ROSY SUMMERS
Tucked within the modest collection of rustic tin and timber shacks that populate Lettes Bay – an inlet of Macquarie Harbour three hours’ drive from Devonport in Tasmania – is pretty-in-pink Rosy Summers. A restored miner’s cottage, it’s the second local project for Claire Lloyd, a designer, photographer and author, and her partner, artist Matthew Usmar Lauder. The couple also own neighbouring retreat Bushy Summers, a cabin they renovated from top-to-toe (featured in Country Style’s August 2021 issue).
While they weren’t actively looking for another project, when this shack became available, Claire and Matthew dived in headfirst, embarking on what Claire says she knew would be “another wonderful, creative adventure”. The property comprises two dwellings joined together and the mammoth task involved transforming them into one serene hideaway.
Like similarly modest structures in the area, Rosy Summers harks back to the 1920s when a remote community of mining workers used the shacks as holiday accommodation. Built from recycled materials, the basic dwellings have evolved over the years, but changes still require permission from the Tasmanian Heritage Council to ensure that their heritage character remains intact.
While Matthew took to the tools with most of the labour and restoration work, Claire focused on kitting out the interiors in a whitewashed scheme with rustic features and curated decor. A peaceful sanctuary, the one-bedroom cabin encourages guests to disconnect from modern technology and surrender to the calm of the hamlet. There’s no television and reception can be patchy, but the intimate sunroom and day bed is the perfect spot for daydreaming and enjoying a good book. When the wild weather sets in, it’s time to cosy up in front of the crackling fireplace.
The spacious floor plan features a beamed roof pitch and painted, pressed-tin ceilings. It’s a scheme that reflects what Claire describes as her signature “simple, light and feminine” style – a look she has cultivated throughout her career as an art director and in the curation of her and Matthew’s home in Greece.
Set back from the water, the soundtrack to Rosy Summers is of quacking ducks and the whistle of the West Coast Wilderness Railway train chugging along its bayside track. There’s opportunity to explore the local area, but once you experience the luxurious claw-foot bathtub, it’s likely you’ll want to stay put. Simple pleasures.
Visit airbnb.com/h/rosysummers and clairelloyd.com