Homes

Home that nutures nature

Home means different things to everyone, and for Caroline and Robert Webster, it is first and foremost about their family. Appropriately, Caroline’s initial impression of their four-bedroom house was of a warm family home which seemed the perfect place for her children to grow up. “I loved it immediately,” she says. “It’s an old home with old bones and a warm heart and soul.”

Built at the turn of last century, the Federation home satisfies Caroline’s passion for old buildings. The well-proportioned rooms and their high ceilings were in immaculate condition, leaving very little to do except paint the walls. “I used to love neutrals and layering tones, but that palette seemed a bit subdued for children,” says Caroline. Neutral tones are now reserved for the more adult areas, although the entire house is child-friendly. “It’s definitely not a showcase home. There’s no part of the house where the children aren’t allowed.”

A comfortable blend of antiques and new pieces, patterned and plain fabrics, bolder colours and creams is united by touches of nature. Flowers, plants and other finds from the garden adorn surfaces and hint at Caroline’s appreciation of the great outdoors. “As a child growing up in Melbourne, my mother was a firm believer in turfing us outdoors to explore and I’ve loved it ever since.” Caroline loves “mucking about in the garden with the children” at the family’s Sydney home or at their farm in the Southern Tablelands, and she has taken this love of nature a step further by writing a book, Small Fry: Outdoors (ABC Books).

The family’s enjoyment of the outdoors has also inspired big plans to renovate. “We intend to extend the kitchen and open up the back of the house,” says Caroline. The family spend most of their time in the lounge and dining room at the rear of the home. “We entertain almost every other night. I love cooking and chatting over a glass of wine so I want to make more of the space.” For the moment, this family of four is happy just to be at home. “I’m a firm believer in creating a warm, loving environment for your children that will carry through into their own homes when they are older,” says Caroline. “Robert and I certainly had this, and hopefully Grace and Angus will, too.”

Photo by Craig Wall Aug 17, 2012