Car-borne urban sprawl justifiably draws a lot of criticism, but as this roundup of Australian houses with plenty of living space and leafy gardens shows, the appeal of the suburbs can be hard to deny.

Photo by Katherine Lu

Moon House, Sydney, by James Garvan Architecture

Located in the Sydney suburb of Waverley, this all-white house was designed to reference its neoclassical and Federation-style neighbours.

Brightness and airiness were prioritised inside, with pale limestone floor tiles that extend into the back garden and pool area through sliding glass doors.

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Photo by Rory Gardiner

Birdwood, Brisbane, by Peter Besley

Occupied by a multi-generational family, this house meets the street with a simple and largely blank white exterior, screened with a metal mesh that will eventually be covered in foliage.

But at the back, it’s a completely different story, with a separate volume containing a double-height living area and library wrapped in a distinctive perforated facade of terracotta brick.

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Photo by Rory Gardiner

Hedge and Arbour House, Melbourne, by Studio Bright

Architecture practice Studio Bright wrapped this home in a leafy Melbourne neighbourhood with metal mesh screens for climbing plants to shade the interior.

The house is surrounded by substantial walled gardens, with two terraces on either side of a central living, dining and kitchen area.

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Photo by Rory Gardiner

Bangalow Road House, Byron Bay, by Son Studio

There’s a more tropical feel to this house on the coast in Byron Bay, with an external wall of timber louvres referencing traditional wooden beach shacks.

It is composed of three volumes, with a garage and the home’s living areas at ground level and the bedroom block perched on top, helping to ensure privacy without compromising ocean views.

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Photo by Jack Lovel (also top)

Tomich House, Perth, by Mark Jeavons and Ohlo Studio

Originally designed by Bulgarian brutalist Iwan Iwanoff in 1971, this heritage-listed home in City Beach, Perth, was recently restored following a series of alterations over the years.

It has now fully regained the feel of an impressive suburban castle, with multiple balconies, a roof terrace, a back-garden swimming pool and a tennis court.

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Photo by Clinton Weaver

Red Hill House & Studio, Brisbane, by Zuzana & Nicholas

The founders of Australian studio Zuzana & Nicholas transformed a former workers’ cottage in the Red Hill area of Brisbane into their own studio and home.

Like much of Brisbane’s suburbs, the house was built in the Queenslander style – timber-framed and elevated above an open undercroft with a front veranda.

A concrete lower level now houses the studio with bedrooms and living quarters in the space above, including a dining area that can be opened up to look over the garden.

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Photo by Rory Gardiner

Clifton House, Sydney, by Anthony Gill Architects

Lush vegetation combines with fibreglass screens to provide privacy for this home in North Bondi without compromising on interior light and ventilation.

Upstairs, the bedrooms and bathrooms open through sliding doors onto conservatory-style roof gardens, where a bathtub has been nestled among the plants.

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Photo by Rory Gardiner

Quarry House, Melbourne, by Winwood McKenzie

This quaint worker’s cottage in Northcote, Melbourne, has been extended to create a house arranged around two courtyardgardens.

The courtyards and a fernery split the home into three distinct areas, with the aim of facilitating an "indoor-outdoor" lifestyle for the residents.

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Photo courtesy of Splinter Society

Gardener’s House, Melbourne, by Splinter Society

Australian studio Splinter Society designed this house for a pair of avid gardeners, who had wanted to recreate the feel of their previous home in the Victoria countryside.

The architects maximised views out to a luscious garden, with an open - plan living room and dining area opening onto a raised deck with a pergola.

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Photo by Christopher Frederick Jones

Balmoral Hillside House, Brisbane, by Kieron Gait Architects

Named after the Balmoral Hillside suburb of Brisbane, this house was built in the 1990s in the Queenslander style.

A contemporary renovation sought to dissolve the boundaries between inside and out, so that the resident family can get maximum use out of the undercroft space and feel connected to nature.

Find out more about Balmoral Hillside House ›