CHASING NATURE
You can hear the deep sighs from Rockhampton to Rockingham, that involuntary expulsion of air that expresses so much: we made it. It’s time to cap off 2016 (if not put the genie back in the bottle) and move on to the next year with a pop of a cork. How delicious it is to be approaching a couple of weeks to disengage from deadlines and technology and reconnect with family and nature. With a few after-work swims under the belt now, I’m hungry for more and anticipating the rhythm of the summer holidays... No rushing, good books, card games with the kids, summer fruit, leftover ham, and at least three swims a day.
Those close to me tell me I’m a much better person when I’ve had a morning ocean dip. And there is much research supporting the positive effects of interacting with nature. Time outdoors can enhance your memory, promote healing and sharpen your sense of smell. Interacting with animals, meanwhile, leads people to nurture closer human relationships, value community and be more generous with money.
Holidays are often the catalyst for positive lifestyle change and this was certainly the case for the owners of our upfront home this month, homewares retailer/interiors writer Natalie Walton and her family, who took the plunge a year ago and bought a home on a bush block on the NSW Central Coast. Our beautiful shoot shows their cleverly revamped cabin and possibly the world’s best treehouse, now the preferred address of her three older kids.
Meanwhile, in more urban settings, the other homes this month all foster indooroutdoor connection. Louvres capture cross breezes, deep verandahs add valuable living space and kitchen serveries make outdoor entertaining a daily delight. Rising to the fore are natural materials both attractive and durable enough to withstand the indoor-outdoor dance we do this season: timber, cool stone, sisal, wicker and easy-wash linens and cottons set the interior palette of an Australian summer.
WA contributor Anna Flanders shares her safari experience this month (page 148). If Anna’s journey inspires you, enter the competition to win a $25,000 luxury safari for two to Botswana and Zimbabwe, thanks to The Classic Safari Company.
There’s escapism of a different kind in the beautiful words of award-winning novelist Hannah Kent, who kicks off our new column, On Home, masterfully.
Enjoy the year end, and new beginnings. We’re looking forward to bringing you another bumper year of inspiration for your home and other life projects.