Upon arriving at the property on which this charming abode is located, there are things that strike you immediately. The air is cooler all year round and the vegetation is greener and denser thanks to the volcanic soil throughout the area. You’ll notice morning dew on the spiderwebs in the trees, and the kikuyu pasture beyond the dam lights up during golden hour. Life is just that much more enchanting in Mount Tamborine.
For the family of four and their two adorable pets who call The Mountain House their home away from home, building a holiday house that makes the most of its idyllic surroundings was a no-brainer. They brought in James Russell Architect to make the magic happen, and the rest is history.
The Mountain House is located on a hill in the back corner of the property. The house is out of view when you enter the site but takes centre stage once you drive towards it. Thanks to its zincalume sheeting, it looks similar to the farm shed just adjacent. Once you enter the holiday home through the front door, however, it will leave you speechless.
The holiday haven comprises three bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a main living, dining and kitchen area. The living room’s glass doors open out to the courtyard, blurring the boundaries between indoors and out. There is also a covered living space with a barbecue area, which acts as a breezeway in summer and a sunroom in winter. It was designed to create an outdoor living experience for the family, while keeping pesky insects out. That’s not all; the shipping container that sits adjacent to the house has been renovated into a queen-size guest bedroom, complete with a breathtaking view of the creek just beyond.
The home’s bathhouse is among its most noteworthy features. Designed to capture the property’s backdrop to a tee, its location and layout make for a bathing experience like no other. “I love it on cold, wet days, leaving the doors closed and hearing the sounds of the forest but feeling like I’m in a Japanese bathhouse,” shares David Hobart, one of the homeowners.
“James, the lead architect at James Russell Architect, provided the inspiration,” says David of the home’s conception. “Outdoor Queensland living with an Asian influence.” Needless to say, the home is just as creative as those who designed it.
The clients’ brief for The Mountain House was to bring the outdoors in, and the project team tackled this challenge spectacularly. The property overlooks a mature rainforest, which features a giant tree reminiscent of those in the film Avatar. “It would have been missed by the first settlers and loggers on the mountain because it was a strangler fig. At approximately 80m tall, it is likely to be close to 1000 years old,” reveals David. The courtyard vines succeed in bringing an aspect of the gorgeous rainforest into the home.
Interestingly, not even the smallest amount of gyprock was used for this home. Instead, only natural materials and exposed finishes were utilised. “Very little of the building materials have been covered up. Redgum timber interior walls and flooring and exposed blockwork and concrete appear in the downstairs bedrooms. Black walls and ceilings provide warmth against the natural light streaming into the house from the sliding glass doors,” notes David. Special care was taken to ensure the house is well insulated so that it is warm during winter and cool in summer.
The architects from James Russell Architect teamed up with Mitchell and Andrew Clare from Clare Build for this project. “When building an architecturally designed home, it is so important having builders with high standards,” says David. “They all worked well together which, as the client, was a blessing.” Though the project team didn’t make too many structural changes as the project progressed, they did make a few changes to materials along the way. “Originally, the house was to be framed in brick with a terracotta-tiled roof. Changing to stucco rendered block work and zincalume sheeting was cheaper, but also more fitting for the rural setting,” notes David.
When asked about his favourite aspects of The Mountain House, David answers without hesitation. “Sitting on the built-in leather lounge inside the living space in the mornings, overlooking the rainforest. It feels like sitting in a cave, protected from the elements but still connected to them. Lying on the couch in the breezeway/barbecue area in summer. It looks across the block to the rainforest. You can feel the breeze and hear the birds. It’s a rich sensory experience.”
As far as holiday homes go, The Mountain House is one that is bound to have its occupants feeling relaxed, well rested and in tune with nature with every visit.
