A Dream Garden Home Designed for a Young Family of Three (House Tour)

Positioned in the hinterland of NSW’s Northern Rivers, The Field House is a dream garden home designed for a young family, realised by the owners themselves – builder Henry Tervenski and interior designer Olive Cooke. Thoughtfully crafted and deeply personal, the home represents a grounded approach to rural living, where slow rhythms and sensory connection guide each decision.

The result of a close collaboration with Fraser Mudge Architects and Cooke Landscape Architecture, the home unfolds in a series of intentional moments. A central open-plan zone anchors the layout, while two wings offer quiet delineation – one for the family’s private retreat, and one for guests. The material language is soft yet confident, defined by tactile finishes, natural textures and a clarity of lines that favours calm over complexity.

This dream garden home designed for a young family evolved as it was built – a benefit of having the builder and designer also as clients. Over 8,000 lineal metres of spotted gum form the external cladding, with details considered down to the alignment of ceiling and wall boards. Inside, concealed appliances, pocket doors and built-in storage ensure functionality remains elegantly hidden within minimal forms while also allowing the family to personalise each room over time.

Cooke’s interior sensibility favours warmth over formality. Cream-toned Japanese tiles, timber vanities and soft furnishings establish a palette of quiet richness, while thoughtful moments – like the timber-wrapped bath and sink in the guest bathroom – bring depth to everyday rituals. The result is a dream garden home designed for a young family that supports both ease and delight in daily life, allowing everyday tasks to be elevated through tactile and spatial consideration.

The surrounding landscape was shaped in tandem with the build, extending beyond the original vision to include a pool, sauna, tennis court and wellness space. These elements now sit lightly within the site, giving the family spaces to gather, play and pause. Framed views and curated garden zones anchor the home to its setting, enriching the sensory experience and reinforcing its connection to place and climate.

This dream garden home designed for a young family marks the beginning of a new chapter for its owners. As Cooke and Tervenski welcomed their daughter into a home they built with their own hands, The Field House became more than a project – it became a foundation for memory. In its restraint, craftsmanship and quiet ambition, it offers a distinct model for living well in both form and feeling.

The Field House embodies a rare blend of personal narrative and architectural clarity. It is a dream garden home designed for a young family that doesn’t just sit within its landscape – it listens to it. And in doing so, it invites others to imagine how homes might evolve with those who inhabit them, offering an enduring sense of comfort, belonging and identity.

00:00 – Introduction to A Dream Garden Home
01:03 – The Vision: Simplicity, Family, Connection
01:35 – Spatial Flow and Interior Moments
03:22 – Building Craft: Cladding, Details, Materials
05:51 – Landscape Design and Life Unfolding

For more from The Local Project:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thelocalproject/
Website – https://thelocalproject.com.au/
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-local-project-publication/
Print Publication – https://thelocalproject.com.au/publication/
Hardcover Book – https://thelocalproject.com.au/book/
The Local Project Marketplace – https://thelocalproject.com.au/marketplace/

For more from The Local Production:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thelocalproduction_/
Website – https://thelocalproduction.com.au/
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelocalproduction/

To subscribe to The Local Project’s tri-annual print publication see here – https://thelocalproject.com.au/subscribe/

Photography by Tom Ross.
Architecture by Fraser Mudge Architects.
Interior design by Olive Cooke.
Build by Morada Build.
Landscape design by Cooke Landscape Architecture.
Filmed by The Local Production.
Edited by HN Media.
Production by The Local Production.

Location: Northern Rivers, New South Wales, Australia

The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.

#Dream #Garden #Home