Dark Horse

Blending seamlessly with its natural surrounds, a rural property’s facade belies its glamorous, moody interiors.

- Chris Pearson

 

If a grand country house evokes images of old-world charm, with traditional sofas and honey timbers, walk into the sophisticated foyer of this generous home in Barwon River in Victoria, and you’ll think again. Its glamorous interiors boast smart and chic uptown credentials. Yet, paradoxically perhaps, they remain cosy and cocooning, and tailored for family living. Because this is also a farm, rural to its roots, ceilings, floors and walls are clad in earthy timber but, in keeping with the theme, this is not a rustic take, but moody and dark-stained with an urbane edge. And in the hallway is a small – well, not so small – whimsical nod to the home’s country associations in Moooi’s iconic horse lamp. Should you remain in any doubt just where you are, vast steel-framed windows display views of towering eucalypts and rolling fields.

In 2014, the owners, a stay-at-home mum and professional husband with a growing family, approached interior designer Greg Natale to design this home. He had worked on two of their other houses, both featured in Belle. “We wanted our home to blend into the natural elements using woods that would stand the test of time. Above all, this had to be a family home – warm, inviting, comfortable and liveable – where we can enjoy time with loved ones. Country luxe was the phrase we used throughout the planning process,” say the design-savvy owners, who collaborated with Greg on the project.