Vintage art from
antique stores
and auctions is
a great way to
add character.< finding a 2ha property they liked; the clincher was its
thriving orchard and vegetable beds. The unexciting but
structurally sound four-bedroom house was the trade-off.
As a designer, Lisa yearned to renovate immediately but
common sense held her back. “We thought, let’s just decorate
for now, then renovate in five years when our needs are
different.” Her relatively simple but thoughtful changes
have completely transformed the home. One bedroom was
repurposed as a TV room/library and one of the two garages
was converted into a bunk room that sleeps six. Kitchen
handles and some light fittings were replaced and window
treatments updated throughout. The white paintwork was
retained in all but two of the bedrooms, which have been
revamped with bold new wallpaper. “I’ve decorated in the
same way I would a city home,” Lisa says. Traces of
the country can be seen, however, in the sculptural foliage
she collects and arranges in vases all over the house.
Life here has plenty to offer all ages, whether it’s lounging
in front of the fire, playing cricket, or bushwalking in nearby
Bundanoon National Park. Keen to share the good times, Lisa
and Toby now tend to entertain here rather than in the city.
“Friends might arrive for dinner and spend the night, then
we’ll all go out for breakfast before they leave,” she explains.
Part-time country living has been such a success that the
couple can picture themselves making a more permanent
move in the future. “You’re either a city person or a country
person,” says Lisa. “I’m definitely a country person.” >
Lisa Burdus, Sydney and Southern Highlands, NSW;
0409 489 225 or http://www.lisaburdus.com.au.HOUSES HG
AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN | 77