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For most designers, getting to know a house and the people who live there is a crucial part of the design process. It helps shape not only the essential parts of the project like the floor plan, but the overall feeling of the house itself.
In the case of this holiday home in the Northern Rivers, Nicole Albrecht, one half of Berlin-born interior design practice Hülle & Fülle, got the rare opportunity to build a personal connection to both the property and her clients, after a chance meeting with Sydney artist Nina Walton and Zeb Rice.
‘Nina, Zeb and their son Oliver walked into our book and furniture store BTWNLNS (Between Lines) in Newtown, NSW in autumn 2021, only half a year after we had arrived from Berlin,’ says Nicole.
The group hit it off, bonding over a shared love of Scandinavian design, books and art. And about a year after becoming friends, Nina and Zeb asked Nicole to redesign their farmhouse in Eureka, even inviting her to stay and ‘get a feel for the space’.
‘It’s an interior designer’s dream come true,’ she says. ‘What a rare opportunity to understand their way of living and the house!’
In Nina’s own words, the property was rather ramshackle at the time. It featured a crazy garden over five acres with trees everywhere, a main house, smaller cottage, and recording studio built by the previous owner, Australian musician Pete Murray.
The main living spaces inside were also reconfigured to create a singular multifunctional family room and kitchen with a playful checkered island bench.
Just as the existing interiors mixed materials, Nicole’s consolidated redesign plays with textures and colour — this time with an air of undone sophistication.
Dark timber floorboards and white walls are broken up by warm spotted gum timber veneer, soft pink-painted panelling, and patterned rugs.
‘The house is held together by a calming colour palette and Japanese-inspired joinery,’ she says.
One of the other highlights of the farmhouse is without a doubt the surrounding landscape. In the main bedroom, large floor-to-ceiling corner windows capture incredible views of the valley.
The collaborative process behind the renovation has been special for all involved, especially as it marks Hülle & Fülle’s first residential project here in Australia.
‘To hear Nina and Zeb when I see them say, “Nicole, this is the best house!” makes me very happy,’ Nicole says.
‘When a client never wants to leave a place and can’t wait to return, that’s the most rewarding outcome.’
