Traditional farmhouse charm combined with mod-cons
When Louise and Tony Armour's old family home began to show its age, they called upon Paal to help them replicate the traditional style, although with the convenience of modern fittings. For sentimental reasons, the family wanted their new home to look like the old one, and Paal was able to help.
Louise and Tony had begun their married life in the home and raised two daughters on the 3,000 acre property near the tiny community of Bookham, near Yass in New South Wales. But as time wore on it began to need costly repairs. They also realised that with adolescent children they would benefit from more space as well as mod cons.
The couple chose Paal's Camden, liking the long, 13-metre-wide design with its clear distinction between the two sleeping areas. This is ideal for a family, offering the parents and children a private space they can get away to.
At the same time, the design didn't compromise on the multi-functional common area where everyone can come together in the middle of the house.
Tony and Louise made two modifications to the design, flipping the layout of the internal spaces and adding a workshop and garage off the side of the home.
They invested in a heat-conserving waffle pod slab as well as double-glazing, which Louise says have both been real assets in winter, making the home easy to heat and keep warm.
The couple took on the project as owner-builders, while using the services of a builder to help pull the job together.
Louise says, "What I love most about the home is that it's so adaptable to both modern and older-style furniture. We have a lot of old items and they look good here, even though the home itself is new and has some great modern features."
An Aga stove is a centrepiece of the kitchen, making it warm and inviting, while delivering old-world charm. The house exterior has a traditional colour scheme, imitating the original family home.
"It's just lovely that the new one is such a great tribute and will last for many more years to come," she says.