Nestled deep in the Toolangi, Australia State Forest, this contemporary take on the 17th-century Jacobian New England saltbox is a modern marvel. From its exquisite old church doors to the owner-laid parquetry flooring and dramatic feature wall, the team cleverly sourced, recycled, and used each element to add rustic charm to this automated, high-tech, and almost bullet-proof home.
As homeowners, Chris and Tabitha faced the challenge of designing and constructing their two-storey dream house on their 120-acre bushland block, which was rated BAL 40, the highest a home can have. Therefore, they had to think outside the square.
“The land was completely forested with native vegetation,” says Tabitha. “We had owned the property since 2000 and had lived locally in a small, timber, one-bedroom, old weatherboard cottage. The location [of our home] on the block minimises the defendable space required for bushfire protection and hence we needed to do tree and vegetation clearance.”
Along with the clearing of trees directly around the home, Chris and Tabitha took steps in sourcing building materials that could withstand the extreme heat and flames of a bushfire. For instance, they used insulated core foam (ICF) concrete external walls, a high-pitched ASKIN roofing system with integrated insulation, and a high-tech sprinkler system that can be accessed remotely to give their home the best chance to stand against a bushfire.
“The [roof’s foam core] actually goes out itself,” says Peter Maddison, host of Grand Designs Australia, when testing the roof with a flame torch. “It just goes to dust. [The foam core] is not even hot in there now. It’s cooled off really quickly.”
Although the home’s design was far from the owners’ initial idea of the mud and straw homestead they had dreamt about 15 years prior, Tabitha was still able to turn the grand, contemporary structure into a warm and inviting space for her family of five.
“We wanted something low maintenance, family friendly, generational and sustainable as well as bushfire-resilient,” says Tabitha. “Toolangi, which means ‘tall trees’ in Taungurung language, is home to the tallest flowering plant in the world, the mountain ash, and the house had to be scaled properly
to sit comfortably in the landscape.”
The natural palette includes red mud, local stone, iron, and gabion cages. As a result, the external facade blends neatly into its old-growth forest surroundings. They chose each material to age and gain patina over time, reducing maintenance and giving the home a lived-in feel.
Inside, the house comes alive with much-loved trinkets and unique finds hidden throughout. For instance, from the scattered glass and mirror inlaid into the polished concrete floor to the dramatic timber feature wall, the team laid every detail with love and precision.
“[The interior has a] neutral palette, with highly carved antique timber furniture and upholstery to make its own statement,” says Tabitha. “I hunted second-hand materials such as handmade, rough-cut, hand-glazed tiles for the kitchen splashback; Australian hardwood parquetry flooring pieces, lovingly restored by me; and reclaimed brushbox flooring to use as wall panelling.”
Moving through the home, there are delightful details in surprising places, each with its own story to tell. “I love the raw and authentic use of materials and the exposure of the surfaces ‘unfinished’,” says Tabitha. “The tiles from the splashback in the kitchen belonged to a lady who chipped them off the hearth at her grandmother’s house prior to it being demolished. She then carried them around for 30 years intending to use them, but then was downsizing and sold them to me!”
Chris used his skills as an electrician to wire the home for maximum efficiency and eco-friendliness. In addition, he incorporated home automation and solar panels on the shed. These panels then connect to 24 large batteries for energy storage and use when needed. As a result, Chris can delay-start a power point to make the most efficient use of the off-grid power system. Furthermore, this energy also controls the heating and water filtration of the home.
“At the end of the day, this is what I do,” says Chris. “I’m an electrician, just with a big imagination.”
Being an owner-build, the home didn’t come without significant challenges. Financial delays became a major setback, pushing the build’s timeline two-and-a-half years beyond the initial 12-month timeline. The couple also welcomed their third child during the process.
“The team were amazing — they worked so well together,” says Tabitha. “The only issue we had was with the bank as they did not understand our custom build, which did not fit into the boxes of the usual stages for building and construction and the release of funds. The design also changed twice during the planning process and we had to apply for an internal change to add an extra bedroom as we found out I was pregnant with our third child!”
Due to financial delays, the couple had to sell their renovated cottage to release much-needed funds for their grand project. As a result, they lived in a large shed at a friend’s place for 10 months, with all five of them sharing one bedroom.
“We did not have an enormous budget. This shows that any regular family can achieve what we did with commitment and resolve,” say Chris and Tabitha. “It wasn’t easy but it was so worth it. We are very content and are now working towards living a self-sufficient lifestyle growing our own food, caring for our bush block and its rare and endangered inhabitants, and teaching our children the grassroot things that matter.”
