Interior designer and new mum Emily Jury knew she'd return to the country with her husband, Mark. The pair had grown up in picturesque rural locations and Mark's ultimate dream was to become a full-time farmer.
Their opportunity to escape the city came in 2019 when they purchased a 7.2-hectare apple orchard on the outskirts of Castlemaine and, with SF Building Services, Craft Scale Joinery and Nectaar, began building a modern farmhouse. The timing couldn't have been better, with the arrival of the family's first child, Winona, in June 2022 - a mere six months after the build was completed.
Instead of leaning in to classic farmstead design, Emily - who works alongside Nectaar founders Bec and George Douros - wanted to achieve a modern look that allowed the stunning vistas to be the hero of the project. "The intention was to create something serene but raw and redefined in terms of the textural elements," Emily says.
"The home is built at the high point of the property, surrounded by nature, so the materials palette had to be a balance of earthy and tactile." Huge windows frame the open-plan kitchen and dining room with double curtains from Dollar Curtains + Blinds framing the views.
To maintain a sleek look, Emily avoided overcomplicating the design elements. She let the natural materials applied throughout the home speak for themselves, which makes the most of the simple yet stunning architecture.
Don't rush into choosing your builder, advises Emily. You'll be working closely with this person for many months so it's worth taking the time to do your research, meet with candidates and view their completed projects. That way, you can feel confident and comfortable with your decision.
Don't be afraid to mix up your textures and get experimental. If you want an earthy look, take inspiration from nature. Something as simple as the bark of a tree or leaves could spark a unique idea.
Using a variety of textures and patterns in similar colourways will create interest without distracting from heavenly views.
Decide on the key materials you want to incorporate. For Emily, inspiration came from the unique spiky silhouette of the Joshua tree, native to the southwest of the United States. Drawn to raw and tactile materials, she homed in on a few options to build up a base.
Photography: Dylan James
Styling: Nectaar
Words: Brittany Smith