Photograph by Darren McDonald (Lisa).
EDITOR’S LETTER HG
AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN | 11
F
or urban dwellers and dreamers, a
country house is right up there with
a beach house in the ideal lifestyle
stakes: somewhere easily accessed for a
weekend away, with enough land to indulge
the weekend gardener, farmer or horse
rider, and room for friends to stay.
As to the architecture, this is where
the dream often diverges. For some,
a weatherboard farmhouse with deep
verandahs has the charm and nostalgic
touchpoints to guarantee happiness.
Other rural retreaters are fulfilling
long-held ambitions to build from scratch,
commissioning architect-led homes and
using earthy materials to connect to the
landscape, with generous expanses of
glass to draw in views.
Having lived in both of the above
dwelling types as a child and witnessed
the reimagining of countless country
houses by my parents, it’s exciting to
present a collection of homes in this issue
that explore the possibilities of country
living without resorting to stylistic clichés.
As always, budget and creativity control the
outcomes, but there are ideas for updating
a dairy farm, reinventing a tiny church,
and reinvigorating structurally sound but
aesthetically challenged properties. Then
there are the exciting materials in a brand
new WA home built between a road and
pristine bushland.
The makeovers of existing homes
are particularly clever and contain many
ideas for budget-conscious renovators
in any location. With a solid structure
and a workable floor plan, sometimes
all that’s required is a bit of imagination
and energy. Changing hardware in
kitchens and bathrooms, going toRURAL
IDYLL
town with paint and wallpaper,
reupholstering a shapely chair with
a fresh new fabric, or adding decorative
layers with all-season ease in mind.
Comfortable sofas, beds and warm throws
are a given. The finishing touch? Foliage
and flowers picked from the garden.
Country living and decorating aside,
we’ve been thinking about winter
entertaining and ways to make the most
of cooler days. Our lunch menu, Drinks
column and Shopping feature set you up
to be the host with the most. And we kick
off the issue with a visit to the lovely home
of seasoned entertainers Chyka and Bruce
Keebaugh – just to get you in the mood.
Enjoy!Love that look...
Senior stylist Kayla
Gex’s latest finds.
Winter means spending time indoors
and entertaining at home. Set the
scene with these stunning homewares
and many more on page 175.FROM TOP Vor linen tea towel,
$39, Nash; http://www.nashhome.com.au.
New Works Gear anodised-
aluminium candlestick holders,
POA, SeehoSu; (02) 8068 8640
or http://www.seehosu.com.au. Iris
terracotta footed bowl, $40,
Salt&Pepper; 1800 246 987 or
http://www.saltandpepper.com.au.Follow the H&G team on Instagram
@houseandgardenCALLING ALL DESIGNERS!
Entries are now open for our annual Top 50
Rooms showcase. We are seeking projects that
represent the breadth of creativity in Australian
residential interiors. Find entry details at
homestolove.com.au/top-50-entries-open