Artists Tais Rose Wae and Heath Wae seemingly manifested their home.
When their first son Miro was a baby, the couple would hike up the hill in their Northern Rivers town, stopping at an abandoned asbestos-riddled house to take in the view.
‘We dreamed of and held a vision of one day living here,’ says Tais.
‘Three years later we would move into a beautiful new-build on that exact site, with the same views to the ocean and mountains (and five waterfalls from the range behind us after a good rain), and new landscaping and native gardens enveloping our home.’
The new house was built by a Northern Rivers local with an appreciation of texture and the surrounding land. Windows are positioned to take in mountain views, instilling a sense of calm inside the home.
‘We love the rendered walls for texture and simplicity; it makes every object inside feel important,’ says Heath. ‘We love that everything is ergonomic and simple, celebrating each feature and not overdoing anything.’
Tais and Heath have styled the house thoughtfully — introducing little more than what they need as parents to Miro (4), and Amias (now 4 months, but still in utero when these images were taken!) — so as not to overwhelm the interiors.
The house is better for it, as Heath explains, ‘Space is our favourite thing, so when something is taking up space, it better be more valuable than the space itself… Our house is really a celebration of simple energetics, feng shui, and a combination of old when old is best, and new when new is best.’
The most valuable pieces here are sentimental, such as the outdoor table made by Heath, with assistance from Miro.
‘Heath and our son Miro are very creative and resourceful,’ says Tais. ‘They often return from a morning at the studio with a new plinth or coffee table or bookshelf in tow.’
Of course, the home is all full of Tais’ beautiful woven artworks, and prominent paintings by Heath that showcase an almost hypnotic use of colour.
Living here is all about being present, appreciating every day as a family and artists living in this special part of the world.
‘Because of where we’re positioned, and the surrounding bushland, no other lights are visible from the vista at night. It feels very expansive and influential for us as artists, and having ample green space (and mud!) feels so vital for the upbringing of our children,’ says Tais.
‘I had a similar childhood, enchanted by the creeks and bush lands that surrounded the house my parents built, so for this moment in our children’s young lives it feels like a beautiful and undeniable privilege to offer them the same landscapes to explore.’