Recently Sean and I had the great pleasure of spending a morning with this lovely creative couple – Elise Pioch Balzac of Maison Balzac Candles and her husband, Pablo Chappell of Chappelli Cycles, at their beautiful country home. I don’t know if it was the peaceful surroundings or Elise’s amazing French accent (!!), but being here really felt a world away from urban Sydney!
Elise and Pablo’s home is a converted weatherboard church, perched on a block of land near the Hawkesbury River. The church dates back to 1880, and was operational until 10 years ago. ‘It has seen many floods and bush fires, and we hope it will brave Australia’s hazards for a few more centuries’ says Elise. As outlined above, the pair purchased the church 5 years ago, but in Elise’s own words, it was ‘a derelict weekender’ until they decided to move here full time a year ago, just before the arrival of their daughter LouLou (now 10 months old).
When asked to outline the renovations they have undertaken here, Elise doesn’t quite know quite where to start! ‘Oh God, we’ve done so much to the church!’ she says. The first big job was to weatherboard the whole inside of the building, and paint throughout. The pair also demolished internal walls on the back veranda to create their big, bright kitchen which looks out to the garden and trees beyond. The most recent works were completed last year whilst Elise was nine months pregnant (!) – ‘my nesting instinct made us build the mezzanine bedroom!’ she says!
Elise and Pablo’s decorating approach is relaxed and refreshingly frugal. ‘We have added things slowly and carefully’ says Elise. The pair have a knack for finding hidden treasure at antique auctions, and during their travels. The antique kitchen bench was purchased at auction and refurbished by Elise’s parents during one of their stays here. The sweet sconce lights in the mezzanine bedroom are one of Elise’s favourite details, having been salvaged from a chateau near her hometown in France. ‘They make me feel like a princess when I turn them on in bed’ Elise says.
Of course, like any industrious creative couple, Elise and Pablo are always hungry for the next project. Their next plans for the church include (in this order!): a black and white bathroom, a timber deck out the back and a plunge pool. ‘We’re hoping the plunge pool will be done by next summer, as it gets awfully hot out here!’ says Elise.
