cool, calm, country
Designer collette Dinnigan swapped city lights for australian country cool in her simply styled farmhouse that echoes its stunning surroundings
australian designer collette dinnigan’s simple design ethos reflects the stunning surroundings of her hilltop farmhouse
Two years ago, after returning from a year-long family sabbatical living la dolce vita in the heart of Rome,
Australian fashion designer Collette Dinnigan was immediately drawn to the contrast of big skies and rolling hills of the Southern Highlands town of Avoca, about a two-hour drive southwest of Sydney. The move meant her daughter, Estella, a keen equestrian, could go to school nearby without having to board and, along with her husband, Bradley, and their son, Hunter, family life could centre around the calm of the New South Wales countryside rather than the bright lights of the city.
In search of a place where they could live, work and entertain, as well as keep dogs, horses and chickens, Collette immediately spotted the potential of this particular old farmhouse as she ventured up its half-kilometre drive, lined with blossoming pear trees. ‘It had the most incredible views, surrounded by beautiful bush, native animals such as kangaroos and wombats, a lake and stables,’ she says. ‘It had almost everything we wanted except for the style I like,’ says the designer, who closed her fashion business in 2013 in favour of interior projects, such as designing the penthouse suites for Bannisters by the Sea, a coastal hotel south of Sydney, and her own properties including a new masseria (country house) in Puglia.
‘The house had great bones, but I knew I could take it all apart and put the soul back in,’ she says. While they lived in one half of the house, Collette began renovating the other; once done, they swapped sides. ‘I spent hours walking through the house, working out where people would feel most comfortable,’ she says. ‘I think it’s important to live in a place first, to work out where the light falls, and how best to use the space,’ she says.
Collette has spread bedrooms around the house, rather than lumping them together. ‘I never locate them above kitchens or living areas,’ she says, so no one disturbs anyone else if they’re up early or late. She clad walls and ceilings with white tongueand-groove boards to ‘lend texture and consistency because parts of the house are all different ages’, she says. Floors were replaced with reclaimed timbers, including boards originally used as shelves in a Dutch cheese factory and grainy ‘black butt’, an Australian native eucalyptus hardwood. ‘I like feeling the warmth of wood under my feet, even on a hot day,’ she enthuses.
This created a backdrop for pieces Collette has lovingly collected from favourite local antiques stores, as well as from three decades of travel, from her early days of showing her readyto-wear collections in Paris to their recent forays throughout Italy. ‘A lot of my life working in fashion was filled with colour and fabrics, ideas and inspirations, so I want home to feel more minimal,’ she reflects. So here, it wasn’t so much about decluttering but paring down the look and focusing on special pieces. Layers of warmth instead come from her use of natural textures, such as leather, sheer and heavy linens, hand-knotted rugs and handcrafted furniture, which subtly contrast with a mix of paintings found in flea markets or by favourite Australian artists. Antique chandeliers and wall sconces, plus plenty of candlelight at night, lend to the rustic, romantic mood.
With Collette’s love of entertaining, the farmhouse comes into its own at weekends. ‘Most friends come away feeling as if they’ve been in the country for a week even if it was just a night,’ she says. ‘It’s a place to engage with nature in the most special way. At sunset, when the kookaburras strike up and a symphony of Australian birdsong kicks in, it’s pure magic,’ she beams.
‘This house was about creating a generous welcome and a feeling of being somewhere different. It’s a place to let your guard down and engage with nature’