AT ONE WITH NATURE
Natural materials reign in this modern home that makes the most of panoramic views of Australian countryside
Tucked between land, sky and ocean, Fran Derham and Michael Robertson’s retreat in rural Victoria has been built as a home for all seasons. The house and shed, linked by a timber bridge and built entirely from scratch by the couple to sleep 10, ‘is very encompassing in the winter and quintessentially Australian in the summer,’ says Fran. With sweeping views afforded by a 360-degree deck, ‘you’re really at one with the weather here.’ When it rains, ‘you inhale the sight and sound of it from the couch or bed; and when it’s sunny, you can soak it up outside, from east to west, with coffee, birdsong and kangaroos grazing nearby in the morning or a glass of wine, set against a sunset soundtrack of cicadas, in the evening,’ she enthuses.
The house’s location, in a small rural pocket called Wensleydale (hence its name The Wensley), also proved the perfect opportunity for the Melbournebased couple to combine Michael’s love for the bush and Fran’s love for the beach. ‘Michael always relished the space and freedom of growing up in a former gold mining town and dreamt of giving his kids a similar experience,’ says Fran of the 80-acre property.
Michael’s vision was to combine the aesthetics of an American ski chalet-meets-classic Aussie country shed (also inspired in part by legendary Australian architect Glenn Murcutt’s Kempsey Farmhouse). His ambition, as a builder by trade, to use Australian hardwoods such as old Oregon pine, salvaged from demolition sites in Melbourne, silvertop Ash and rough sawn green ironbark has ensured the house blends seamlessly with its surrounding landscape of rolling green hills, dams and tall eucalyptus trees.
The house took over two years for Michael to build, with help from architect Nick Byrne and carpenter Martin Healy. With two bedrooms downstairs and a spacious loft bedroom (with three generous beds), along with two bathrooms and an outdoor shower, the heart of the house is really the open-plan living and dining area. With its floor-to-ceiling windows and doors that slide open to provide natural cross ventilation, this is the ultimate spot, whether snuggled in one of the comfortable sofas or seated at the large dining table, to watch sun, moon and stars all rise.
To soften the masculinity of the rough-hewn timbers used across walls, floors, ceilings and doors – with not a hint of plaster in sight – Fran worked with interior designer Lisa Buxton to lighten the interiors. ‘Interior design isn’t a skill of mine so we painstakingly mulled over every decision,’ she says. ‘Lisa’s signature sophisticated style juxtaposed the rustic feel of the house, elevating its feeling of casual luxury.’ By teaming plain neutral linens with textures such as raw brass, leather and stone, and wheel thrown, hand-glazed ceramics, ‘it’s amazing how the house actually makes you feel – grounded with a sense of soft and calm,’ says Lisa.
Fran agrees – the combination of natural materials and breathtaking panorama ‘immediately stills the heart and the to-do list just melts away,’ she says. Days here are spent doing chores outdoors – ‘we’re bad at sitting still so we’re always clearing, mowing, weeding and planting, or going for long walks in the bordering Great Otway National Park,’ she says – and nights are about good food and conversation.
‘The larger-than-usual island bench invites people to hang around with wine, nibbles and chat while we cook dinner,’ says Fran, ‘but when I’m here by myself, I’m just as happy cooking while drinking in the view. That’s the thing about this space – it elevates everything you do. Even food feels more gourmet.’
The Wensley is available to rent, thewensley.com. Lisa Buxton Interiors, lisabuxton.com. Nick Byrne, Byrne Architects, byrnearchitects.com.au