A little bit country Old meets new in regional Queensland
AN ART-LOVING FAMILY OF SIX HAS PUT A COLOURFUL SPIN ON AN OLD-WORLD BEAUTY IN REGIONAL QUEENSLAND
CLASSIC CHARM It didn’t take very long for Bec to fall in love with the southern Queensland property she shares with her husband Grant and children George, 16, Jack, 13, Lucia, 11, and seven-year-old James. “I love the sprawling verandah, the huge trees and the simplicity of the white house in the lush green garden,” says Bec of the graceful setting of her 100-yearold home. The established garden has box and murraya hedges and gives a gorgeous greeting to guests. Try Dulux Vivid White for a similar exterior, with trims in Dulux Teahouse.
It’s not unusual to fall in love with a home in your neighbourhood that happens to belong to someone else. Its facade might entice, sparking a whirl of wonder about what lies beyond the front door, and what it might be like to hold the key that unlocks it. What’s not so common is one day getting to find out: Bec, a childcare centre manager, teacher and art lover, is one of a lucky few. In her hometown of Toowoomba, two hours west of Brisbane, she’d often stroll – neck craned, eyes wide – past the historic Queenslander she now shares with her husband Grant, CFO of a construction firm, and children George, Jack, James and Lucia. “I’ve always loved it,” says Bec. “There was such a high fence, making it difficult to see the whole house, and there was always a bit of mystery about what was inside.” Bec and Grant had outgrown their nearby home and tasked agents with finding them something that was bigger. The much-admired Queenslander wasn’t on the market, but when Bec and Grant’s home sold in record time, some clever negotiating culminated in a dream outcome, meaning the family of six was soon moving in. “The house is perfect for a big, active family,” says Bec. “There’s always a space for everyone and their friends, without ever being in anyone else’s way.” At the front of the home, the original floor plan is virtually intact, with bedrooms flanking a long, breezy hallway that leads from the beautiful old front door. Previous owners had revamped the kitchen, adding a show-stopping five-metre-long concrete island and an expansive deck overlooking the large yard, where Bec’s chooks have free rein until it’s time for backyard cricket. The family had no trouble settling in, but Bec wasn’t so sure about the raft of interior wall colours they had inherited. “Our last house had a very neutral palette, so the mishmash of hues was a little confronting,” she says. Plans for a mini makeover before they moved in were scrapped because of their quick move and, over time, the interesting combination of warm, earthy hues has grown on Bec. “I think they add character and quirkiness to the older part of the house,” she says. “They also remind me to be both braver and more relaxed in terms of how rooms are styled.” A laid-back, time-worn ambience emanates throughout the home, with lovely old pine floors acting as a canvas for Bec’s relaxed style. “This house seems to have allowed me to be much freer,” she says. “I don’t try to match anything, rather just use what I already have and choose things I love, and they all seem to work together.” Case in point is her approach to collecting art.“I’ve always loved art but was a little afraid of buying it just in case I got it wrong, then I decided that there was no such thing as a wrong choice,” she says. Ensconced in the house she sees as a ‘forever’ home, Bec has mastered her own art of creating a welcoming abode. “It’s not a show home,” she says. “Every chair can be sat on, every item on display picked up or played with, and almost everything has a purpose and a story.”
“THE KITCHEN WAS THE CLINCHER FOR ME – I LOVE THE MIX materials, OF THE chimney OFF-CENTRE AND THE RAWNESS OF IT ALL” ~ BEC
FAMILY ROOM This family-friendly space (above left & right) is eclectic and colourful and sums up all that Bec embraces in her decorating, with ‘Charlotte’ by David Bromley claiming prime position above the cedar fireplace. “We bought it for my 40th birthday,” she says of the piece, which hangs beside a smaller Simonn Schumacher original. A black-and-white striped occasional chair, bought from Freedom years ago and paired with a cushion from Harolds Finishing Touches, makes for a cosy spot. The star light in the fireplace, also from Harolds Finishing Touches, was nabbed as a night light for one of the kids. “But it never made it to their room!” says Bec. A Jardan couch bought years ago and reupholstered in charcoal linen is a favourite, while an unframed tutu canvas by
Ewa Bathelier commands the room. “I was drawn to this as I’d never seen anything quite like it, it’s almost like graffiti,” says Bec. A trio of mismatched mesh pendants from Harolds Finishing Touches creates an arthouse ambience, and an Armadillo & Co rug and oak Bondi coffee table from Urban Couture add warm textures.
MAIN BEDROOM DETAIL The bedrooms in the Queenslander lacked storage options, so Bec found a stylish solution in the main bedroom to keep clothes handy. “I was storing my clothes in one of the back rooms and was getting sick of traipsing out there every day, so I decided to put the special and everyday pieces on display,” she says. A moveable rack from Howards Storage World was a perfect choice (left).
DINING ROOM Bec needed plenty of space for family and friends when they come to visit and loved the idea of a long, rustic, harvest-style table, so she tasked Aaron from Harolds Finishing Touches with finding her one that would neatly fit the space in the dining zone (opposite). Aged stools of varying styles and dimensions, also from Harolds Finishing Touches, are used as seating, while the family upright piano is in handy proximity for musically inclined dinner guests.
“I LIKE TO CHOOSE FINISHES THAT ARE rustic natural MORE AND – THESE MATERIALS LOOK BETTER AS THEY wear AGE, AND WITH AND TEAR” ~ BEC
“EACH ITEM ADDED TO THE ROOM fun NEEDED A SENSE OF AND frivolity” A BIT OF ~ BEC
MAIN BEDROOM A dreamy Incy Interiors bed creates a romantic mood in Bec and Grant’s serene bedroom (above left) and is layered with lovely linen from Bianca Lorenne and I Love Linen. Bec has styled a rustic milking stool as her bedside table, and added her signature quota of quirkiness with a tiny mouse lamp from Harolds Finishing Touches.
FAMILY BATHROOM A claw-foot tub (above right) is used by the whole family and sits beautifully in the light-drenched bathroom. A log stool and a bath caddy from Cedar Magic add a little farmhouse-style luxury.
MAIN BEDROOM DETAIL Bec inherited a lovely silky oak dresser from her father (left). She stripped off the old paint and added new handles to give it a fresh look, adding modern elements with a deco lamp from Angela Smith Interiors and a cluster of Ahoy Trader ceramic crosses. “I’ve made a conscious choice not to adhere to any real style but just to choose things that I love,” says Bec. “You could probably find elements of every decorating style in nearly every room.”
JAMES’S ROOM “The styling in James’s room probably evolved from the painting,” says Bec of her son’s room (opposite), which features a David Bromley piece from his Children at Play series. “It inspired me to really have fun with the room.” Twin ‘Oscar’ beds from Incy Interiors are made up with bedding from Lilly & Lolly, while multi-coloured Numero 74 bunting from Leo & Bella adds whimsy and vivid colour.