What does designing with a sunshine state of mind look like? The obvious starting point would be to reference the sub-tropical climate and how Queensland’s multi-res developments have perfected indoor-outdoor living over the past 20 years. And while all levels of the market have adapted their designs to this model in one way to another, ‘obvious’ isn’t a word that speaks to premium customers, so what are they looking for in 2025?
Penny Barclay, V-ZUG’s Queensland Business Development Manager, has worked in the region for over 10 years and sees developers at the luxury end continually raising the bar to offer something fresh to customers, who are often repeat purchasers.
“Developers need to elevate their specification and the design on new projects. It’s important that they offer something new to their customers as a point of difference,” says Barclay.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Kent Pinel, Design Director at Spyre Group, a Brisbane-based development company which has become a key player in the Queensland luxury market for creating personalised sanctuaries that exemplify innovation in design, while celebrating the details of fine craftsmanship.
“It’s actually a realization of apartment living,” says Pinel. “We’re breaking down apartments to be much more about catering for people to live in them full-time. We’re after a lasting impression; for someone to spend large amounts of time in – and have a huge amount of pride in – their residence. To invite people over to be involved in a space that is a beautiful curation of interiors.”
When it came to specifying appliances at Cala Dei, the group’s recently completed (and sold out) 27-apartment development overlooking the Gold Coast’s Greenmount Beach, Spyre partnered with V-ZUG for the brand’s unique offering of understated aesthetics, excellence in innovation and quality manufacturing.
“Design fit is critical to us, so the aesthetic of the appliances needs to work with these beautiful apartments we’re presenting,” says Pinel. “We look for top of the line, cutting-edge, thoughtful appointments. V-ZUG offers simple, very minimalist designs that provide a backdrop for people to then embellish their homes. We really liked their induction cooktops that incorporated the downdraft extraction, so we could end up with very generous bench spaces and kitchens that weren’t encumbered by rangehoods. And the fact that these appliances come with a 10 year warranty almost immediately has the buyers paying attention.”
Not far away in Northcliffe, Frank Developments’ Mira apartments are coming out of the ground, comprising 11 multi-level, absolute beachfront residences and a three-level penthouse,all taking advantage of a premium location and maximising the sub-tropical climate with natural light and ventilation. Craftsmanship is a key consideration here as well, and the company has a cohort of repeat buyers who have come to expect luxury with a difference from Founder and Managing Director Frank Licastro and his team. This includes an apartment where clean lines and quality details provide longevity, and where smart technology has a place but doesn’t overcomplicate the apartment. V-ZUG met this brief on both scores.
“We find timeless design is something that futureproofs a development,” says Licastro. “The Swiss design ethos aligns well with Frank. as a brand, but especially at Mira where the appliances are seamlessly integrated. In terms of details, we started with a colour palette and used V-ZUG’s pearl mirror glass finish throughout kitchens in the whole building, to tie back to the natural timbers and travertine stone used in the interiors. Residents had the option to modify that selection, but interestingly, not one chose to. V-ZUG also has some great tech across their appliances, but we have to be mindful of all our demographics.”
The ability to use a V-ZUG appliance either in an automatic or switch to a manual mode met this need. Licastro says that appliances are one of the first things raised by prospective buyers in meetings and that he is always keen to listen.
“They’re already thinking about the placement of all items from the bin to the dishwasher,” says Licastro. “It’s always those insights and feedback about functionality, about how people live and operate in a space, that helps us get better and keep moving forward with the next project.” “At this top end of the market, buyers want the space to reflect their lifestyle, instead of just being the same as their neighbour’s apartment. We see a lot of this customisation, and V-ZUG offers the right suite for them to adjust their choices to their needs if they wish to.”
In her day to day role liaising with developers, Barclay is well-versed in providing packages that offer this flexibility, understanding that clients “need to tinker with the designs a bit each time so that it doesn’t look exactly like last time, or the next apartment”. And like Pinel, she’s also noticing that developments are responding to the fact that their target buyers are spending more time at home and expanding the range of activities they do there.
“More recently wellness has really come into the picture; most luxury projects here are now putting in saunas, ice baths, yoga decks and the like,” she says. “Green roofs are also big here in Queensland, and private dining is another huge feature. So we’re seeing our product getting specified into those a lot as well, with residents hiring chefs to come in to cater a dinner party, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase the entire range. I love being part of seeing these projects come to life. It’s great – there’s always a lot of different facets to it.”
To the north in Brisbane, Skye by Pikos is almost complete and CEO Michele Wooldridge concurs with Barclay.
“Wellness is becoming such a huge factor: saunas, steam rooms, hot and cold plunge pools,” says Wooldridge. “People are becoming very clear on what they want to prioritize and spend their money on; they aren’t really buying into the gadgets and the fads anymore, but want that quality of lifestyle. But I think just as important as wellness, is connection and community.”
Pikos is also partnering with V-ZUG on the forthcoming Gaia project and the appeal of the Swiss brand extends beyond aesthetics, functionality and the warranty – Woodridge says they have also taken advantage of V-ZUG’s Gourmet Academy for community building events for residents.
“We did an interactive with our team around V-ZUG – because we specify these high-end finishes and appliances, we all wanted to just learn for ourselves, what are the benefits of these products [like the combi-steamer] and it was an amazing experience. And so we wanted to curate that for the residents as well, one around demonstrating the use of the appliances, but also a way for people to come together at a cooking class, ahead of settlement, to start getting them excited about what they’re moving into.”
V-ZUG’s combination of appliance excellence, above-and-beyond service and a sector leading warranty is clearly a winning one for this cohort of developers, helping them to raise the bar to new heights in the luxury multi-residential market in Queensland.