Old soul A century-old dairy farmhouse captivated this couple
A THOUGHTFULLY RENOVATED CENTURY-OLD DAIRY FARMHOUSE CAPTIVATED A SYDNEY COUPLE LOOKING TO ESCAPE THE GRIND OF INNER-CITY LIVING
Making their way up the gravel driveway overlooking a picturesque vista of coastal-country NSW, Linda and her husband, Mark, felt an instant affinity with the beautiful homestead perched upon the hill. Stepping inside the thoughtfully renovated, century-old dairy farmhouse called ‘Mayfield’, they lost their hearts. They bought the home on the spot and, in August 2017, after selling their inner-Sydney apartment, moved in with their Boston terrier, Scout. “We had made a decision to move to the South Coast as we love the beach, but also wanted to have small acreage,” explains Linda. “We were also looking for a house that had history and personality. One that sat nicely within the landscape, too.”
Built in 1901, ‘Mayfield’ originally belonged to a local family of generational dairy farmers. Upon retiring the dairy farm in 2015, it was sold – for the first time – to a couple who completed a beautiful and respectfully designed renovation. That suited Linda and Mark, who didn’t want to take on a place that needed too much work done, and so they became the lucky new owners of “this old girl,” as Linda affectionately calls her country home. “We love the calming nature of the house, with high ceilings and big rooms, and there is plenty of space,” she says.
Honouring the generous dimensions and refined period features, she kept the styling classic and simple, favouring a neutral palette and natural textures which pay homage to their surrounding landscape. “My style of decorating is rustic, with a little bit of Hamptons,” explains Linda, who decorated her home with a mixture of vintage finds and more contemporary staples. “I don’t like clutter, or too many colours. I haven’t put many pictures on the walls, as I love the sense of space with the white walls and the lack of noise, which too many artworks can throw at you.”
The kitchen – Linda’s favourite space – perfectly epitomises the keen cook’s preferred white-on-white aesthetic, while her and Mark’s bedroom (a close runner-up in the favourite-room stakes) showcases a darker sensibility fit for the perfect night’s sleep. “Waking up to the sunrise each morning in here is heaven,” says Linda.
In partnership with nature – and the past – this home seems to thrum with a sense of harmony, palpable to the couple and visitors alike. When their adult children, Alexandra and Jackson, come to visit with their little ones, the family loves nothing more than gathering by the firepit in the evenings. “It’s wonderful to sit around it late into the night, talking, enjoying the stillness and peace,” says Linda. Spending time indoors is idyllic, too, since the home’s northerly aspect means it basks in glorious sunshine all day, all year round. Yet it’s now, in the golden months, as the leaves fall and the days draw in, that Linda tends to fall in love with her home all over again. “Autumn is my favourite season here; it’s beautiful,” she muses. “The light in the sky at dawn and sunset is gorgeous. The days are still warm and the nights are cool. It’s just lovely.”
BREATHING SPACE Homeowners Linda and Mark love sitting on the verandah of their country farmhouse on the NSW South Coast (left), soaking up the rays and gazing out on the green landscape. Greeting guests with the scent of a pair of rose bushes that flank the entrance, the four-bedroom home, built in 1901, had been beautifully renovated to honour its stunning period details when the couple fell in love with it at first sight in 2017. “Country air, no traffic, slower pace,” sums up Linda. “When our friends and family come down, we get to spend more time with them, other than a couple of hours in a noisy restaurant.” >
A majestic arch – one of the property’s many original features that was restored during an earlier renovation project – makes a grand impression in the light-filled entry way (below), where oversized pendants balance the scale of the soaring ceilings
(get the look with the ‘Sash’ chandelier in White from Design Hunter). Rust-coloured rugs (try Temple & Webster’s ‘Red Chevron’ cotton and jute rug for similar) add warmth and texture to the white scheme that defines the home.
Proudly in place since the home was built in 1901, the ‘Mayfield’ plaque at the front door (top left) announces the farmhouse’s rich history. LIVING ROOM Nestled behind the sofa in the living room (top right), a bench seat serves as the perfect nook for Linda (pictured) to curl up with a cup of tea and gaze out at the view. Upholstered in grey ticking (try the Ticking Stripe Cotton Home Decor Fabric in Grey from fabrictraders.com.au), it continues the home’s restful colour palette. MUDROOM Linda has styled her laundry/mudroom (above left) with a mix of vintage pieces. The artwork sitting on the high shelf is by her mother, Julie Pethard, while a dairy cream can from Dirty Janes in Bowral pays homage to her home’s history and landscape. “I bought it as a tribute to the dairy country that surrounds us,” explains the homeowner.
DINING ROOM DETAIL The black-and-white photographic print of a Boston terrier that sits above the mantle was a gift from a friend (above right), and it reminds Linda and Mark of their dog, Scout (pictured opposite).