Tallowood Estate
Studio Jenka’s Tallowood Estate, a contemporary farmhouse on the outskirts of Sydney, is designed for both family life and entertaining, where expressive natural stone by Cav’art Designer Stone creates a luxurious, unified interior.
The expansive rural landscape of Cobbitty, on the south-west fringes of Sydney, was the starting point for the design of Tallowood Estate. Studio Jenka took a material-led approach to the generously scaled home, which features rich timbers, tiled flooring, brass detailing and seven natural stones by Cav’art Designer Stone. Rather than treating stone as a decorative finish, the studio uses it as an architectural element, connecting each space to the next. Working cohesively with the other carefully curated materials – and a serene white colour palette – the result is a home that is elevated yet family oriented.
“The clients had a genuine appreciation for natural stone and wanted a home that felt refined without sacrificing warmth or liveability,” says Jenny Matek, principal interior designer at Studio Jenka. “Natural stone became the defining architectural element, creating continuity throughout the home while introducing richness, texture and a sense of permanence that will only become more beautiful over time.”
Working closely with Cav’art, Matek and her team personally selected every slab for its individuality and character. Beyond colour and veining, each piece was chosen for its movement and proportion. This collaborative process made stone an integral part of the design from the outset, rather than a finish applied at the end.
The client’s brief focused on a home that could cater to both family life and large-scale entertaining. To support this, the kitchen features a striking island crafted from Cav’art’s Super White dolomite. From this centrepiece, the stone carries throughout the kitchen, complemented by dramatic black cabinetry, brushed-brass hardware and refined brass inlays. An integrated stone sink within the island preserves the uninterrupted veining of the slab, while a fully equipped butler’s pantry extends the same stone across benchtops, splashbacks and bespoke shelving.
This materiality continues into the bathrooms, where every space explores a different expression of natural stone while remaining connected to the broader design vision. The powder room makes an immediate impression through the bold character of Cav’art Verde Alpi marble. Richly veined Calacatta marble wraps the custom vanity, benchtop, splashback and feature wall, complemented by warm brass accents and bespoke joinery to create a space of dramatic elegance despite its intimate footprint.
In the master ensuite, the atmosphere shifts again. Cav’art Flinders White dolomite frames the entry before flowing across the full-height feature wall and sculptural bath plinth, where concealed LED lighting accentuates the natural depth and movement of the stone. The feature wall was designed around the selected slab, with a custom skylight positioned above to wash it in natural light.
“The scale of both the stone wall and skylight was inspired by the feeling of standing within a natural stone quarry, where the material itself becomes the hero,” Matek says. In the evening, concealed lighting beneath the bath plinth introduces a gentle, intimate atmosphere that anchors the bath within the space.
In contrast, the children’s ensuite offers a youthful and colourful interpretation of the home’s material palette. Cav’art Norwegian Rose marble is featured across the custom vanity, shower niche ledges and half-height walls, where its delicate blush tones and expressive veining introduce warmth and personality.
Rather than relying on individual feature moments, Tallowood Estate demonstrates how materiality can unify an entire home while allowing each space to maintain its own identity.
