Nearly a couple of years ago now, my lovely friend Amilia and I had a girls-only getaway. I flew down to Melbourne, where Amilia lives, and we headed out to the spa town of Daylesford, an hour or so's easy drive from Melbourne. We spent a couple of nights there at the White House, a gorgeous guesthouse owned and decorated by Lyn Gardener, the owner of the store Empire Vintage in Albert Park.
The White House was such a good choice - we couldn't have been happier with where we stayed. As two girls with a penchant for design, we ran around in delight, discovering all the little nostalgic details - folded vintage books on the beds, antique cupboards filled with curios, a typewriter filled with a half-finished poem...
Lyn is obviously a very creative decorator with a distinctive aesthetic. She has renovated the property in a way that is really sympathetic to its humble origins as a worker's weatherboard cottage, and filled it with unique, vintage and industrial items that have obviously been collected with care, over time. Quality linens and furnishings give the White House a level of comfort, warmth and elegance. Overall, the result is quirky, eclectic and full of character.
I hope you find the White House as inspiring as I did, and that it makes you that little bit braver when it comes to decorating...
For those interested in staying, rates start from $680 for a two-night weekend for a couple. See the website for further details.
All photos copyright CandyHeartsHome.
I had such a wonderful weekend there!! We should try and do something similar again...
ReplyDeleteI'm still on the lookout for the "Penguin Books" cushions. I love them... Empire Vintage was no luck... Any ideas?
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