Meditative escapes

Calabash Bay Lodge Berowra, Australia

Agape Destinations

EN

It’s no secret that any designer worth their salt would

travel to the ends of the earth to please their clients, but it’s

not often that they’re asked to do exactly that. For a recent

project, a holiday rental home in Berowra, on the forested

outskirts of northern Sydney, designer Carole Whiting was

tasked with a very demanding install. “Because the property

is only accessed by water it was a huge challenge”,

she recalls of the project, which required her and her team

to ship all of the building materials, finishes and furniture

up the Hawkesbury River to the home’s location at the top

of a steep riverbank. “Everything had to be transported by

barge and then once on site carried up a steep sandstone

stairwell”. Unsurprisingly, the entire endeavor was

completely worth it once the house was finished and guests

could finally enjoy the home’s secluded locale. “The view

is key to the whole experience”, notes Whiting.

Indeed, even in designing the space, the sweeping

panorama was the main focus. “From a purely aesthetic

point of view, we had to walk a fine line between a strong

design outcome, and not overshadowing the hero

of the home, which is always the view”, posits Whiting,

who organized each of the home’s rooms around the broad

picture windows. “Our palette was simple and planned

to compliment the exterior sandstones, river hues,

and natural beauty of the surrounding Australian bushland.

We consciously used curves where possible in a not-too

subliminal message that this home was somewhere to ‘take

the edge off’ life in the fast-paced world”. To ensure

the interiors were subtle, sunny and bright, Whiting opted

for white marble countertops, furniture hewn in blonde

wood and cream-colored walls.

The bathroom was treated with a similar sense

of reverence for the natural world. Whiting set Agape’s

Immersion tub directly next to the window, allowing guests

to enjoy the view of the meandering river, dense forest

and endless Australian sky.

“From a purely aesthetic

point of view, we had to

walk a fine line between

a strong design outcome,

while not overshadowing

the hero of the home,

which is always the view”.

Carole Whiting

158

Immersion bathtub, Memory taps,

Dot Line accessorised bar

Vasca Immersion, rubinetti Memory,

barra accessoriabile Dot Line

159