GLOWING FUTURE

For owners Morgan Ferry and Bryce Kennedy it was love at f irst sight when this house became available in the picturesque NSW village of Berry. What was involved with this project and were alterations required? My partner Bryce and I had been looking for a country escape on the south coast of Sydney, no more than a two-hour drive from our home in Potts Point. We found this 1930s cottage in one of our favourite streets in Berry. It had been renovated and extended by the previous owner, so it was in great shape structurally but it needed to be refreshed – offering plenty of scope for us to improve on it cosmetically. Are there any particular considerations when designing a home in a rural setting? For me, it’s about embracing the location and making the most of the light and the air. Country homes have the ability to breathe – more so than their city counterparts. Here, we can leave the French doors open all day to refresh the house completely. In terms of interiors, I think a rural setting allows us to explore some aspects of more traditional decorative styles but perhaps be less serious about coordinating everything so exactly. A country house allows some freedom and some creative licence for colours, patterns and textures to intersect a little more. How does the home respond to the surrounding landscape? The house and garden defers to its country village surroundings. The design vernacular is quintessential Australian weatherboard cottage and we didn’t want it to try to be anything more than that. It recedes rather than stands out, in part because of the two large magnolia trees in the front garden which shield the front of the house. When I’m working in the front garden, passersby frequently comment how much they like the house and the garden and I think that’s because it isn’t pretending to be anything it’s not: it just looks well loved. What informed your selection of fittings and finishes? A palette of natural materials helps to ground us after a busy week in Sydney. The colour palette is very warm: we eschewed white walls for a soft, creamy tone that feels friendlier and more welcoming, and also provides differentiation from our very modern city home. Are you happy with the final result? We are thrilled with it. This home is our happy place and provides a sanctuary away from the city. We try to get here most weekends if we’re not travelling. Half the time we have friends visiting so we get to play host, which we really enjoy. The layering of the decorative elements is perhaps one of the greatest successes as it delivers a level of comfort and laid-back luxury that invokes relaxation and differentiates our time here from our working week in the city. simplestudio.com.au