The bathroom decorating trick that can flip the focus to what’s outside the window

Open accessibility guideSkip to sections navigationSkip to contentSkip to footerThe Sydney Morning Herald logoBy Heather Nette KingSeptember 20, 2026Deep in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, a pastry chef and her family live in an off-grid sanctuary built from local stone and reclaimed hardwood.“Mavis, Molly, Margot and Maisie are our beloved Highland cattle,” says Tibballs. “They’re so friendly and have beautiful personalities.”Armelle HabibThe home“Aberdeen”, an offgrid, contemporary four-bedroom farmhouse on 126 acres in Victoria’s Yarra Valley.Who lives herePastry chef, author and TV presenter Kirsten Tibballs with her husband, accountant Michael Louros, and their son Charlie, who studies and works in IT.What we did“We bought the land and enlisted Alexandra Buchanan Architecture to design a rural retreat using reclaimed timber and local stone,” says Tibballs. “It follows the natural fall of the land which minimised excavation and maximised outlook.”My favourite room“The kitchen is the heart of the home,” says Tibballs. “It has a generous island bench finished in Veneto porcelain, perfect for baking and entertaining.”The ’hood“The great privilege of the area is the landscape. It feels very connected to the broader Yarra Valley, but there is also a real sense of remoteness.”Future plans“The house is designed to evolve,” says Tibballs. “A planned second stage in the lower level will create a theatre, a rumpus room and a cellar.”Best advice“Decorate for how you actually live rather than how you think a house should look. Choose honest materials, let things age, and embrace a little imperfection.”“The verandah was designed so that entertaining can move quite naturally between inside and out,” says Tibballs. “I love sharing this special place with family and friends.”Armelle Habib“We started the bathroom design with Stone Ambassador porcelain in ‘Hermes Grey’, as the moody tones draw the eye to the view beyond,” says Tibballs.Armelle HabibTibballs, who was recently honoured by the French Ministry of Agriculture in recognition of her contribution to global gastronomy, in the home’s kitchen.Armelle Habib“The stone is from a disused quarry on the property, and the reclaimed hardwood is from demolished homes around Victoria,” says Tibballs. The sofa is from MCM House.Armelle Habib“I took up pottery five years ago and love decorating with things I’ve made,” says Tibballs. The dining chairs are handcrafted from local blackwood by Bern Chandley.Armelle Habib“We installed built-in fly screens so we can fall asleep with the doors open listening to nature,” says Tibballs of the master bedroom. “It’s like sleeping under the stars.”Armelle Habib“We wanted to create a sense of arrival – the entrance is quite discreet from the outside, but inside the architecture and materials become dramatic,” says Tibballs.Armelle HabibGet the best of Sunday Life magazine delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. Sign up for our newsletter.