Trophy homes: David Hicks designs a sale in Melbourne

Melbourne interior designer David Hicks has sold his Melbourne apartment that he designed from scratch.

The Trawalla Estate in Toorak.

Melbourne interior designer David Hicks has sold his Melbourne apartment that he designed from scratch. The St Kilda Road apartment is in the Elenberg Fraser-designed Morry Schwartz development. Hicks designed the “lock and leave” three-bedroom apartment after paying $2,975,000 in 2007. The apartment displayed the style of an interior designer with Hicks showcasing his collection of vintage, antique and modern furniture and art. Terraces lead off every room of the apartment. Hicks previously said he loved apartment living, and suggested the contained spaces meant owners could often go a little more glamorous than they would with a house. Kay & Burton South Yarra agent Damon Krongold sold the home after 90 days. They had sought $3.5 million.

New owner for Toorak home

One of the first homes built in the Trawalla Estate in Toorak has been sold by the Tuckfield family. Built in the 1920s for the Gullett family, the Arts and Crafts-style home is set in a Paul Bangay-designed country garden with pool. Their renovation followed the philosophy of William Morris, replicating the intricate detail from solid timber internal doors to hardwood panelling. The Tuckfields paid $3.1m for the four-bedroom home on 1800sq m in 2001. The grounds are divided and circulate around artisan crafted rock walls and terraces handmade from reclaimed cathedral yorkstone flags from Ireland, a domed central fountain and pond. Kay & Burton has not revealed the price, but it is understood to have fetched upwards of $13m when bought by Na Lu.

Ron’s ‘crazy’ rent offer

Entrepreneur Ron Bakir, the founder and CEO of HomeCorp Group, is offering six weeks rent-free for a tenant for his investment property near Rockhampton in Queensland. The Zilzie four-bedroom home cost Bakir $290,000 in 2010. It is priced at $290 a week for a 12-month lease, well below its peak $410-a-week rental in 2012. Bakir, who established the mobile phone chain Crazy Ron, hit national headlines when he bankrolled Schapelle Corby’s defence when she was imprisoned in Bali in 2005. He has just found a tenant for a Surfers Paradise investment. Bakir’s lavish Chevron Renaissance penthouse remains on the market through Michael Kollosche. The sprawling two-level penthouse has four bedrooms, a wine-tasting area, gym and sauna.

Conductor’s hopes hit flat note

The Parkville apartment of the late conductor Richard Divall failed to sell at weekend auction. It now comes with a $1.75m asking price, having been passed in at $1.56m. Affectionately known as Radio Parkville due to its buzzing music scene, the apartment has hosted an array of musicians over the years. The three-bedroom apartment in the Fender Katsalidis-designed Arcadia building cost Divall $491,800 in 1999. Two of the bedrooms offer private balconies while a wrap-around entertainers terrace overlooks the Royal Park. Nelson Alexander agent Nicholas Westare has the offering. Divall was the longtime music director of the Victoria State Opera.

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