CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT The guest bedroom in Cathy and Geoff’s railway
cottage is homcottage is home to Andrewe to Andrew’s childhood tim’s childhood timber bed; Kirstie’s bathroomber bed; Kirstie’s bathroom in in
the courthouse has mthe courthouse has matte watte white subwhite subway tiling and a freestanding tub fromay tiling and a freestanding tub from
Tradelink in ToowTradelink in Toowoomoomba. The pendant lights are fromba. The pendant lights are from Beacon Lighting; tags Beacon Lighting; tags
and packaging for Cathy’s business. “Packaging is a big thing for mand packaging for Cathy’s business. “Packaging is a big thing for me,” explains e,” explains
Cathy. “It’s all about the smCathy. “It’s all about the small details.” all details.” For stockist details, see page 142.For stockist details, see page 142.makes charms and embroidered cushions from her studio in
the railway cottage under the label Cathy Penton Atelier.
After re-roofing and restumping the building and
removing the low ceiling, Cathy, Geoff, Andrew and Kirstie
painted the walls in Dulux’s Antique White USA and sanded
the painted hoop pine floor, before sealing it with Woca oil.
“I remember sitting on the floor with a chisel trying to get
the red shiny stain out of the grooves,” Kirstie says. “It did
not want to budge and there were some days you wish you
could blink your eyes and it would be done. My love is the
painting, not so much the prep work!”
Kirstie and Geoff found a thick timber board at a salvage
yard in Toowoomba, which they had planed in half and
sanded then installed as shelving in the kitchen. Geoff,
who is the chief executive officer for the Queensland
Murray-Darling Committee, enjoys woodwork in his
spare time and also built the vanity in the bathroom,
which is tucked behind the low wall of the kitchen.
Cathy and Kirstie selected handless cabinetry, stone
benchtops and a butler’s sink from IKEA to create a sleek
look for the kitchen, where Kirstie displays her collected
ceramic ware. With a shared love of decorating, the mother
and daughter duo enjoy shifting things around and bouncing
ideas off each other. “It’s minimal but with warmth,” says
Cathy. “Kirstie likes to put a bit more new in while I tend to
use what I have and build on that... she has a great eye.”Kirstie has used pallets as a base for her bed, which makes
good use of the space and allows a view over the open living
area. “It looks cool and doesn’t cost anything,” she says.
With the interior complete, Cathy chose Dulux matte
black for the exterior and planted a rosemary hedge around
its perimeter. Kirstie moved in to the courthouse one year
ago and regularly strolls up the hill, past their pet sheep
and the rolling farmland to the west, to her parent’s house
for a shared dinner. Andrew, who is studying a physics
degree two hours away in Brisbane, gets home as much
as possible. “Because Geoff travels so much, Kirstie and
I often watch a show together or have dinner. My daughter
is one of my closest friends in the world,” says Cathy.
Kirstie now has the renovators’ bug and is already
thinking of her next project. “I think this is amazing and
I’m saving up to find another old place that needs some
love in the future to keep it going. How incredible that my
parents were able to do this for me, it’s very special.”
Visit cathypentonatelier.bigcartel.com for more information.40 C OU N T RY ST Y LE NOVEMBER 2017