Great Escape

The ultimate entertainer’s retreat is brought to life by a dream design team.

STORY Bethan Lacoba

PHOTOGRAPHY Andy Macpherson

EXTERIOR

Set in the Byron Bay hinterland and surrounded by lush gardens, this cabin was reimagined by designer Louise Walsh and architects Marc & Co as a sanctuary for guests. Existing cladding refreshed with Woca ‘Exterior Oil’ in Black. Timber screening in New Guinea rosewood.

EXTERIOR

Working with Fig Landscapes, the owners are hands-on in crafting the gardens.

In a quiet pocket of the Byron Bay hinterland lies this slice of paradise. The nature-soaked property has been a passion project of the owners, who are keen cooks, gardeners and entertainers. Several dwellings coexist on the land, including the main house. But the cabin, a well-equipped guest house and overflow space, is the hive for entertaining and relaxing.

“They bought it as a retreat for family and friends to be able to come and stay,” says interior designer Louise Walsh, who hit it off with the owners after an online search for local designers led to their meeting.

“The cabin had quite a small footprint and, initially, they just wanted to leave it quietly set in the escarpment,” says Louise. “But things changed after we recognised how many guests would be coming to events. So an external extension on both ends of the cabin was born.”