Australian Country Homes Issue 13

Hello dear reader, It seems the end of what has been a hard year for many is shifting into the rear-view mirror. There’s no denying the challenges that 2020 has brought, altering the way we live and, in some cases, the way we view our safety and our homes. For some, the summer season won’t bring relief. It will herald more of the catastrophic bushfires that ravage our sunburnt country every year, resulting in chaos and devastation. Yet as the new year teases us, tempts us, it brings an undeniable sense of hope too. There’s nothing like the promise of possibility that whispers to us when December ticks into January. This sense of potential reminds us of the ability we have to change, to want better and to do better. To live, laugh…

MINI DRAPE CARDIGAN The Mini Drape cardigan from Smitten Merino is high on our wish list due to its absolute wearability. It’s so simple to slip on over a T-shirt and jeans or something a little warmer, making it perfect for summer nights out or those cooler, rainy days where you need something extra. And, like all Smitten Merino products, the cardigan is made of the highest-quality material. It is crafted from 100 per cent merino and is proudly made in Tasmania. With seven beautiful colours to choose from, there’s one to suit your wardrobe. smittenmerino.com WOODEN BEACH HUT BUNTING Celebrate the arrival of warmer days with the Wooden Beach Hut Bunting from Pretty Homestyle. This cheerful accessory will have you dreaming of sunny days in the sunshine and is the perfect complement…

It was the green leafy outlook from an elevated position that drew Sarah and Trent Dunlop to their home in Brisbane’s Red Hill in 2000. The inner-city suburb is close to the CBD yet has a quiet community feel and offers cosmopolitan shopping and dining, as well as bike tracks and pathways through parkland. The Dunlops bought their house when Sarah was pregnant with their first child and, nearly 12 years after, they undertook a stunning renovation to better suit their needs. A typical old Queenslander, the 1930s house was the perfect blank canvas for Sarah’s renovation dreams and at time of first print was home to the couple and their two children, Abigail and Eliza. Sarah was determined to make the most of their pristine positioning and what started as a…

Is it possible to have it all? Probably not, but New Zealand cook and publishing legend Annabel Langbein comes pretty close. As the author of 25 fabulous cookbooks and the star of her own TV show, The Free Range Cook, Annabel believes growing her own fruit and vegies is central to the lifestyle she enjoys in each destination. “By instinct I don’t go to the fridge to decide what to have for dinner,” she explains. “I go to the garden to see what’s available. Or in the dead of winter, I might go to the pantry to see what I’ve preserved from more fruitful times.” In doing so, Annabel is preserving a tradition established by her parents as she was growing up in Wellington. Her father, a senior civil servant, unwound by…

Most people wouldn’t be tempted at first inspection to make an offer on a property whose best feature was a VB beer carton taped over a missing window. Thankfully, Nicole and Justin O’Brien could see the potential of the shoe-box-sized house nestled among the rolling hills and towering trees of Main Ridge on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Justin was adamant it was the property for them, but for Nicole, it wasn’t a case of love at first sight. “My stomach flipped when I saw it,” she says. “We had to clear a fallen branch from the driveway just to get to the house and then sweet-talk the agent into bringing the key down because he couldn’t believe we were really interested in the place.” And she wasn’t alone, she recalls with a laugh.…

While we’re looking outward at deforestation, vehicular carbon emissions and the plastic waste in our oceans when it comes to living a more ecoforward life, we also need to look inward to our lifestyles and homes, recognising that change starts with us. Environmentally friendly houses can appear expensive or difficult to create, particularly in an existing home, but there are many practical changes you can implement now. Why wait for change when it can start today? Here we look at kitchens and bathrooms, two important spaces that are responsible for the majority of our energy bills, and find ways to improve our homes for the better. Kitchens What’s in your kitchen? Benchtops, cabinetry, appliances, tapware and many more components build your space to create what you see. Designed for daily wear and tear, this…