Postcards from WA
Sure, overseas travel is back on the cards, but holidays at home have never been so hip. Elizabeth Clarke checks into three of WA's most charming country destinations.
WORDS Elizabeth Clarke
Treetops Getaway
Stillwood Retreat, Denmark
PHOTOGRAPHY Rachel Claire
Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Denmark in an old shed beautifully reimagined by Kimberley Tan and Jeffrey Swinyard, of design practice Studio Atelier. The perfect barefoot luxury experience for two, Stillwood Retreat sits on a stretch of nature overlooking lush, rolling hills and the Karri Forest, and has everything you need for a soothing weekend away.
The perfect combination of comfort and chic, each interior space is a melange of natural textures, earthy materials and a moody palette. The living room features soaring timber-lined ceilings and a dreamy mural of the Karri Forest. A wood fire puffs away, and an oversized linen couch beckons you to pour a wine and relax.
The compact and fully equipped kitchen with breakfast bar looks out to nature. The bathing sanctuary includes a rain shower and a two-person bathtub stocked with Aesop products. A short distance from the house is an outdoor antique clawfoot bath, where you can marvel at the great outdoors from beneath the bubbles.
The treetop bedroom lies at the top of the stairs. Pared back and simplistic, it is luxuriously comfy with squillion-thread sheets where you'll sleep the sleep of kings.
Ideal for seekers of solitude, serene is how you will leave Stillwood Retreat, the perfect antidote to a busy life. Until next time...
Forest Escape
Karri Loam, Margaret River
PHOTOGRAPHY Glenn Russell
It’s not just the peace at Karri Loam that is restorative. The home’s minimal design and raw materials, like rammed earth and timber, clear the mind and throw you straight into nature.
Designed and built by owners Miranda Geiger and Ash Stucken, the two-level bolthole perches on the edge of the Karri Forest just far enough from the hullaballoo of Margaret River town. The bedrooms share a bathroom and outdoor bathtub custom-built by Ash on the ground level. The kitchen, living space, powder room and outdoor terrace are upstairs, taking in lush views of the surrounding forest.
Taking its name from the soil it’s built on, Karri Loam is chic, chic, chic. Each space is pared down and simply handled with cool touches such as Cultiver European bedlinens, Cisco & the Sun ceramics, and local Vasse Virgin soaps. Armadillo rugs add warmth to the sparse spaces, and benchtops are finished in micro cement. In the living space, a sweeping MCM House sofa and floor-to-ceiling drapes are elevated by a large, vibrant artwork by West Australian artist Jay Staples.
There’s something utterly restful about living in such spare natural spaces, and there is no more beautiful Margaret River haven than Karri Loam.
Country Retreat
Storytellers Rest, Bridgetown
PHOTOGRAPHY Raquel Aranda
Pretty, ornate and as sumptuous as a cream cake, Storytellers Rest is nestled in the heart of Bridgetown, one of the sweetest villages down south. Owners Glen and Janine Pearce have breathed fresh new life into the 102-year-old home. “We gently pulled her apart, from her crooked walls and wonky floors to her bad colour palette,” says Janine. “We’ve added back what she needed, like a new fireplace, a beautiful bath, and a chef’s kitchen. She is once again the beautiful dame.”
Evoking a cross between Enid Blyton and Kate Moss, Storytellers Rest is bliss for a blast of old-world elegance, with a twist. Her interiors are characterised by contrasts: in one bedroom, rich antiques chime with bold teal walls, and in the other, soft, oversized roses combine with layers of blush linen. It’s classic rather than gimmicky, and every space feels lived in with a sense of occasion.
The sense of whimsy and romance tumbles over into the garden filled with birdsong, rustling trees, a fruit orchard, and fire pit. Stroll into town, take in a winery, indulge in a long lunch at The Cidery, or explore the river. For outdoorsy types, there is hiking, canoeing, and mountain bike riding. Perfect for a family getaway or friends looking for a refuge from hectic city life, everything here seems to encourage you to slow down, sit down, and calm down. If you yearn for an old-style country getaway, this is the ticket.
Postcards from WA featured in Havenist Magazine Issue #2
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