When nature is left to its own devices, eventually it will encroach on any man-made structure. Such was the garden of the 1930s bungalow that Megan and Martin Brown bought at auction. ‘The backyard was a jungle. At the sale, the woman next to me said, “who would buy this place?”. We were the only bidders,’ Megan laughs. Yet its position, on the edge of a bushland reserve, gave the house a secluded quality rarely found in the homes so close to Sydney’s Manly Beach. Unperturbed by the fecundity of the plot, the couple saw it as a characterful addition to the house. ‘The garden backed onto a steep escarpment with tall gum and palm trees. It was beautiful to look at and gave us the feeling of being in an urban forest,’ Megan says.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
modern extensions
WITH STRIKING USE OF COLOUR, MATERIALS AND SHAPE, THE LATEST DESIGNS ADD SO MUCH MORE THAN AN EXTRA ROOM
think like a pro
It's not just interior designers who are skilled at picking the perfect palette architects are in on the act, too, and Richard Parr knows just how to get the ideal shade
colour decoded
As with all successful schemes, there's much more going on beneath the surface of this space than first appears -Livingete's colour expert Amy Moorea Wong reveals all
enduring style
B&B Italia has pioneered modern Italian furniture design since 1966 - but its latest collection feels as fresh as ever
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
Seventeenth-century origins meet vibrant contemporary design in a cleverly reimagined Amsterdam canal house
ROCK OF AGES
The owners of a Menorcan home have made a stylish yet sustainable retreat using the island's signature stone
FORCE OF NATURE
An unexpected flood into what was already a dark basement flat prompted a new vision, full of light, natural materials and foliage
TOP OF THE WORLD
High above the busy streets of Bangkok, two talented designers have created a tranquil retreat that nods to chic 1970s style and makes the most of the views
A PLACE IN THE SUN
An apartment within a former luxury hotel celebrates - and updates - the style of France's Côte d'Azur
OUTSIDE IN
The design of this modernist bungalow in South Africa was dictated by the trees on the plot and the desire for an indoor-outdoor flow
