Life, as we know, is not only ever-evolving but can sometimes see major changes presenting all at once. So it was for interior designer Emma Lane, a creator and curator of beautiful homes and spaces that have included Byron Bay’s renowned The Farm and The Range Estates.
For just as Emma’s own family home in the idyllic Southern Highlands of New South Wales was undergoing a dramatic renewal, she too faced a significant shift. “The renovation was a pivotal stage in my life,” says the mother-of-four. “My two older children left home at this time – one for uni, the other as a weekly boarder at a school in Sydney. The period also marked the end of my 24-year marriage.”
Located between Bowral and Berrima, on the lands of the Gundungurra and Dharawal people, the property – encompassing 40 hectares of flourishing pastoral land– held immediate appeal for Emma and her then-husband, Tom, when they first inspected it in 2023. “We wanted to put our own stamp on it,” says Emma.
The garden holds various grasses, olive trees, paper daisies and dusty-pink Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ blooms. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
The single-level home, with emerald fields beyond, evoked in Emma a blissful sense of sanctuary and seclusion, as well as nostalgia. “Coming to the Highlands, particularly Bowral, took me back to my roots of Berkshire in England,” says Emma, who moved to Australia more than two decades ago. “In Bowral, there are four distinct seasons. The first winter we were there, it snowed in the streets, so I was very much influenced by the weather and the language of the nature around us.”
When decorating, Emma blended “old country French and English with Australian-style pieces for that heritage old-world feel”. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Adorning the wall above the breakfast bar is a sweet vintage sunflower artwork. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
As for the “ordinary and without much character” house, the years were beginning to show. “The house had been neglected, but I fell in love with the potential of what it could be,” says Emma. “I wanted to bring in the English style using specific colour, wainscoting, beautiful stone and lighting, and more traditional fireplaces and furniture.”
Ragdolls Gin and Tonic relax in style. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Thonet stools provide a spot to perch in the kitchen, while a Thomas O’Brien Piaf pendant from Bloomingdales Lighting hangs overhead. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Hungarian vizsla Ranger follows his nose in the garden. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Over a six-month period, with builder Benjamin Stega of Tasman Building undertaking the works and his wife, Christina Stega, acting as Emma’s interior design assistant, the home was transformed entirely within the existing layout and footprint. And what a transformation it was.
A print by Joseph McGlennon commands attention above a vintage French console. A Baxter dining table, paired with chairs by Jess Design, is illuminated by Thomas O’Brien Piaf chandeliers from Bloomingdales Lighting. The vintage mirror was purchased from The Bronte Tram. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
“I love the dark, cosy colours of this room,” says Emma of the informal ‘snug room’, which has walls painted in Porter’s Paints Mineral. A Baxter sofa, coffee table from The Luxe Bungalow, delicate wall lights from Suzie Anderson Home and marine prints by Kara Rosenlund complete the scene. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
In every domain, from the exquisite kitchen and layered living spaces to the serene bedrooms and luxurious bathrooms, Emma’s design and decorating prowess is readily apparent. “The style I went for is ‘heritage English with a touch of French’,” she says. “But the basis is Australian, with artworks bringing in nature, and also the use of earthy colours that reflect the Australian landscape.”
The Edra sofa in plush green velvet, sourced from Space Furniture, is one of Emma’s favourite pieces. “The sofa is very comfortable and luxurious with a chaise longue at one end, so it’s perfect for hugging a dog in one corner,” she says. Iconic sheepskin armchairs from Baxter, coffee table by Grazia & Co. The shelves hold a landscape artwork by Caitlin Reilly and pear painting by Genola de Jong. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Indeed, while some zones – the main bedroom with its milky-white palette is a luminous example – are diaphanous in tone and texture, others beckon as deliciously dark and moody. Providing cohesion are accents in shades of green, ranging from jewel-like bottle green to deep forest, military green and soft sage. “I looked out and saw the rolling hills and green grass, and I wanted to bring nature in,” explains Emma. “If you’re at the ocean, sand and other oceanic colours are calming and settle the nervous system, but in this environment, it’s the greens that represent the light and shade over the landscape.”
Then it was time for Emma to dress each corner of the home with an opulent array of collectables – some from far away, others near. “There are lots of lovely antique shops in Bowral, so I went foraging around and found beautiful light shades, bedside tables and even an old French bed,” she says.
Italian lamps with copper velvet shades, from Island Luxe, set this room aglow. The Rushworth bedhead, by Provincial Home Living, rests on walls painted in Dulux Olive Wreath. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Victoria + Albert’s Worcester bath beckons in the ensuite. Timber stool from Bisque Traders. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
The elegant bathroom has a French antique mirror from Lydie du Bray Antiques, Brodware Neu England tapware in Aged Iron finish, and a Thomas O’Brien Bryant sconce from Bloomingdales Lighting. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Emma and Tom also got to work on replenishing the garden that encased the home, while bringing back to life a neglected market garden with raised beds for flowers, vegetables and herbs. “We softened the garden around the edges of the house, adding wildflowers and grasses, as well as paper daisies,” says Emma. “In the market garden, we planted parsley, coriander, chives, spinach and root vegies.”
The main bedroom features French antique bedside tables, antique lights from Shades Of Pale with lampshades from Suzie Anderson Home, and linen by Totum Project. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Dulux Ōhai walls set a restful tone in the bedroom. The linen is from Hale Mercantile, with a checked pillow by Ralph Lauren. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
“This vanity was existing in the house, but it was a dark timber so we painted it the same as the wall colour, which is Dulux Natural White,” says Emma of the main ensuite. They added Brodware Neu England tapware in Aged Iron finish. Thomas O’Brien Bryant sconces from Bloomingdales Lighting sit alongside FA 33 wall mirrors from Gubi. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
It was at the home, too, that Emma embarked on a new project – penning a book that’s part memoir, part design guide and part life philosophy. To be published in 2027, The Space Around You will explore “the connection between the homes we create and the inner landscapes we inhabit – the space we carry within. It’s the space we carry around with us that makes us feel at home – it’s our sense of beauty.”
Ranger relaxes on a sofa and ottoman from Tigmi Trading. Artwork by Douglas Schofield. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Emma’s art studio harmonises with the landscape. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
“I loved bringing heirloom tomatoes into the kitchen and making passata – just incorporating something from the garden into every meal,” says Emma. “Our background as a family – and through projects such as The Farm – is that we love to cook a nourishing meal with our own produce.” (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
In fact, the house has now been sold – to a family who are close friends of Emma’s. And that’s something the visionary creator couldn’t be more delighted about. “It will always be a special home for me as it marked a transition in my life, and an understanding that it doesn’t have to be a sad thing,” Emma reflects. “The house signified the change of seasons and the start of the next chapter for us all.”
“You see every shade of green as the sun or the cloud cover comes over the trees and the hills,” says Emma. (Photography: Abbie Mellé | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)
Visit emmallane.com and follow @emmallane on Instagram
Writer
Jackie Brygel