Land Of Plenty This rural weekender in NSW gives its owners a great escape.
The textures and tones of the surrounding environment are subtly woven into the interiors of this rural NSW weekender.
Every second weekend or so, the Sydney-based owners of this home excitedly pack their bags and head north out of the city to travel here, their bush retreat. It’s been the same for the past 20 years, ever since they bought this beloved 50 hectares of undulating bushland. “We’ve always spent a lot of time here and it was a big part of our nowadult children’s childhoods,” says the owner. “It’s been our destination for Easters, Christmases and family celebrations.”
The property is nestled into a valley in the NSW Central Coast hinterland, about 90 minutes’ drive from the Sydney CBD. The allure is obvious: it’s tranquil, the air is fresh, and there are unending bush views in every direction. But the magnetic pull has become even stronger since the recent addition of this gorgeous new home on the site. “When we bought the property 20 years ago, there was a log cabin here, which was our home for the first 18 years,” says the owner. “But we have a large family and it’s growing all the time – soon we’ll have eight grandchildren – so we wanted a house that could fit everyone comfortably. Renovating the cabin would have been a massive job, so we decided to build something more modern with a family focus.”
They enlisted Sydney architect Michael Robilliard to design a two-storey residence that would sit harmoniously within the landscape. Built on the same site as the old log cabin, the new rendered-brick structure is designed in an L-shape, with the ground level consisting of an entry, two guestrooms, bathroom, and a large pitched-roof pavilion that accommodates an openplan kitchen, dining and living room. Upstairs are the main bedroom suite, family room and a study.
Everyroominthehousefeatureslargepicturewindowsframing views of tree-covered hills. “It’s all about looking out and enjoying the nature around us, and being immersed in the landscape,” says the owner. The design encapsulates the owners’ aspirations: its footprint and materials are economical, but also comfortable and flexible enough to cater for the extended family. It easily sleeps nine and can accommodate more when needed.
When it came to designing the interiors, the owners didn’t want anything too rustic, nor too slick, so they called on
“Against the concrete floor, the timber veneer brings in lovely warm, deep rich colours and textures, and the stone benchtop is perfect for a robust country kitchen.” Phoebe Nicol
the expertise of interior architect Phoebe Nicol, to strike the balance. Phoebe was engaged very early in the process, first visiting the site when it was nothing more than a concrete slab. She made many more trips during the two-year building process, overseeing the entire fit-out. The brief for the interiors echoed that for the build itself: “We wanted a modern country house that was simple and easy to live in, and that young children could feel at home in as well,” says the owner. Robust surfaces were part of that vision, and concrete flooring for the entire ground level was the perfect answer. Upstairs, the floor is recycled blackbutt – “You can’t build a country house without the presence of beautiful timber,” says Phoebe.
Phoebe’s aim for the interiors was that they would sing in tune with the landscape. Her colour palette, materials, finishes and furnishings are all informed by the tones and textures outside. Her first task was to help select exterior colours. In keeping with the owners’ wishes for the house to sit unassumingly in its setting, she chose Resene Triple Friar Grey, which ties in beautifully with the Colorbond roof in Monument. “The browns and greens of the landscape continue inside,” says Phoebe. “It’s a palette of muted, natural tones”. This includes Dulux Unforgettable for the walls of the kitchen/living/dining
GUESTROOM This page Linen quilt cover and sheets, Cultiver. Felt cushions covered in James Dunlop Textiles ‘Mackenzie’ in Kea. Eggcup stool, Mark Tuckey. Iron lamp recycled from the original farmhouse with new linen shade. Curtains in Mokum ‘Satori’ linen. Custom iron curtain rod. Jute rug, MCM House. ENSUITE Domi wall sconce, Articolo Lighting. Vanity, mirror, tapware and basin, all Reece. MAIN BEDROOM Opposite, top right and bottom left Armchair in the style of Pierre Jeanneret, sourced overseas. Custom bedhead upholstered in Antwerp Stonewashed linen, Westbury Textiles. Linen quilt cover, Cultiver. Vintage wall light, The Vault Sydney. Side table,
MCM House. Ceramic objects by Emma Gale. DAM A picturesque on-site dam is one of the property’s assets. >
“We wanted a modern country house that was simple and easy to live in, where young children could feel at home as well.” Owner
pavilion. The windows in this section of the house are undressed, the furnishing palette deliberately pared back. A beautiful caramel-toned leather sofa is the hero of the space, matched with felt and linen cushions and jute rugs.
Phoebe describes the interior scheme as “farmhouse with a modern twist”. “There’s a mix of contemporary and fine finishes with touches of rawness and natural elements,” she says. In the kitchen, for example, the concrete floor and black steel rangehood are offset by joinery in a deep honey-toned timber veneer. A quartzite benchtop in beautiful toffee tones and soft veining, also brings warmth and texture to this space.
Upstairs, the pared-back simplicity continues, giving the main bedroom a lovely sense of quietude, or what Phoebe describes as a “natural, liveable persona”. Beautiful bedlinens are combined with felt cushions, a jute rug and linen curtains that pool luxuriously on the floor. The curtains hang from simple iron rods, a touch of metal that is subtly repeated in the bronzed metals doorknobs. “What I love about the house is the way we’ve brought natural elements into all the spaces,” says Phoebe.
Now that travel and social restrictions have eased, the owners say they are eager to head to the retreat for a long-overdue family gathering. “This is where we love to spend time together and experience nature.”