TREADING LIGHTLY

How would you describe the completed home and what are some of your favourite design elements? We describe the house as a great Aussie beauty. It took four years to design and build with Overend Constructions, who were fantastic. It was a complete labour of love from start to finish and the hand of the artisan is seen everywhere throughout this project. A favourite element would have to be the walls and ceilings in polished plaster which adds a lovely light play to the house. How does the home respond to the surrounding landscape and its rural context? On my first visit to the house, I looked out through the living room windows, down into the valley and was struck by all the beautiful colours in the landscape. The ghost greys of the eucalypts, the washed-out greens of the grapevines, the terracotta blush of the soil and the blackened bark on the trees. I built the interior finishes around these colours to create a language with the landscape. What informed the selection of fittings and finishes? The decorative palette was kept deliberately restrained to work with the surrounding landscape. Sheer curtains were installed to soften glare from the large expanse of windows in the main areas of the house, with dark plantation shutters to filter light in the bedrooms and study. Texture and light were a major consideration when furnishing the house to complement the interior design. Vintage fabrics, already worn leather that builds patina and brass that ages were all design tricks to lend the house an immediate lived-in feeling. Were the owners happy with your execution? How do they use the space? The owners love the house and can’t believe it’s the same place, which in a way it isn’t. What do you think is the appeal of country living, and particularly the location of this project? It’s the quintessential country escape as the principal family home, right in the heart of the Yarra Valley with privacy and views around. It’s a great spot. chelseahing.com.au; overendconstructions.com.au