6 Australian Bush Houses Redefine Rustic Charm
Using the raw elements of traditional Australian bush architecture makes homes that really connect with the land
Bush houses are all about the value of connecting with what it means to be Australian. They capture the essence of the country through bricks and mortar, timber and tin.
Creating new homes that work within the vernacular of the farmhouses of old, or the great shearing sheds that once inhabited so many undulating hillsides and vast open plains, is a sure-fire way of creating a place that says ‘home’ to an Aussie. Here are six homes that build on our traditional best.
Creating new homes that work within the vernacular of the farmhouses of old, or the great shearing sheds that once inhabited so many undulating hillsides and vast open plains, is a sure-fire way of creating a place that says ‘home’ to an Aussie. Here are six homes that build on our traditional best.
The open-plan interior invites communal gathering, while loft spaces offer places of private retreat. The building is designed a bit like a tent, to be opened up and allow in natural ventilation and light. In the courtyard garden stands the sandstone fireplace of the original dwelling.
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2. Beach shack, Tas
In keeping with the tradition of small dwellings clustered around Tasmania’s wild and beautiful coastline, this home keeps life in perspective.
In keeping with the tradition of small dwellings clustered around Tasmania’s wild and beautiful coastline, this home keeps life in perspective.
Clean lines inside and natural timber highlights say this place is all about the essentials of life. It’s a home you come back to after a day outdoors. It’s the retreat you seek that’s away from the demands of modern life.
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3. Rustic on the coast, Adelaide, SA
Looking out to sea on South Australia’s rugged coastline, this home is built with raw materials that speak of the landscape and the nature of the weather around here.
Looking out to sea on South Australia’s rugged coastline, this home is built with raw materials that speak of the landscape and the nature of the weather around here.
Simple design elements are an important focus in this artist’s residence. No sleek kitchen to be seen – the design is very much Country style blended with shabby chic.
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4. Lake house, Sydney, NSW
There is a simple elegance and transient nature to this home as it steps down the hill through the bush. A bit more like ‘permanent camping than significant imposition’ say its architects.
There is a simple elegance and transient nature to this home as it steps down the hill through the bush. A bit more like ‘permanent camping than significant imposition’ say its architects.
Zooming in on the room at the end of the deck, the slate grey interior fixtures work in tandem with the tones on the exterior, and the bush beyond. Doors that push right back are a repeated theme in the contemporary home of the Australian bush.
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5. Hill house, Melbourne, Vic
The bedroom wing of this rural-setting home is almost part of the garden. While the wall to the side offers both a way in and a wonderful snapshot of country life. Native gardens combine with a cricket pitch and lap pool to say all things Australian.
The bedroom wing of this rural-setting home is almost part of the garden. While the wall to the side offers both a way in and a wonderful snapshot of country life. Native gardens combine with a cricket pitch and lap pool to say all things Australian.
This is the very sensible end of a bush home – the service entry, with simple sink and boot storage. Timbers used throughout in benches and the kitchen are recycled Grey Ironbark, which has a beautiful natural variation in colour.
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6. Bush pavilion, Sydney, NSW
This home is built pavilion-style to create an open light-filled abode that feels like a comfortable place to be. The exposed exterior steel joists are another way of connecting with the working buildings that once populated the bush.
This home is built pavilion-style to create an open light-filled abode that feels like a comfortable place to be. The exposed exterior steel joists are another way of connecting with the working buildings that once populated the bush.
The sustainable design principles that drove the project bring with it rustic elements. Take a close look at the detail in these window casings, which draw respect both for the craftsman carpenter and the natural beauty of the tree.
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A rural weekender in St Albans shows how a pavilion can be crossed with a woolshed. Shutter awnings give the impression of wings turning this home into a contemporary sculpture piece, while traditional building materials have become tools in the trade of sustainable design.