to be nice houses."
Australia’s Best Houses airs today at 9.30pm on 7TWO
