|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Happening farm |
| A bat-infested farmhouse doesn't sound too appealing, but this one has become a dream home thanks to the work of its artistic owners. |
|
|
|
|
How would you like to live in a bat infested, frog filled farmhouse with missing walls and a fallen verandah? Doesn't sound too appealing, but for Australian artist Melanie Curry and her husband John, an old Dairy farm on the mid-north NSW coast has become their dream home. Reg went and had a look.
Melanie originally started in the fashion industry. But her passion for art took over, inspiring her to sell off her fashion business (she owned the labels "mad if you don't", and " back to basics") and to focus wholly on painting.
She and her husband moved into their house nearly five years ago. Two houses were built on the property, one large, one small. The small is Melanie's studio.
The main house was a wreck, the verandah had fallen off and one wall was missing, letting all sorts of wildlife through. Over a period of 6 months, Melanie and John filled the wall with timber beams — branches and all — placing glass — stained and clear in between. The result is their "temple room", with a high ceiling, lots of light and a good view of the surrounding palms and ferns outside the house.
Their kitchen has no cupboards, just a large amoeba shaped table built from recycled metal and terrazzo. They designed a larder, a separate room, next to the kitchen. They've even named some of their household appliances, such as "Venus" the stove and "Gina" the cappuccino machine.
Their fireplace is also unique. It is made from concrete but looks like a tree trunk. Melanie and John cook on the fire with a wok — she says it's just like camping in the lounge room.
Melanie built her bed out of cedar and used old verandah posts as legs. She carves and decorates most furniture in the house, calling her work "paintings on legs".
The house is as bright as a rainbow, with each wall painted a different colour and stained glass windows surrounding the exterior.
The studio, when they bought the property, was severely damaged by lantana and camphor laurels growing through it. They renovated it using big recycled windows, coloured glass and logs from the sawmill. Now it is being built into a facility for workers' accommodation and to run different classes from, including yoga, art and massage.
An added feature of the property is a natural spring, which Melanie and John have dammed, to ensure a good water supply. It now covers eight acres. Melanie told us when they put the dam wall in it "miraculously started to fill itself with bright turquoise milky blue water in white clay".
Happening Farm is full of action and surprises, as it's open to anyone seeking some relaxing time in the sun, with a gorgeous backdrop of art and foliage. You could even go and join their workers planting olive and fruit and nut trees.
|
More Info
Happening Farm
Ph: 02 6569 9460
|
Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
|
|
|
|
|
