I Own Australia’s Best Home

If you hadn’t noticed, there’s a fair bit of property porn on the telly right now.

The newest addition is I Own Australia’s Best Home, a 10 part series produced by FremantleMedia Australia, featuring interior designers Gillian Khaw and Tim Leveson, and architect Nick Tobias showcasing 3 weekly houses.

There are two key factors that give this show a point of difference from others in the genre. One is that the audience are asked to choose their favourite house each week for an ultimate series prize. The second, and most interesting, is that the presenters stay overnight as a house guest with the owners.

This single choice opens the show up to a lot more than a ‘sticky beak’ because they are embedded into a living experience, and it shows in their presenting.

Khaw, Leveson, and Tobias have a ‘Studio HQ’ base at which they discuss the aspects of each home and debate its attributes. With each aligned with a different property there is a sense of friendly competition amongst them. Our experts also give us “How To Get The Look” tips on replicating design styles.

The first home featured is a rambling 1920 homestead in Federal, near Byron Bay on a huge 40 acres. Tim Leveson (pictured, right) is impressed with owner Melinda’s (left) renovations to create “a respite from the world.” The family have a fabulous idyllic upbringing for their two boys, with plenty of outdoor play spaces (including their own hedge maze!). But it is the inside full of white, airy spaces, wicker, mahogany and campaign furniture that lights up his eyes. That is until he sips Moet champagne in the evening to the sound of distant frogs and crickets. You’d swear this ebullient presenter had one too many as he falls into bed still dropping adjectives.

In coastal Waitpinga, South Australia, Nick Tobias meets Barbara and Gray whose eco-friendly Aussie “tin shed” home rises from the ground. Surrounded by 85 acres (yep that’s 85!), water views and Aussie bush, it is modern but observing sustainability. Off the grid, it is powered by solar. This home plays host to extended family, with Barbara (who has a touch of the Maggie Beers about her) keen to facilitate
“Australian children in the landscape.” A second storey ply bunkroom is even a spot for occasional whale watching. Nick joins the family in some local yabbie catching and in the morning even steps out of the shower to tell us about his overnight stay. That’s commitment.

Lastly, Gillian visits a heritage listed 19th century sandstone home in Mosman. This impressive three storey building is home to former hotel manager Karen who is now its sole occupant, following a family divorce (at least she got the house!). She has worked meticulously to combine French Provincial with Australian colonial here, including as its gardener, in what is clearly a labor of love. Telling us “the house has looked after me” during her recovery, it helps us understand how one person can stay attached to a house that is clearly too big for its owner.

Given that money is evidently not in shortage for these home owners, the series winner of Australia’s Best Home will win $30,000 for charity. For viewers it balances enough Grand Designs architectural, with the flavour of the families behind each home. There was one minimalist reference to a sponsor but not enough to detract from its lifestyle attributes.

I Own Australia’s Best Home airs 8:30pm Wednesday on LifeStyle Home.