Return to Terrara House

The romantic mood of the South Coast starts just past Kiama, with the cow dotted green hills that sweep down the the ocean. You can see why it is a destination for weddings.

I’ve been coming down here, off and on, to work on Terrara House. Built in 1904, it’s a two-storey mansion made of sandstone and lacy wrought iron, set in acres of formal gardens.  The first big project was the conversion of a basic modern garden shed into a wedding venue – Chesters.

My concept of Chesters was to echo the grandness of the house and combine it with a rustic informality, so people would feel relaxed and welcome. Chandeliers and lushly romantic floral fabric from Rubelli in Venice contrast with recycled timber flooring and bespoke barn doors.

Moving onto the transformation of the interior of the house, this idea is expanded. Staying at the house should feel like an experience - Brideshead Revisited, Downton Abbey. Theatrical but not formal. Able to be enjoyed by everyone - comfortable chairs to sink into, magazines and books to read, posies of fresh cut flowers in the rooms.

2023 was about taking up the tired carpets, and polished the original floor boards. Steaming off the slightly battered wallpaper and repainting it with soft, Edwardian era colours. With 24 rooms this is an ongoing project…