CURATED supports + celebrates the artists & artisans, producers & provedores we meet on our travels as well as design, style & fashion that inspires us from around the world – each with a nod to the love of COUNTRY life + STYLE. From locals we know, to creatives in faraway places, CURATED brings you the essence of grounded, soulful, country luxury & living. Today’s edition of CURATED seeks shade from the summer sun + dips its toes into the coolness of seaside tones. Ocean bound, we pack our bags and head for the coast with 12 of our summer favs all set to accompany the 12 days of Christmas. Enjoy! Oh, and this is our last blog post for 2014! Where did the…
Posts by Danielle White
A Tuscan-inspired getaway in Malmsbury – who’d ever have thought! I’m not sure if it is the detailed stonework, the patina of its old timbers, the muted palette, the miniature Versailles-esque grounds, the trickle of the fountain on a sunny day, the gentrifying vintage exposed beams, the sun-drenched patio doors that open to an agricultural landscape or the crunch of gravel underfoot that transports you to a world away; but one thing I am sure about is that Vanessa + Trent Hancock have created a truly amazing country retreat! The Timber & Stone Retreat is not just wonderful because it’s picture perfect, it’s inspiring because it’s a horse-paddock-to-slice-of-heaven project that has taken Vanessa + Trent years of hard work and all the vision, passion,…
Not everyone moves to the country to fulfill a long-held dream or to satisfy a yearning for the bucolic country life. From country Sweden to Melbourne to country Victoria, Cecilia Fogelberg is actually a self-professed Cityphile. An adventurous traveler, mother, talented artist, qualified sculptor, art conservator and food gardener, Cecilia happened to buy a little weatherboard cottage in Kyneton because city real estate was too expensive. “I do love the country life in many ways but I still miss the city; the excitement, the unknown, the energy, the melting pot of cultures and food and people. I think you could describe me as a country girl by birth but a city girl at heart.” Nevertheless, Cecilia is making the most of what country life…
Colourful bunting, lambs, hay bales, magicians, flowers, crafts, jams, scones, horses, paintings, photography, sheep, cattle, dogs, children and squeals of laughter; an Agricultural Show is a wonderful experience for young and old alike. Today’s post is a special ‘sneak peek’ to remind you to get along to Kyneton’s 154th Grand Annual Agricultural Show, which kicks off at 5:30pm this evening (Friday 14 November) with the Friday Night Carnival and runs all day tomorrow (Saturday 15 November). Show Day runs from 9am to 5pm and includes The Farm Shed {where every gets to learn, discover + connect with life on the land; from digging for potatoes to making a rain gauge}, stilt walkers, an animal nursery, treasure hunt, pony rides, face painting + the Bike…
When I arrived at the entrance to Bunjil Farm I found myself greeted by the sweetest little Coach house EVER which means today’s story really was a serious case of ‘You had me at hello!” The long, leisurely drive into Bunjil Farm is beguiling. A meandering track winds guests past ponds, paddocks, ponies and peek holes through pine hedges. Glimpses of historic structures, salvaged and saved, tantalise the imagination of days gone by; a timber butchery with the loveliest pitched-roof, a blacksmiths’ shop, old stables and miner’s huts, not to mention a grand old weatherboard home replete with sunny verandah, rambling garden and towering folly! Oh, then to step inside! Ahead, a dark timber staircase beckons while to the right the northern sun beaming…
It’s wedding season and today’s feature story celebrates spring + new love + joyous occasions by introducing you to Christine McKimm, founding owner of Country Wedding Style, whose move to the country inspired her to reconnect with her creative skills and start a curated prop hire + wedding styling business. Let’s face it, it takes creative vision, skill and hard work to turn a paddock, a dusty lane, a bush track, a shearing shed, a garden or a seldom-used timber hall or rustic church into a venue gorgeous enough to create lasting memories and stunning photos. On my visit to Christine’s home, I was treated to a quick mini wedding-styling session. I watched and clicked with delight as Christine magically brought nostalgia, romance, provincial…
Equal measures family, friends, farming, local food, cooking and happiness + a generous dash of joie de vivre- these ingredients make us thrilled to introduce you to today’s very special fellow Countryphile Sophie Hansen {we’re pretty darn chuffed, actually}. From living in Northern Italy, where she worked as a feature writer for the Slow Food Movement’s Slow Magazine, to now living on a venison farm with her husband and two children in Orange, NSW, Sophie has developed a strong passion for cooking with local seasonal produce. So much so, her newly-published book celebrates exactly that Local is Lovely: For the love of fresh, seasonal food, nice farmers and their produce. We especially love + admire Sophie for her enormous orchard-sized heart + generosity of…
