The homes for sale that cater to every season in Canberra and the surrounding NSW regions

Outdoor spaces are equally as important as indoor ones, which ramps up the need to ensure they are accessible year-round.

Craig Cooper of Cooper Coastal Properties in Milton, who lists this week’s Dolphin Point cover property, says the unique Nordic barn-style home has been designed to deliver on that promise.

“A lot of thought has gone into the design of its spaces for outdoor entertaining,” he says.

“The options offer shade from the summer heat, a space that maximises the winter sun and a central courtyard that’s shielded from winds.”

Cooper says stacker doors to the outdoor area allow the owners to visually extend the entertaining space.

“You can sit indoors, but still have the feeling of being outside,” he says. “Flexibility in how you use outdoor spaces is key in maximising their use throughout the year.”

Carrie Bond of Bond Lifestyle Properties in Berry says most new builds or renovations are seeking to incorporate the main outdoor entertaining area under the main roofline.

“Covered areas with high-pitched roofs for shade and ventilation are very popular,” she says. 

“That design enhances outdoor ambience with protection from the height of summer while maximising cooling breezes.”

Bond agrees that architectural designs are favouring multiple outdoor options.

“There will be a main entertaining space, but there are often others that capture the sun at different times of the day – or the year,” she says.

“They could be the perfect spot for a morning coffee, or another entertaining spot away from any prevailing winds.”

• Cover: The key to year-round entertaining is overhead cover. Newer homes may incorporate an outdoor space under their roofline while existing homes may need to invest in a pergola or similar.
• Options: More than one space that’s suitable for outdoor entertaining will enable you to move during changing seasons – from protection from the summer heat to spots that enjoy the winter sun.
• Design: Zones for living, dining or lounging increase the enjoyment of outdoor spaces, as does the level of fitout and furnishings – the distinction between indoor and outdoor comfort levels is rapidly blurring.

Check out our top picks of homes that cater to every season on the market:

Dolphin Point

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A relocation to the South Coast may not get much better than a move into this freshly completed Nordic barn-style home that’s close to the beach. 

And how good would it be to live in a place called Dolphin Point?

This unique, family-friendly, four-bedroom home is designed around two pavilions separated by a central courtyard with a centrepiece Queensland bottletree. 

The entry leads into a space that connects with a media room. The pavilion to the left houses three of the bedrooms including the main suite.

The latter has a huge en suite with dual showers, a generous walk-in wardrobe and access to the pool. 

The pavilion to the right has a fourth bedroom, followed by a truly spacious kitchen, dining and living hub characterised by soaring ceilings that draw in the light and give natural ventilation.

Highlight windows, stackers, engineered hickory floors and locally crafted timber finishes complete the look.

Home chefs will enjoy the spacious, sparkling white kitchen with runway-length counter and breakfast bar. It’s bristling with quality appliances and is backed up by a butler’s pantry.

When opened, the stacker doors visually double – and more – the size of the living area as the space flows onto an expansive deck with a pool area on one side and a covered entertainment area on the other.

Price guide: $2 million – $2.175 million

Private sale

Agent: Cooper Coastal Properties, Craig Cooper 0434 311 113

Or try these:

Casey

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Price guide: $1.55 million +

Private sale

Agent: HIVE Property, Katrice Velnaar 0411 449 071

Denman Prospect

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Price guide: $1.7 million +

Auction: 5:30pm, June 2

Agent: Belle Property Canberra, Alexander Smout 0421 148 706

Berry

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Price guide: $2.6 million

Private sale

Agent: Bond Lifestyle Properties, Carrie Bond 0421 499 846