A sense of adventure — it filled Sydney last year. Now recharged after the Christmas break, it’s starting to fill our streets again. While 2015 starts to hot up, let’s take a minute to enjoy the best of 2014.

We saw re-invigoration of inner-city suburbs. Pop ups ruled. Destinations opened weekly. And new precincts were forged.

Behind closed doors, our homes evolved just as fast. Across Inner Sydney, we saw city housing reinvented, new levels of apartment luxury, and warehouses glorified.

Now imagine the best homes in Sydney thrown open for your viewing pleasure. Scroll on to take a peak inside our faves from 2014.

Landmark homes

Many buyers remembered this Surry Hills home from the TV show, Grand Designs Australia.

The masterpiece was snapped up even faster than expected for $1.88 million. It has its own way of showcasing Sydney’s skyline, with the sort of detail that comes from an architect’s own home.

Other big hitters

From architect Alex Popov, this Hunters Hill home had the ultimate in/outdoor connection. Its poolside entertaining decks were set in bushland on the Lane Cove River. It sold for $3.85 million.

Melbourne architecture & design firm Six Degrees refitted this prominent Surry Hills warehouse complete with apartment, restaurant and office space. It sold for $3.13 million.

The million-dollar views

Perhaps like no other city in the world, views rule Sydney real estate. Our harbour city has no shortage of those. Here are some that caught our eyes and hearts.

In Point Piper, this was perhaps the most idyllic view of the year. It’s worth a look if you can picture yourself using this waterside living/entertaining space. Set in the famed Wolseley Road, it’s arguably the best position on Sydney Harbour.

More eye candy

Set in the City Quarter development, this deck offered the most vivid display of the city skyline we saw all year. This is the space you get from merging two apartments — with a view to rival Sydney’s best.

Our love of warehouses

The warehouse — Sydney worships them. The apartment conversions get more attention than their standard counterparts, and people come in droves to inspect landmark warehouse homes when they’re listed for sale.

It was no different in 2014, from designer conversions to the blank canvases.

At 1 Printers Lane, Darlinghurst, this was the second apartment in the building to sell for more than $1 million in 2014.

At 97sqm, it was unspoilt warehouse living set up as an art studio. A laneway setting adds to the appeal, and the character of the industrial features and old beams is undeniable.

More warehouse cool

This warehouse apartment from architect Dale Jones Evans created 370sqm of house-like ambiance. With an open-plan ground level & atrium light, it wrapped around a zen garden — selling for $3 million

In style

In fast-moving neighbourhoods, style ensures a home stands out in a crowd. 2014 was about vibrant colour and bold prints. It was interesting to see homes challenge cookie cutter ideas.

In Cathedral Street, this terrace became the scene of one of the year’s most comprehensive and high-end renovations. During the campaign it became a magazine-featured home. It set a new design benchmark for its gritty location, and sold for $1.18 million.

Other stand outs

Sometimes a home disregards ‘safe’ decor and takes us outside our comfort zones. In 2014, those homes were enchantingly bold, like this Marrickville semi — an architect-designed haven of colour and personality.

This pair of apartments in Rushcutters Bay were previously re-invented by Australian fashion icon Maggie Tabberer. The new owners have decorated in an ‘art deco, Singapore, colonial style’. Those are decorative French doors adorning the wall and will be staying — having been brought in by crane.

For the love of art

Following that sense of boldness and adventure, other properties have wowed people with their artwork. In our art-filled inner-city suburbs, our fascination with art as decoration continues.

With a square theme lifted from Chanel imagery, this Potts Point apartment was adorned with art to match — from local to iconic. Inspired by a Paris nightclub. With a fit-out from interior design and architecture firm BKH, the Potts Point property is still for sale for offers of more than $3.1 million.

More artistic touches

This Balmain house has a pool, entertaining space, 1890s character, and clean modern finishes. But it was an eclectic mix of artwork that tied it all together.

This Darlinghurst terrace showcased some of the year’s finest quality. On Darlo’s best street, it’s still for sale for more than $3 milliom. From the finishes to the furniture, it’s an easy space to love. And the artwork adds a whimsical touch.

The notorious

Each year, a handful of homes will garner the attention of the public, the neighbours, even the media.

With its heart-shaped pool, this one almost needs little explanation of its 1920s past — as a house of the night.

The split-level design, marble finishes and oversized interiors, continued the decadence throughout. Offering potential to add parking, the Surry Hills home sold for $1.61 million.

Another divisive one

This Rozelle house — once the site of a double murder — drew attention from reporters noting the tragic past. It didn’t seem to deter new buyers. It sold at auction for $2.265 million — more than $200,000 over the reserve

Under $500,000

There is still entry-level buying to be enjoyed in inner-Sydney. The cheapest BresicWhitney property for 2014 was this apartment in Potts Point. It sold for $373,000.

This one-bedroom apartment in Potts Point had a communal rooftop deck with impressive views of Sydney Harbour.

A new year, a new wave

As for 2015, the fast-paced Inner-Sydney micro markets are already igniting.

Sydney’s laneways will reinvent themselves once more. New flourishing sub-pockets will be forged. Exciting buying will be there. C’est la vie — 2015, we’re ready for you.