This is a century-old sandstone house in a small farming village in South Australia's Mid North. The new owner and rural interior designer has been restoring and renovating for a couple of years, keeping the principles of efficiency and sustainability.
The house was in poor condition, and the possums made it their home.
The climate in this part of South Australia is mild in winter and very hot in summer.
The main renovations focused on balancing energy efficiency, reducing maintenance costs, and reducing indoor water consumption through water-efficient appliances and new bathroom plumbing fixtures, including water-efficient toilets. The eco-friendly septic tank supports native species planted in the backyard, reducing outdoor water use. The house has two new rainwater tanks, with the idea of growing Australian natives and banksias for weddings in the six garden beds.
Solar photovoltaic panels with micro-inverters were installed on the garage roof to preserve the house's rural, old-style character and, most importantly, to generate most of the building's electricity during daylight hours. A large verandah and entertaining areas around the house provide good cross-ventilation and extensive shade. The cellar, discovered during renovation work under the verandah, provides a cool space to store Riesling wine.
The gardens feature drought-tolerant plants that feed bees, lizards, and birds. As the house is close to a Native Reserve with large gum trees, bush-fire resilience was an important consideration for the owner, and the roof has been fitted with a non-combustible metal mesh designed to block embers from entering the home and to act as a barrier against vermin.
As a multi-use area of the house, the verandah is assigned to "Rural Living Workshops".
