8 Formby Road Devonport, TAS, 7310
Tucked away in the secluded rainforest backroads of Bundjalung, Byron Bay, rests Mimosa Moon—an enchanting 100-year-old farmhouse brimming with character and history. Megan Morton, the creative mind behind its transformation, initially contemplated a complete overhaul or a sleek architectural redesign.
Discover how Megan's strategic vision and penchant for innovation led her to reimagine the space with a delicate balance of comfort and tranquility, ultimately creating a haven that pays homage to its surroundings while embracing modern functionality.
Mimosa Moon is an old 100-year-old farmhouse nestled in the rainforest back passage of Bundjalung, Byron Bay. My initial instinct was to get an architect commission for a part rebuild or a clean sweep. During the floods though, I realized that this house had some pretty incredible site-specific advantages and glorious views that wouldn’t have benefited from any additions... The natural proportions flanked by the generous veranda can’t be bettered in all seasons and the airflow and its orientation make it just so pleasurable to live in. I decided to turn the house on itself, and instead of decorating or a re-build, I just worked on listening to it and letting it be its best existing self.
Once I had settled into accepting it for what it was, I found all the many doors that all lead out to the veranda a challenge. Friends, couriers, visitors would all get confused when they came up not sure where the actual front door was! How to create some inward comfort without all the hard materials? How to take the edge off all the glass? How to give the eyes a rest from the views so it becomes special not a wallpaper that no longer delights?
I love the lightness of linen sheets and the accuracy of the S Track system. I decided to make a 10-metre-long linen fabric wall in the living room. Taking the entire width of the room, it removed two of the most confusing windows and made the room the ideal set for our personal items that didn’t need to compete with the outside view. I then thought we needed a companion piece to it. So, the dining room glass back doors were the perfect play for this. I ditched the block out on these (the living room set is backed by a separate block out, whereas the dining room is exactly the same fabric and track system but lighter and lower due to the ceiling height change.
And like magic, the two rooms get their perfect framing, calm and softness.
We wanted to make use of the carport. A country property like ours usually has a very large shed for all vehicles and machinery so this was kind of a dead empty concrete space. Taking inspiration and the relaxed style of seating from some of my favourite Indian hotels, I decided to use an automated system that could come down in a button push. I took my colour cues from Australian Caravan extension canopies in soft greens, dirty yellow and grey. We dubbed this ‘The Partyport’ because it’s the most ideal drinks venue and so perfect when the weather changes (as it constantly does here). We got an extra room that services the best view on the property, our back deck looking out to the rainforest that we are lucky enough to be surrounded by.
