CHIC COUNTRY homestead

A finessed floor plan and treasured antiques transform a liveable, but inloved, cottage into a charming forever home.

- Hanna Marton

When Emma Stein entered the Tiles of Ezra showroom in inner-city Melbourne, she had one thing on her mind: sourcing Zellige handcrafted Moroccan tiles for the renovation of her new home about one-and-a-half hours’ drive southwest of Sydney. Emma, who was on a work trip at the time, bought her tiles. She also secured the services of interior architect and Tiles of Ezra founder, Georgia Ezra.

“Emma had already engaged an architect and a builder for her project and everything was moving at pace,” says Georgia. “She was at the selection of finishes stage and I think she realised, ‘Holy cannoli, I would love some help in this department’.” Which is fair enough – when it comes to finishes and fittings, the sheer amount of choice on offer can be daunting for the novice.

What ensued was a creative collaboration that transcended state borders. Georgia designed bespoke joinery and bathroom schemes, and selected soft furnishings, wallpapers, paint colours and fixtures. "I would send materials to Emma, then we'd have video meetings with the swatches and samples in front of us," says Georgia. While Emma trusted Georgia to select finishes, Georgia relied on Emma to check how they looked in situ. "Not being able to see the colours in the space was the biggest challenge for me," says Georgia.