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childhood near Boston, two hours from Cape Cod;

many years of adulthood spent in New York City, the

same travelling time from the Hamptons... These

were the precedents for finding a country property

when Diane Bergeron and her family – husband Peter

Throsby and daughters Annis, now 23, and

Coco, 21 – crossed the Pacific to live in

Melbourne 14 years ago. They had a city base

but yearned for a rural escape and, in 2008,

just the right property appeared – only two

hours from home. “It was tough to find

something old and charming, so I was thrilled

when I spotted it,” says Diane.

Known as Churchill House, the property is located in South

Gippsland, about 150km south-east of Melbourne. Built in 1940,

it was originally two structures: a small fibro church and Sunday

school, later connected with a breezeway-like addition. It was a

bit of a mess, admits Diane. “But it had good bones and an

amazing setting, so we cleaned it up with minor renovations.”

Prior to the makeover, the interior was brown and really dark.

Diane had the floors sanded and painted white for a fresh, Cape-

Cod feel, except for the large central living zone, which was

stained a rich ebony. The pulpit and organ,

now surplus to requirements, were removed

and the leadlight hopper windows were

customised with insect screens and covers

to keep the dust and cold air out. The kitchen

and bathroom were both gutted and refitted.

“It’s a cosy house, but the layout makes it

feel spacious,” says Diane. “The main room is very open and has

a 4.5m peaked ceiling. It has several seating areas and a dining

area, with a raised alcove that serves as the second bedroom.

The entrance/mudroom has french doors that lead out to the

deck overlooking an amazing view.” At the opposite end of >

HG HOUSES

110 | AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

KNOWN FOR HER

SOPHISTICATED INTERIOR-

DESIGN STYLE, DIANE CAN

REALLY LET HER HAIR

DOWN HERE.

Built to last

When Diane and Peter moved in, the old church

was in good shape structurally, with intact

stained-glass and leadlight windows. For the

additional work they did on the home, simple,

robust materials were chosen. In the kitchen, the

ceramic sink and timber benchtop look just as

good as when they were installed years ago.

The deck was constructed using inexpensive

treated pine sourced from Bunnings.