Courtney Adamo and family have lived in this Bangalow home for just two months, but in that short space of time, have well-and-truly made it home. The idyllic location is a long way from London, the family’s previous home of 12 years, and yet somehow, it feels as if the Adamos were always destined to end up here.
Initially, the family had the hinterlands in mind, but Michael spotted this historic property in the small town of Bangalow, and persuaded Courtney to have a look. She explains ‘I walked into the house and felt at home immediately.’ The 120-year-old house provided a rich sense of history for the family to sink into, and set a distinctive aesthetic tone for the interiors.
Courtney describes how the traditional style of the property informed the renovations. ‘I wanted everything to feel like it’s always been this way…’ she explains. ‘I felt like I had to honour this old home, and do everything in keeping with the type of home it is.’ This meant retaining the original warm wood panelled walls, and introducing ‘simple, understated and timeless’ pieces, which reflect the family’s laid back aesthetic, while maintaining consistent with the era of the home
Courtney and Michael spent three months renovating the house prior to moving in, reconfiguring the small space to accommodate their tribe of seven. When the whole gang moved in, the house only had three bedrooms, so creative solutions were required to make everyone comfortable. A sunroom off the master bedroom became a small room for Wilkie, and an ensuite bathroom was squeezed in too. Courtney describes how ‘every square inch of space is used and enjoyed in our home. There is no quiet corner or room that doesn’t get used.’
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and everyone’s favourite room of the house. They family splurged on ‘our dream range cooker and the pretty fridge’, completing the space with marble benches and brass taps.
The original panelled walls and warm wooden floors provide a rich backdrop for more colourful kids accessories and quirky details. Courtney outlines that she is ‘quite minim al when it comes to interiors… and increasingly more so the older I get.’ This minimalism is partly born of practicality (the family shed the majority of their belongings when migrating from the UK) but is also informed by a desire to live simply and meaningfully. Courtney’s approach is to buy ‘only what we need, will last, and look good forever.’ She also astutely notes, ‘the fewer things you have, the fewer things to tidy!’
This Bangalow House is a dream come true for Courtney and her family. She enthuses, ‘this magical little corner of the world is so dreamy, and I pinch myself every day that we live here.’
