Marvellous Melbourne murals: Unique street art draws in buyers as Rone rooftop terrace goes on sale

Hopetoun Park Pixar house: Home with feature walls of movie scenes sells

Even movie star Chris Hemsworth is getting in on the action, hiring Indigenous artist Otis Hope Carey to create a gigantic piece at his Byron Bay mansion.

An iconic St Kilda West townhouse with a facade bearing a Pamela Anderson portrait was briefly up for sale last year with a $2.3m-$2.4m asking range

Formerly owned by Sam Newman, the home was withdrawn from the market in June.

The facade of the famous Pamela Anderson house in St Kilda West.

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Chris Hemsworth hired Indigenous artist Otis Hope Carey to create a mural in his Byron Bay mansion. Picture: Instagram.

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Developers are catching onto the trend, including the East Brunswick Village apartment project, where Banco Group have spent more than $400,000 commissioning local artists to liven up walls with works referencing the area’s history, community and urban environment.

Mars Gallery boss Andy Dinan, a cultural consultant on the village, who also connects homeowners wanting murals with artists, said that as demand for such work grew, so too did the amount people were prepared to pay for the art.

“I’ve done everything from $5000 to $50,000,” Ms Dinan said.

“We call them ‘murals’ as sometimes people confuse ‘street art’ with ‘tagging’, which can be ugly.”

A Kenny Pittock mural at the Mars Gallery and apartment building in Chapel St, Windsor. Photo: Supplied.

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Mars Gallery director and founder Andy Dinan. Picture: Supplied.

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The Windsor building that is home to her gallery and three floors of apartments has privately-funded paste-ups by Lars Breuer and Robert Hague and outdoor Kenny Pittock-painted murals commissioned by the Chapel St Precinct as part of a wider public art project.

“People come from all over the world to see them,” Chapel St Precinct chief executive Chrissie Maus said.

Artworks installed at the East Brunswick Village development.

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Street artist Elle creating a mural inside the hallways of the Banco Group’s East Brunswick Village in 2020.

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A paste-up on the Village building. Paste-ups are usually stuck onto a building using an adhesive and broom or other tools.

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Founder and chief executive of the Book An Artist website, Gaurav Kawar, said inquiries about murals at private homes had risen about 50 per cent year-on-year since 2019.

Mr Kawar said this was driven by people staying at home more during Covid and wanting to brighten up their living spaces.

“We get a lot of interest from homeowners wanting something different and unique,” Mr Kawar said.

Prices for a garage mural start at about $1000 and increase depending on the work’s size and complexity, plus an artist’s experience, he added.

31 Quarry Hills Drive is Berwick’s oldest homestead.

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Adorning the dining room wall is a mural dating back to 1963, drawn by famous Australian artist Russell Drysdale.

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David and Diana Nutter are selling the house. Picture: Andrew Henshaw.

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However, Advantage Property Consulting director Frank Valentic said he would usually advise sellers to keep their homes “very generic and don’t go outside the square too much”.

He said that not everyone loved murals or colourful feature walls, making a neutral palette the safest bet for most homes on the market.

“You want to appeal to five buyers, you don’t want to appeal to one,” Mr Valentic said.

The warehouse-style apartment at 51A O’Connell St, North Melbourne, is located in the former Allen’s Sweets factory.

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Inside the home, which features exposed brick walls, Jarrah floors, double-pane casements, a main bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, home office and concrete kitchen.

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Artist Rone at his exhibition titled Time, at Flinders Street Station. Picture: Andrew Henshaw.

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A warehouse-style, two-bedroom apartment at 51A O’Connell St, North Melbourne, featuring a Rone mural on the rooftop terrace is for sale with a $1.595m price tag.

Jellis Craig Fitzroy partner Charlie Atkins said the piece had attracted “artistic buyers” including designers and architects.

“It’s pretty spectacular viewing with the vista across North Melbourne and the city,” Mr Atkins said.

The house at 23 Trooper Drive, Aintree, is located in the Woodlea Estate.

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The house has a theatre handpainted with famous movie characters, superheroes and cartoon characters.

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Ray White Deer Park agent Leigh Grixti has the listing for a four-bedroom house at 23 Trooper Drive, Aintree – with a $105m-$1.15m asking range – where the home theatre has a handpainted mural including superheroes and cartoon characters.

Mr Grixti said the homeowners had commissioned the artwork as they spent a lot of time in the room watching films with their young children.

“Due to the entertainment factor and mural on the walls, I think it has got a few more buyers though,” Mr Grixti said.

10 Mary St, Essendon, features three bedrooms, a guest powder room, home office, study alcove, open-plan living and dining area and kitchen with a suite of Bosch appliances …

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… and an outdoor floral mural.

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The artwork can be seen through the home’s doors and windows.

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In Berwick, a mural dating back to 1963 by famous Australian artist Russell Drysdale – plus a bathroom fired-tile painting by Clifton Pugh – are up for grabs within the walls of 31 Quarry Hills Drive.

In the city’s northwest, a house with a backyard floral mural at 10 Mary St, Essendon, with $1.5m-$1.6m price hopes.

Matthews’ Moonee Valley chief executive John Matthews said finding homes with murals was still rare.

“I’ve sold over 1000 properties, and this is only the second one with a mural,” Mr Matthews said.

“People go and take photos of the art in Melbourne’s laneways, it (murals in houses) might become a new fad.”

The townhouse at 33D Emma St, Seddon, features a garage entry into the home.

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A local artist completed the garage mural.

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Jas Stephens Real Estate Yarraville agent Jade Silcock said a $965,000 townhouse at 33D Emma St, Seddon, boasting a garage mural and neon light-up sign was making a positive impression on buyers.

“People like the concept, it’s got a great vibe,” Ms Silcock said.

Public and exhibiting artist Abbey Rich, who also paints murals at private properties, said they offered people the chance to have a one-of-a-kind, deeply personal piece of art.

“I think it’s kind of similar to someone getting a tattoo,” Rich said.