The Australian actor originally purchased the pad in 2006 for $745,000
Cate Blanchett’s Victorian property has been transformed into a stunning contemporary home. Photo: Domain
She is known for her elegance, sense of style and, of course, an esteemed career in Hollywood, but it seems Australian sweetheart Cate Blanchett has an equally discerning eye when it comes to design. The actor and her director/playwright husband Andrew Upton have just listed their three-bedroom property in Melbourne’s Prahran, and it oozes everything we love about her.
Bordering Victoria Gardens in one of Melbourne’s most prized locales, reports show that the freestanding Victorian-style home was snapped up by the couple back in 2006 — the same year Cate’s role in Notes on a Scandal earned her an Oscar nomination — for a (these days, laughable) $745,000.
The garden even enjoys its own private (and secure) access to the two hectares of neighbouring Victoria Gardens. Photo: Domain
It has since undergone a sleek transformation at the hands of Sydney-based practice Alwill Architecture, who introduced a split-level sunken living area with polished concrete floors and a contemporary open-plan stainless steel kitchen. Floor-to-ceiling bi-fold doors frame views of the leafy gardens outside, which include a decked entertaining area, water feature and private access to the neighbouring two hectares of Victoria Gardens.
While Cate may have grown up in Melbourne, the actor and her family of five moved to the United Kingdom in 2017 where they purchased Highwell House, a historic English manor in East Sussex, for £3 million (roughly AUD$5.8 million). In the same year, they sold their 1877 landmark trophy home in Sydney’s Hunter’s Hill, known as Bulwarra, for $18 million.
The rear extension of the Victorian home is clad in red timber that has aged and patinaed perfectly over the years. Photo: Domain
On the market: Cate Blanchett’s stylish home in Melbourne’s Prahran has been listed by Rae Mano, Jamie Mi and Ada Taylor of Kay & Burton with a price guide of between $2.25 million to $2.45 million, and an auction is currently set for Saturday, March 9.
Find the full listing here.
Words: Emma Breislin
See inside Cate Blanchett’s stylishly contemporary Prahran home
A sunken living space with polished concrete floors marks a contemporary addition to the Victorian home. Photo: Domain
With its contemporary furnishings, the home oozes the sophisticated sartorial effortlessness that Cate is known for. Photo: Domain
Black floor-to-ceiling bi-fold doors in the open-plan living area beautifully frame the leafy garden beyond. Photo: Domain
Whether used as a secondary living area, home office or kids’ playroom, the second-storey landing is flooded with light and has plenty of potential. Photo: Domain
The fully-tiled bathroom on the bottom level of the home has plenty of storage and a timeless look. Photo: Domain
The main bedroom at the front of the home has floor-to-ceiling sheers and double doors that open out onto a private verandah and courtyard. Photo: Domain
Open the doors to the deck and private garden and the trees of the neighbouring Victoria Gardens almost within touching distance. Photo: Domain
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