A Modern Country Escape - from drab to fab!

I have been very quiet on the blogging front as of late - my two little twinnies keep me very busy and I don't want to miss a moment of watching them bloom and grow. So my darling blog has taken a back seat. It feels good to be back here today though!

I loved my regular Feature Friday house stalking posts and I do miss them (I hope you do too!), so even though its not Friday, I was just too excited and have to share this beautiful home with you.

My sister Serena has a fabulous eye for detail, style and a wonderful knack for seeing the potential in something and carrying through with her vision. You may remember her Palm Beach home I featured here on the blog in 2014.

Well she is now onto her third and hopefully final renovation.

A beautiful sprawling modern home in the Gold Coast hinterland.

From drab to fab - a sprawling modernised farmhouse that is virtually unrecognisable from its former state!

The home is a beautiful retreat, with its luxurious kitchen, bathrooms and sweeping views.
Here are some of the before and after photos for you to swoon over...

BEFORE Dated and drab, the kitchen's layout was flipped to optimise the valley views from the island bench and make the kitchen more open plan

With a beautiful 160 hectare block, she feel in love with the valley views and peacefulness. The house though, was not what they wanted. After moving in, they put a pool in, but didn't start the renovations until a year later. A smart move! It gave them time to ponder on their ideas and plans and perfect it, before jumping into it.

BEFORE & AFTER The newly renovated ensuite is timeless and classic with the subway tiles, shaker style cabinetry and classic round mirror

BEFORE & AFTER The living and dining room is a perfect twist of modern, industrial farmhouse. With a grey washed timber look floor, warm fireplace, black accents and timber furniture, its relaxed and homely.

This is the second time Serena has chosen to work with James Kitchens, also referring me to the wonderful team and they did my new kitchen just recently! They totally nailed the brief Serena gave them, with classic shaker cabinetry, a prep pantry, extensive walk in butlers pantry and lots of smart storage. Which we all know is so important in a kitchen - you can never have enough!

How fabulous does the black Belling oven look? I am so glad she chose a classic black, it just sets off this room I feel.

The master bedroom before and after - how inviting and divine is the simple palette? How amazing would the hinterland views be to wake up to each morning. From every window and door in the home, there is a beautiful outlook.

The main bathroom is similar to the ensuite, but features a luxurious free standing bath and views out over the ridgeline.

The pool area is something special. With so much land, they decided to install the pool a little further from the outside entertaining area to show the opulence of space and not crowd the home. With over 160 hectares, it would have looked very bizarre I think to have it squished right up at the back door step as you do see with many residential homes that don't have the luxury of this space.

I am partial to a hanging chair and the one that hangs by the front door here is a beauty - it overlooks the drive and is the perfect place to catch the afternoon breeze. A hanging chair is on my wishlist for my new home!

A jacaranda lined driveway...ahhhh this is what country house dreams are made of. Could it get any more perfect? Imagine driving home through that sea of rich purple!

Outside is truly spectacular too. Not only have they spent alot of time and energy into making inside look fabulous, but they have spent considerable time outside too. They have spent many months clearing sections of land and opening up the escarpment and views. What was a very scrubby block is now green rolling hills and only established trees. It is postcard worthy!

A birds eye view of the 'house yard' as they call it when living rurally. The great Australian dream, a white picket fence, pool and lots of room for the dog and kids. It truly is the perfect country oasis. When I visit, the peacefulness captures you straight away and how homely Serena has made the house feel. The warm throw rugs, textured rugs and cushions - it all is the most wonderful combination and makes you feel so welcomed when inside. She has done an incredible job styling it and following through with her vision and the potential she knew the home had.

The home and renovation has really created quite a stir and Serena and her husband were recently featured in The Gold Coast Bulletin sharing their renovation stories and tips. So exciting!

If you have any questions about the home -

Paint colour? Flooring? Tiles? Appliances? Styling?

Do leave a comment below, I know Serena would be so chuffed to hear from you and happy to tell you more.

You can see more of the home here on Realestate.com