Farmhouse Fields reflects the clients’ vision of a bright family home inside a modern farmhouse, with high ceilings and framed natural views. Taking inspiration from American designs, Studio Hallihan balances shared and private spaces, creating a calm living environment.
Located on the Victorian surf coast, just 15 minutes from Torquay, Farmhouse Fields overlooks a grassy landscape rolling towards Zeally Bay. Prior to construction, the hilltop site lay vacant, presenting the option of a new home bespoke to the clients’ lifestyle. The design brief called for a robust and accommodating house. “The project is something we can grow with and grow into,” says Rhys Stanely, one of the homeowners. Oriented to maximise views, the home provides a place to retreat from the coastal wind and embrace northern sunlight from inside a modern farmhouse.
Inside, an open living and kitchen area forms the primary social space, complete with oversized windows and 6.4-metre-high ceilings. The kitchen features large pieces of European stone on the island benchtop and splashback, complemented by limestone-clad walls, which echo the rich tones of the clay soil on the site. “When we were designing the kitchen, [Tanya] from Studio Hallihan brought the idea to the table of more of an American-style kitchen, where it was open but still felt like a separate space with that lower ceiling and the bulkhead,” says Rhys. The added butler’s kitchen, inside a modern farmhouse, allows clutter to be moved away from the main social space.
From the kitchen, a long hallway leads to the parents’ retreat. Specially requested by homeowner Kirsten Stanley, the space includes a picture window that offers a charming view. While Oregon beams visually lower the ceiling height, wire-brushed oak floors ensure consistency with other parts of the home. In the parents’ bedroom, soft furnishings evoke the gentle contours of the terrain inside a modern farmhouse. The adjacent bathroom heroes a custom sink base cabinet. “Blum has done such a good job of fitting that [space] out with some beautiful hardware,” says Rhys. “It functions so well for the way we live.”
In contrast to the parents’ retreat to the east, the western side of the house is crafted for the children’s use. The garage opens to a mudroom and laundry space where they can drop their bags before continuing inside a modern farmhouse. “For our eldest son’s bedroom, we designed these beautiful shelves around his window,” says Kirsten. Nearby, a storage-filled rumpus room is crafted with sliding doors, allowing the children to easily incorporate outdoor space into their play.
With high ceilings and clear zones, Farmhouse Fields offers airy and open spaces inside a modern farmhouse. Crafting both the architecture and the interiors, Studio Hallihan shifts focus outward, deepening the residents’ connection to the surroundings.
00:00 – Introduction to the Modern Farmhouse
00:53 – First Impressions of The Original Site
01:22 – A Walkthrough of the Home
03:27 – The Kids Zone
04:33 – Growing with the Home
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Photography by Lillie Thompson.
Architecture, interior design and styling by Studio Hallihan.
Build by Galloway Building Group.
Joinery by Hammer & Stone Creative Workroom and Windsor Kitchens.
Storage systems and hardware by Blum.
Cladding by James Hardie and RMS Traders.
Rugs by GlobeWest.
Stone and tiles by Artedomus, GatherCo and Aeria Country Floors.
Appliances by Fisher & Paykel.
Artwork by Emma Itzstein.
Filmed and edited by Dan Preston.
Production by The Local Production.
Location: Victoria, Australia
The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners 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.
#Modern #Farmhouse #Nature
