Still one of our most popular articles and it’s easy to see why…..soooooo dreamy! 

Back in 2019, we were lucky enough to be invited to have a stickybeak through Catalina Burradoo while the dream team of Art Director Sharon Misko, Interior Designer Jess Hunter and Photographer Natalie Hunfalvay, styled and captured the stunning finishes of this amazing space at a photo shoot on a beautiful, sunny autumn day. 

For 30 glorious minutes, we pretended we were the ones living there as we chatted to Jess about her concept for creating interiors that completed the incredible home. 
 

This is what she had to say…..oh, and if you want to know which amazing local tradies worked on Catalina (so you can hit them up for some awesome building, interiors and landscaping work yourself) check out the list at the end of the page. 

What was your brief?

As with most projects the brief develops over the course of the job.

Initially my brief was to furnish a couple of the main rooms in the house ready for a magazine photoshoot. 

The home itself had been completed so beautifully and the landscaping was incredible, so now it was time for the interior design to receive some attention. 

As we started sourcing and polishing our concept for the style, my clients decided that they would like to put the house on the market, which meant they asked me to finish off the detail in the rest of the home.

How did you end up working on the project? 

As with 90% of my projects I was referred to the client.

In a small town like Bowral, referral and word of mouth for professions such as mine is not only a huge compliment but also the best form of advertising.

When someone loves what you do or have done for them, and they tell a friend then that is the best reference you can get.

Okay, we have to ask….what’s your favourite room in the house? 

It’s an unlikely one, but I actually really love the guest pavilion.

I can really imagine myself staying there and feeling relaxed and comfortable.

With the doors open, the sun flooding in a cup of coffee and a book… what more could you want. It feels very luxurious for a guest room. 

I guess this is something that I really focus on when designing or decorating spaces, and that is the feeling you will get when you are living in the space.

This space definitely has “that feeling” that you would hope guests have when they are staying in your home.

What’s your favourite piece in the house? 

Ahhhh this is hard! There were so many beautiful pieces we brought into this design.

I LOVE the Soktas handblown glass pendant lights in the guest room.

We’re building our own place at the moment and I am actually having some similar in my own home.

And I also love the Malawi cane chairs in the living room…..they bring the most beautiful delicate texture to a space, and create a gorgeous sophisticated, coastal vibe.

Tell us about the fun parts! What was a highlight of this project? 

This was an action packed job.

We had an extremely tight deadline.

What would normally take two or so months for us to do, we got done in under a month.

This may not sound like a highlight to most, but for me to work with a client that is so incredibly lovely and knows what she likes and who can make quick decisions – that was a dream!

If I could refer clients, I would refer them! Ha!

Sounds like smooth sailing but did you encounter any challenges?  

Because of our tight deadline it meant that our choice of furniture and furnishings was limited.

We needed pieces that were in stock and could order, process and deliver in a week.

We definitely pulled in some favours from my suppliers and artists.

Brooke Munro did the impossible for us, to create the beautiful sculptural piece that hangs above the master bed. Thanks Brooke! 

All these amazing images were taken by Natalie Hunfalvay. Check out more of Natalie’s amazing work here. 

And we promised you that list of awesome tradies! Here it is. Just click on the links for their business details if you want to get in touch. Good job guys! 

ARCHITECTS //  Andrew Lowden and Martin O’Toole 
BUILDERS // Tasker Constructions
LANDSCAPING //  Tempest Landscapes
EARTH MOVING // Verity’s Earthmoving
CONCRETOR // JBC Concreting 
ELECTRICIAN //  Andrew Knowles Electrical 
PLUMBER // Graham Isedale 
ROOFING //  A T Roofing 
BRICKLAYING AND LANDSCAPING // CCS Bricklaying & Landscaping
PLASTERERS //  Southern Highlands Interior Linings  
HEATING & COOLING // Tempco Energy Solutions 
CONCRETING // Lamont’s Concrete & Stone Polishing 
PAINTING // Mark Johnston Painting & Decorating 
TILER Brenden Sewell
RENDERER // Craig Gasson