Melbourne builders are embracing faith, family and functionality in a new wave of homes designed for cultural connection and everyday comfort.
Victoria’s property market is getting a cultural facelift that’s made hot property out of homes with once obscure features from two ovens to north or east-facing front doors.
Real estate agents are revealing homesellers who embrace everything from kosher kitchens to Hindu architectural practices known as vastu shastra and Chinese feng shui design are getting more buyer demand, while builders are responding to a growing appetite for them.
And it’s going a lot further than the concrete gardens, lion statues and columns brought in by Greek and Italian migrants as they carved out a now much-loved corner of the market last century.
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In Melbourne’s western and southeast growth corridors, Hindu families are knocking back homes that don’t meet vastu shastra principles, particularly those with poorly oriented front doors.
In the city’s east, feng shui audits can determine if a property sells at a premium, while in the inner southeast, kitchens that effectively work as a butler’s pantry have become a drawcard far beyond the Jewish community.
Data underscores how widespread some of the trends have become.
Metricon’s Dream Home Survey found nearly one in two east and south East Asian buyers considered feng shui important, while 62 per cent required four or more bedrooms and one in four wanted a prayer room.
Property experts say those preferences are increasingly visible across Melbourne’s east, where larger, Feng Shui-compliant homes can be fiercely contested.
Metricon national product development manager David McKibbin said demand for culturally tailored homes was rising fast.
“Metricon is experiencing strong demand for homes designed with cultural considerations in mind, particularly across Melbourne’s growth corridors,” Mr McKibbin said.
“In most cases, our designs can be tailored to meet individual preferences. Customers may ask for staircases to be placed differently, separate kitchens and bathrooms, or a dedicated pooja room (sacred or worship space) for prayer.”
Faith-based design is reshaping Melbourne’s suburbs, with builders incorporating prayer spaces, wudu areas and kosher kitchens into modern family homes.
Purpose-built prayer rooms and spaces are becoming a hallmark of faith-conscious design, offering families private sanctuaries for reflection and worship.
Other groups are requesting double ovens and gas cooktops, despite government efforts to end Victoria’s reliance on gas connections.
“While land orientation is fixed, many customers consider cultural needs before they even buy the block,” Mr McKibbin added.
Sherridon Homes general manager Natalie King said it wasn’t just in Melbourne.
“In regional centres like Shepparton, we’ve built homes with ensuites for every bedroom to suit Afghani buyers,” Ms King said.
“In Ballarat and Bendigo, Indian and Sri Lankan families are asking for Vastu-compliant layouts.
Many new builds now feature kosher kitchens, dual-zoned spaces resembling butler’s pantries that allow separate preparation areas for meat and dairy.
“Multi-generational living is also a big factor — families want homes that can house grandparents, children and extended relatives under one roof.”
And while the features can easily boost demand for a home, they would slip past most homebuyers unless it was pointed out.
The Sherridon homes general manager said industry insiders warned ignoring these preferences risked leaving vendors with homes that struggled to sell.
“If you ignore cultural principles, you’re locking out a major portion of your future buyer pool,” Ms King said.
“It’s not about exclusivity, it’s about inclusivity. These are homes designed to last across generations.”
Marshall White Balwyn director William Chen said prestige buyers were equally uncompromising.
Subtle design touches — from concealed sinks to directional floor layouts — are often invisible to most buyers but deeply meaningful to those who use them.
“Properties that are either Feng Shui or Vastu compliant generally attract more competitive bidding,” Mr Chen said.
“Chinese buyers often commission audits and will avoid unlucky features such as house numbers ending in four, at a T-intersection, or a staircase facing the entry.
“Many Indian buyers prefer north-facing homes and walk away from south-facing ones.”
Despite this, he said these elements were rarely written into ads.
“Most agents won’t list Feng Shui or Vastu compliance in marketing material, they tell buyers quietly,” he said.
“It’s often word-of-mouth among communities that drives the interest.”
Marshall White Balwyn director William Chen says cultural and religious design features are more than trends, they reflect the evolving needs of modern Australian families.
Kosher kitchens effectively a butlers pantry, are also driving demand in Melbourne’s southeast, particularly in dual-occupancy developments.
But unlike a butler’s pantry, which is a lifestyle extra, Kosher kitchens are a functional necessity with dual sinks, ovens and dishwashers to separate meat and dairy.
“They’re not flashy builds, it’s about function,” one consultant said.
“If a home already has that set-up, it can be the difference between walking away and signing on the spot.”
The consultant said requests now often extended to two dishwashers, dual pantries and Sabbath-friendly wiring.
“It might sound like a small detail to others, but for these buyers it’s non-negotiable,” they said.
Builder Sherridon Homes has seen growing demand for faith-specific inclusions, offering clients tailored layouts to suit lifestyle and belief. Picture: Sherridon Homes
“And if the set-up is already there, homes can move quickly off-market.”
Meanwhile, Islamic-friendly design is rising in the north and outer southeast, where buyers request prayer rooms oriented to Mecca, privacy-conscious layouts and bathrooms with wudu sinks for ritual washing.
“Modesty and purpose are often more important than high-end inclusions,” one industry source said.
Custom wudu sinks, designed for ritual ablution before prayer, are increasingly being integrated into new home designs alongside bathrooms and entryways.
“Some buyers also ask for ablution areas, which can usually be accommodated within standard layouts. Others want private front lounges or screening to make the home more family-friendly.”
Homes with these features are often snapped up before hitting the market, with agents reporting growing waiting lists of buyers searching specifically for faith-based inclusions.
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