New wave of property entrepreneurs challenging Melbourne’s status quo

As Melbourne’s property market continues to evolve, a quiet shift is taking place behind the scenes — one led by entrepreneurs who are reimagining what truly contemporary residential developments can be.

Among them is Sonia Taskovska, founder of Soliana, a boutique Melbourne developer with a growing portfolio of work Melbourne’s inner city and Bayside including Brighton, South Yarra and Elwood.

Rather than coming from a traditional design or construction background, Sonia entered the sector with a consumer’s eye and an entrepreneur’s instinct — a combination that has become the foundation of Soliana’s DNA.

Her work reflects a growing shift in the way the luxury residential market: welcoming a move away from formulaic cookie-cutter apartments and toward projects defined by clarity, character and relevance to real life.

Sonia says her transition from consumer to creator wasn’t marked by a single turning point, but by an ongoing realisation.

“Every time I walked through a home, I could see what could flow better, what needed more breathing space, what could feel calmer. I wasn’t coming from a design background; I was coming from lived experience. That perspective turned out to be my advantage,” she said.

This lived perspective has shaped Soliana’s ethos from its inception, guiding how spaces are imagined, planned and crafted. It has also positioned the company as part of a new entrepreneurial wave driving evolution in Melbourne’s premium residential market — one that values quiet luxury and substance over spectacle.

While Soliana is often recognised as a female-founded business, Sonia’s vision extends far beyond gender identity.

“I’m building a team defined by intelligence, integrity and emotional awareness — qualities that resonate with my story, and Soliana’s purpose. What matters most is alignment, and a commitment to creating forever homes,” she said.

Sonia’s collaborative philosophy extends to the design studios she entrusts with each project. Soliana’s residences are shaped in partnership with Sora and Life Architecture — studios selected for their minimalist yet expressive design language, and their readiness to embrace the vision behind each Soliana development.

While each brings a distinct architectural or interior perspective, each project is united by a shared commitment to innovation, material integrity and contemporary living. Sonia gravitates toward partners whose values mirror the pillars guiding Soliana itself: clarity, purpose, and an unwavering dedication to creating homes that genuinely elevate the way people live.

Leonard Teplin, Director of Marshall White Stonnington, says entrepreneurs like Sonia are contributing to a significant shift in Melbourne’s residential market.

“Entrepreneurial developers are introducing a new calibre of agility and perspective to the market – a shift that buyers are responding to with unmistakable enthusiasm. Sonia’s approach is particularly refreshing; unrestrained by convention, she designs from lived experience and that authenticity is immediately felt.”

He adds that this emerging cohort of entrepreneurs is strengthening Melbourne’s premium market through heightened sensitivity to lifestyle, functionality and long-term value.

“When development is guided by purpose rather than routine, the result is inevitably elevated. Sonia embodies a new era of leadership in the sector – one that is thoughtful, grounded, and finely attuned to the realities of how people truly live in their homes,” he said.

Despite entering a traditionally male-dominated field, Sonia’s experience has been defined by collaboration rather than resistance.

“I haven’t found working in a male-led industry challenging. The men I’ve worked with have been supportive and open to my perspective from day one. What has shaped my leadership isn’t adversity, but the confidence that comes from being treated as an equal at the table.”

For Sonia, that clarity continues to drive her conviction.

“I entered this industry to challenge the idea that bigger is better, or that streamlined delivery should come at the cost of depth and detail. Success, to me, isn’t measured in scale — it’s measured in substance. The future of development lies in crafting homes shaped by real life, not just real estate metrics.”

With one project nearing completion in Brighton and three more underway across the next 24 months, Soliana’s trajectory demonstrates how entrepreneurial thinking can push the market forward — not through scale, but through relevance, intelligence and the courage to challenge the expected.