{"id":629019,"date":"2026-10-13T05:30:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T05:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/629019\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T05:30:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T05:30:19","slug":"interior-designer-emma-lanes-southern-highlands-estate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/629019\/","title":{"rendered":"Interior Designer Emma Lane’s Southern Highlands Estate"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s renowned The Farm and The Range Estates. <\/p>\n

For just as Emma\u2019s own family home in the idyllic Southern Highlands<\/a> of New South Wales was undergoing a dramatic renewal, she too faced a significant shift. \u201cThe renovation was a pivotal stage in my life,\u201d says the mother-of-four. \u201cMy two older children left home at this time \u2013 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.\u201d <\/p>\n

Located between Bowral and Berrima, on the lands of the Gundungurra and Dharawal people, the property \u2013 encompassing 40 hectares of flourishing pastoral land\u2013 held immediate appeal for Emma and her then-husband, Tom, when they first inspected it in 2023. \u201cWe wanted to put our own stamp on it,\u201d says Emma. <\/p>\n

\"AThe garden holds various grasses, olive trees, paper daisies and dusty-pink Sedum \u2018Autumn Joy\u2019 blooms. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

The single-level home, with emerald fields beyond, evoked in Emma a blissful sense of sanctuary and seclusion, as well as nostalgia. \u201cComing to the Highlands, particularly Bowral, took me back to my roots of Berkshire in England,\u201d says Emma, who moved to Australia more than two decades ago. \u201cIn 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.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"InteriorWhen decorating, Emma blended \u201cold country French and English with Australian-style pieces for that heritage old-world feel\u201d. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"AAdorning the wall above the breakfast bar is a sweet vintage sunflower artwork. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

As for the \u201cordinary and without much character\u201d house, the years were beginning to show. \u201cThe house had been neglected, but I fell in love with the potential of what it could be,\u201d says Emma. \u201cI wanted to bring in the English style<\/a> using specific colour, wainscoting<\/a>, beautiful stone and lighting, and more traditional fireplaces<\/a> and furniture.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"TwoRagdolls Gin and Tonic relax in style. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"AThonet stools provide a spot to perch in the kitchen, while a Thomas O\u2019Brien Piaf pendant from Bloomingdales Lighting hangs overhead. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"AHungarian vizsla Ranger follows his nose in the garden. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

Over a six-month period, with builder Benjamin Stega of Tasman Building undertaking the works and his wife, Christina Stega, acting as Emma\u2019s interior design assistant, the home was transformed entirely within the existing layout and footprint. And what a transformation it was. <\/p>\n

\"AA 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\u2019Brien Piaf chandeliers from Bloomingdales Lighting. The vintage mirror was purchased from The Bronte Tram. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"A\u201cI love the dark, cosy colours of this room,\u201d says Emma of the informal \u2018snug room\u2019, which has walls painted in Porter\u2019s 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 Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

In every domain, from the exquisite kitchen and layered living spaces to the serene bedrooms and luxurious bathrooms, Emma\u2019s design and decorating prowess is readily apparent. \u201cThe style I went for is \u2018heritage English with a touch of French\u2019,\u201d she says. \u201cBut the basis is Australian, with artworks bringing in nature, and also the use of earthy colours that reflect the Australian landscape.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"AThe Edra sofa in plush green velvet, sourced from Space Furniture, is one of Emma\u2019s favourite pieces. \u201cThe sofa is very comfortable and luxurious with a chaise longue at one end, so it\u2019s perfect for hugging a dog in one corner,\u201d 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 Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

Indeed, while some zones \u2013 the main bedroom with its milky-white palette is a luminous example \u2013 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. \u201cI looked out and saw the rolling hills and green grass, and I wanted to bring nature in,\u201d explains Emma. \u201cIf you\u2019re at the ocean, sand and other oceanic colours are calming and settle the nervous system, but in this environment, it\u2019s the greens that represent the light and shade over the landscape.\u201d <\/p>\n

Then it was time for Emma to dress each corner of the home with an opulent array of collectables \u2013 some from far away, others near. \u201cThere are lots of lovely antique shops<\/a> in Bowral, so I went foraging around and found beautiful light shades, bedside tables and even an old French bed,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

\"AItalian 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 Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"AVictoria + Albert\u2019s Worcester bath beckons in the ensuite. Timber stool from Bisque Traders. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"AThe elegant bathroom has a French antique mirror from Lydie du Bray Antiques, Brodware Neu England tapware in Aged Iron finish, and a Thomas O\u2019Brien Bryant sconce from Bloomingdales Lighting. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

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. \u201cWe softened the garden around the edges of the house, adding wildflowers and grasses, as well as paper daisies,\u201d says Emma. \u201cIn the market garden, we planted parsley, coriander, chives, spinach and root vegies.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"AThe 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 Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"ADulux \u014chai walls set a restful tone in the bedroom. The linen is from Hale Mercantile, with a checked pillow by Ralph Lauren. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"A\u201cThis 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,\u201d says Emma of the main ensuite. They added Brodware Neu England tapware in Aged Iron finish. Thomas O\u2019Brien Bryant sconces from Bloomingdales Lighting sit alongside FA 33 wall mirrors from Gubi. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

It was at the home, too, that Emma embarked on a new project \u2013 penning a book that\u2019s part memoir, part design guide and part life philosophy. To be published in 2027, The Space Around You will explore \u201cthe connection between the homes we create and the inner landscapes we inhabit \u2013 the space we carry within. It\u2019s the space we carry around with us that makes us feel at home \u2013 it\u2019s our sense of beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ARanger relaxes on a sofa and ottoman from Tigmi Trading. Artwork by Douglas Schofield. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"AEmma\u2019s art studio harmonises with the landscape. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

\"Flourishing\u201cI loved bringing heirloom tomatoes into the kitchen and making passata \u2013 just incorporating something from the garden into every meal,\u201d says Emma. \u201cOur background as a family \u2013 and through projects such as The Farm \u2013 is that we love to cook a nourishing meal with our own produce.\u201d (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

In fact, the house has now been sold \u2013 to a family who are close friends of Emma\u2019s. And that\u2019s something the visionary creator couldn\u2019t be more delighted about. \u201cIt will always be a special home for me as it marked a transition in my life, and an understanding that it doesn\u2019t have to be a sad thing,\u201d Emma reflects. \u201cThe house signified the change of seasons and the start of the next chapter for us all.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"A\u201cYou see every shade of green as the sun or the cloud cover comes over the trees and the hills,\u201d says Emma. (Photography: Abbie Mell\u00e9 | Styling: Emma Lane & Carlie Philby)<\/p>\n

Visit emmallane.com<\/a> and follow @emmallane<\/a> on Instagram<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Jackie\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWriter
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJackie Brygel\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

When it comes to writing about all things homes-related, Jackie \u2013 a magazine features writer for over 25 years \u2013 is simply in her element. Few things bring her more joy than sitting down for a chat with homeowners to uncover their secrets to decorating magic. Other than spending time with her family and beloved golden retriever Bosley, of course!<\/p>\n

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