Friday June 20 2008

Hamptons meets the Highlands – that’s how the new owners of Runnymede, a country retreat nestled in the Southern Highlands of NSW, describe their upsized family home. This gorgeously manicured 16-hectare property, dotted with ghost gums and overlooking Wingecarribee Reservoir, was perfectly located for riding enthusiasts Suzanne and John Dougall, as well as their extended family and prized horses.

Seasoned renovator Suzanne, a former model and fashion boutique owner who now runs a decorative art business from the property, was instantly drawn to the 1980s home. Its charming gables and white-and-grey exterior reflected homes of the Hamptons resort towns of New York’s Long Island – a style Suzanne liked – but she knew it would be a big job to enlarge it to accommodate the needs of her family.

“I loved the cottage feel and waterside location,” she says, “but as a country house it was far too small, not only for the two of us but for our grown children and grandchildren, too. We needed extra space, so we decided to stretch the house.”

Suzanne worked with builder Stephen Pinczi of Pinczi Builders on gutting and rebuilding the original structure, making everything “bigger and stronger”, and adding more character. The transformation started right at the doorstep. When a tall front door was ruled out for practical reasons, the new doorway was instead made as wide and as thick as possible. A pillared portico topped by a balustraded balcony now makes a bold statement at the entrance to the four-bedroom house.

“I have this thing about big doorways,” Suzanne says. “A large, heavy door gives a wonderful feeling of substance.”

Inside, the character of the entrance was substantially changed by opening up the space above, letting natural light flood in. The bulk of the building work involved constructing a large addition on either side of the original house. A spacious yet cosy family room was built on one side, flowing into the existing open-plan dining room and farmhouse-style kitchen. On the other side, the new addition accommodates a main bedroom with ensuite and dressing room, plus a guest suite, studio, garage, shed and, upstairs, a separate apartment for the manager of the property. Two more bedrooms with ensuites were also added upstairs.

Window seats in the bedrooms provide the perfect perches for admiring the country views, while the three fireplaces downstairs make the house all the more inviting. The fireplace in the new family room, in particular, is a magnet for guests. “We always have the fire roaring there,” Suzanne says, “and even when all the family is present, there’s plenty of space.”

The Dougalls were keen to enhance the timber features and architectural details that drew them to the original building and have installed large cedar ceiling beams, painted in a pale wash, and had fine European oak parquetry flooring laid throughout the ground floor. “We found these beautiful, wide pieces of parquet. The floor ended up being the most costly part of the renovation, but I think it gives the house a solid, fabulous look.”

A simple, neutral colour palette, with earthy furniture in toffee and dark chocolate, establishes an elegant, understated interior scheme, the ideal backdrop for the couple’s favourite pieces. Their treasures range from Indian marble urns and giant pots, sourced on trips to Asia, to wall-mounted antlers bought at auction in Melbourne and an antique Spanish chandelier found in New York.

Suzanne is happy to at last have a home for all the inspiring objects and ideas she and her husband have collected. And this time, having put her stylish stamp on a new property, she declares they have no plans to sell up soon. Runnymede is a keeper.

“It’s a home that works for my family. Everybody adores coming here. In fact, sometimes having a free weekend isn’t easy!”

Pinczi Builders, Bowral, NSW; 0411 540 495.