On The Market: Stonelea

An awe-inspiring house nestled in the foothills of Mount Cooroy in the Noosa hinterland, Stonelea is now on the market.

Previous homeowners Phillipa and Mark have been living in the home for over ten years. “Words really can’t describe it, it’s so special,” recalls Phillipa. Mark adds, “It is tied into the mountain like no home we’ve ever seen – it feels like it belongs here.” And while the home is deeply embedded in the land, it is important that it becomes one with the new owners, too. So, an experienced interior designer, architect and developer visited Stonelea to share how to personalise the mountain home.

An experienced interior designer, architect and developer visited Stonelea to share how to personalise the mountain home.

Jessica d’Abadie, interior designer at We Are Triibe, explains how one can transform the home through considered interior design choices. “I think it’s really important when looking at a home to pay attention to the bones of it, because that’s probably the most important part of a home, as things like materials and furniture can be easily adapted to suit your own personal style,” she says. For example, d’Abadie explains how the kitchen has beautiful bones, but can be easily adapted. “It is really big and has a really big island bench and if you wanted to change it it’s something that’s easy to do.” She continues, “you could retain the existing bench tops and just change the cabinetry to a different colour, or alternatively, you could change the countertop altogether to create a lighter scheme.”

Another way to personalise the home is by altering the existing architecture. Christopher Furminger of Furminger Architects shares how one could transform Stonelea in ways that further integrate the home with the mountain and the view. He explains the potential to open up the view to the north and continue out to the pool itself, as well as opening up the floorplate at the base and opening to the sky, bringing light from above. “This home does so many things well, but by further integrating it into the site and bringing the mountain itself into the home there is an opportunity to create a timeless form.”

While the home is deeply embedded in the land, it is important that it becomes one with the new owners, too.

Similarly, Andrew Gray of Graya shares how to add further value to the home. “Under the main house, there is already a lot of room for car parking. So, if this was my place, I would convert the six-car garage into either a guesthouse or caretaker’s accommodation,” he says. “With the structure already there, the conversion process would be fairly simple and it still picks up the amazing views that the house gets.”

A unique home set amid a pristine mountain landscape, Stonelea is awaiting its next chapter.