|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Gypsy Meadows |
| A country cottage built entirely from recycled materials. |
|
|
|
|
Barbara Denham was born and raised in the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria and her family tree contains many generations of farmers.
She and her husband fell in love with this country property at Moorooduc, which at the time looked fairly unsuitable due to the extensive tree coverage. However, when they saw the street address name "Stumpy Gully Road", there was no turning back.
After purchasing the property, a timber and stone home was slowly built over a period of six years. More like a labour of love, it is built entirely using recycled materials. Being an environmentally friendly house, solar heating was installed as well.
During this building period they lived in a caravan on the site. Barbara's father said they were living like gypsies in a meadow, hence the name of the house "Gypsy Meadows".
Finding the building materials to recycle was the really hard part, and close family friend Rod Sly donated many of these, including a 19th century claw foot bath. Most weekends were spent checking out various demolition sites and scouring the Victorian countryside for pre-loved stone and timber.
Barbara's grandmother donated the doors, windows, hawthorn bricks and timber framework after demolishing her home in Somerville. The bluestone granite was discovered in Warragul and given the Welsh country cottage look by an English stonemason.
A 3m long wool classer's table was discovered in an old shed in Euroa and is now the focal point of the dining room. Huge beams from the Mordialloc bridge make up the ceilings and supports for the hall, sitting room and kitchen. They are also used over the enormous English fireplace, called an "inglenook", meaning that you can sit enclosed next to the fire, on the nearby monks' bench.
The living room contains a 16th century Swedish dresser, a French writing desk and an ex-army butcher's block. Nearby sits a 17th century apothecary chest (doctor's medicine cabinet). Upstairs there are three bedrooms, with views from the windows, and a large bathroom.
Of course, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and being a trained chef, Barbara cooks up some delicious meals which are very popular with the locals. Hanging up above the slow combustion wood stove are several 16th century Irish pine dough baskets, built using hand-made nails. No modern appliances here, even the kitchen sink originates from a 19th century English laboratory.
|
More Info
Gypsy Meadows has become a popular venue for small weddings and receptions. Barbara can organise everything from the cake to catering, the wine and the flowers. For more information on Gypsy Meadows:
Ph: (03) 5978 8356 or (02) 9965 2388
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
