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Calabash Bay Lodge Berowra, Australia
EN It’s no secret that any designer worth their salt would
travel to the ends of the earth to please their clients, but it’s
not often that they’re asked to do exactly that. For a recent
project, a holiday rental home in Berowra, on the forested
outskirts of northern Sydney, designer Carole Whiting was
tasked with a very demanding install. “Because the property
is only accessed by water it was a huge challenge”,
she recalls of the project, which required her and her team
to ship all of the building materials, finishes and furniture
up the Hawkesbury River to the home’s location at the top
of a steep riverbank. “Everything had to be transported by
barge and then once on site carried up a steep sandstone
stairwell”. Unsurprisingly, the entire endeavor was
completely worth it once the house was finished and guests
could finally enjoy the home’s secluded locale. “The view
is key to the whole experience”, notes Whiting.
Indeed, even in designing the space, the sweeping
panorama was the main focus. “From a purely aesthetic
point of view, we had to walk a fine line between a strong
design outcome, and not overshadowing the hero
of the home, which is always the view”, posits Whiting,
who organized each of the home’s rooms around the broad
picture windows. “Our palette was simple and planned
to compliment the exterior sandstones, river hues,
and natural beauty of the surrounding Australian bushland.
We consciously used curves where possible in a not-too
subliminal message that this home was somewhere to ‘take
the edge off’ life in the fast-paced world”. To ensure
the interiors were subtle, sunny and bright, Whiting opted
for white marble countertops, furniture hewn in blonde
wood and cream-colored walls.
The bathroom was treated with a similar sense
of reverence for the natural world. Whiting set Agape’s
Immersion tub directly next to the window, allowing guests
to enjoy the view of the meandering river, dense forest
and endless Australian sky.
Immersion bathtub, Memory taps,
Dot Line accessorised bar
Vasca Immersion, rubinetti Memory,
barra accessoriabile Dot Line
Meditative escapes
Agape Destinations
“From a purely aesthetic
point of view, we had to
walk a fine line between
a strong design outcome,
while not overshadowing
the hero of the home,
which is always the view”.
Carole Whiting
