Gweneth and her husband Roger moved into their magnificent 1853 home in Emu Plains, at the foot of the Blue Mountains, to rectify an out-of-kilter work/life balance. As a busy obstetrician/gynaecologist, Roger was unable to spend as much time as he would’ve liked with their fi ve children so when the opportunity arose to buy a sprawling property that could house both his consulting rooms and a family home they took it. Set on 90 acres with the Nepean River at its lower end, it had plenty of room for patients and parking, and lots of space to raise their five children. And, of course, the kitchen was always a busy spot!
ROOM FOR MORE
Even though the kids have now left home, the kitchen still sees a fair amount of traffic given that Roger’s staff use it as a lunch spot and Gweneth, who works as the practice manager, is always dashing in and out of it to make cups of tea and coff ee for patients. “We have people in here all the time so it was important we had a kitchen that worked at optimum rate as and when we needed it,” she says. What makes it more than just a functional space though is the wonderful use of colour and Gweneth’s deftness at decorating and creating a homey feel. “The kitchen is only about a third of the area,” she says, referring to the large family room which has a dining area and features an exposed sandstone wall as well as a fireplace and two comfortable armchairs. “It’s virtually where we live. The kids sit on the stools in the kitchen and we talk while I’m cooking or we have a drink by the fire. It’s the centre of the whole home.”
The house was given a bit of a revamp in the early ’80s when aged black beams taken from the old Darling Harbour site were installed as rafters. Then, four years ago, Gweneth picked up where the previous owners left off and organised her own redecorating plan. To start with, she commandeered her son Todd for the job of replacing he black slate floor with spotted gum timber fl ooring. He has his own building company, TJN Constructions, so he was suitably experienced but regardless, Gweneth is immensely proud of his ‘artistic eye’. “Spotted gum comes in different grains and stains with all different knots and gnarls, and sometimes a splash of red or black; and he blended them together beautifully, mixing and matching with diff erent cuts of wood. It’s changed the room dramatically, giving it lovely depth,” she says. She tiled the alcove in a pattern of her own design, choosing black tiles to suit the rafters, then fitted it with a black stove and double oven to match. Here and there she’s displayed a blend of antique copperware and modern pieces to tie in with the feature colours and complete the inviting look
Having relied on her colour instincts to guide her, Gweneth struggles with classifying the style of her kitchen, seeing it as neither modern nor country. “I don’t know,” she ponders. “It’s just me!”
COLOUR ME HAPPY
Along with teaching art for many years, Gweneth used to own a Barbara’s House & Garden store, so when she picks up a paintbrush she does so with confidence. After taking down the dated wallpaper and lacy curtains, she proceeded to do all the painting herself, taking her cues from the colours in the stained glass of the door, which was put in during the earlier renovations. With brush in hand and classical music playing, she recalls her long, fl owing brushstrokes made her feel like an orchestra conductor. It was quite a daunting challenge given the proportions of the room – the ceilings are 20-foot high – and with her paint-splattered phone in her pocket, she was up and down the ladder numerous times a day to take appointments. A huge fan of Porter’s Paints, she used their undercoat to prepare the walls then limewashed them in Hay and energising Russet, with Porter’s Hay semi gloss on the cupboards to off set the rich red.
If she could change anything she’d opt for better shelving but in the same design so as not to spoil the quaint style that flows throughout the house. All in all, however, Gweneth loves the way she redefined her kitchen and takes great pride in what she achieved, and the regular acknowledgement her good work receives no doubt makes it all the more worthwhile. “The reaction from people is usually ‘this house is so beautiful’. There’s a lovely feeling here,” she smiles. “It’s a very special place.”