Changing lives in changing times

The many and changing needs of Jamie’s family of seven have well and truly been met over the years by her double Melwood investment.

A creative studio, a home office, a teenage retreat, a spare bedroom…and more. This versatile cabana has evolved with the family as their needs have changed.

“I didn’t find my happy place, I created it…”

A creative haven

Jamie is the talented creative behind the sensational Macramé arts and supplies of @jac.home.heart. Her initial investment in two Melwood Verand ahs was with her rapidly growing business in mind – a smaller cabana for storing her supplies and a larger creative studio to use as a workshop. With business booming, the ability to retreat from the house to a dedicated space to create was becoming a necessity. “I was working inside the home. I was taking up the whole house, so I was getting on my family’s nerves a bit.” Jamie explains.

The unexpected twist

Little did Jamie know how valuable these two garden cabins would become.

Cue 2020.

With lockdown upon the country, and seven people under the same roof 24/7, Jamie’s creative studio took on an additional role as husband David’s home office. With no other space in the house, David was using their bedroom to work from home. As Jamie says, “Your bedroom should be where you relax, not where you do your high-stress corporate job,” so this needed to change.

Tired of army crawling through her bedroom while David was on a Zoom call, Jamie generously set aside a spot in her spacious Verandah 20 for his daily workspace. And that meant that David also no longer needed to worry about the noise of the kids in the house while he was working. Plus, at the end of a long day of online schooling, the kids also had a retreat in which to escape from the hustle and bustle of a full house.

”It started with the cabanas then we worked our way from there.”

Not just practical space for her artistic pursuits, the cabanas also formed the inspiration around which the future garden was formed. Several years on from installation, the two studios now sit adjacent to a dream pool and amongst well-established planting. The perfect backyard playground for this growing family, complete with an outdoor hangout room where the twins can enjoy gaming and watching shows.

An evolving family

Continuing to prove how versatile their Melwoods are to the family’s evolving needs, the larger studio now houses a sofa bed and also serves as a tranquil and private bedroom for Jamie’s now adult daughter‘s occasional overnight stays – her preference to sleeping under the main roof. It is also set to once again become a separate office with Jamie due to soon start a new job working from home.

Beyond investment

Jamie is also looking further ahead, recognising the longer-term value of her investment in additional outdoor living and storage spaces. “When we sell our house, we’ve got this beautiful extra space out the back. Anyone would love it.”

Ultimately, the value goes beyond financial. Time and time again, these two outdoor spaces have proven their worth, enhancing the family’s life and seamlessly adapting easily to changing times and evolving needs. Integral to Jamie’s business, offering a peaceful work-from-home environment, a retreat for family comfort and relaxation, and the heart of their dream backyard – the true value of these Melwood Verandahs lies in the ability to enhance family life every single day.

Jamie’s storage room is a Melwood Verandah 11, measuring 5.4m x 2.0m, with the verandah spanning 5.4m x 1.3m.

The larger cabana is a Melwood Verandah 20, which measures 6.3m x 3.2m, with a verandah spanning 6.3m x 1.3m.

Both feature Board and Batten cladding, Colorbond® roofing in “Woodland Grey” and “White” aluminium windows.

All measurements are approximate.

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The Melwood Mod – an art studio of your dreams

Filled with natural light and in the solitude of her own backyard, Nicola’s Melwood Mod is the perfect space for her to create her artworks for upcoming exhibitions.

Nicola has had her Melwood for over four years now, and really appreciates just how much it has transformed her lifestyle.

“I can leave it and shut the door – and it’s ready, waiting for me”

Previously working from the dining table in her home, she no longer has to pack away her art supplies at the end of the day for dinner.

As a finalist in The National Emerging Art Prize and the York Botanic Art Prize, Nicola appreciates the separate space to create her masterpieces without the usual distractions that come with working from home.

“It’s quite a personal space for me…It’s helpful having no distractions.”

“It’s good having the studio because it’s in the backyard. I’ve got three children at home but it doesn’t stop me from going in that studio to do a bit of work. Even though they’re here, I don’t have to go somewhere else to work, which is good.”

Nicola’s Melwood is a Mod Design no. 12, measuring 3.2m x 3.6m with a feature wall of Cedar weatherboard cladding, Colorbond™ roofing in “Woodland Grey” and “White” aluminium windows.

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Barry’s tropical garden oasis with Polynesian vibes

A tree change is a pipe dream for many city-dwellers and likewise, downsizing from acreage to start a new life in the suburbs is becoming common for some.

When it was time to relocate from a five acre property in the country to a growing town in northern NSW, Barry purchased his home and installed a Melwood for that extra bit of special space.

Barry says, “We love it. It’s great!”

“Neat and well constructed, our Melwood has not only extended our living space but provided a highly functional private self-contained studio space.”

Used as an art studio for painting, clay sculpture and enjoying some R&R, Barry loves having a relaxing space to go to.

“We got it primarily for an escape place to go up to because the block is kind of elevated at the back and you can look over the house. It just gives a lovely outlook and opens out the perspective.”

Barry installed a Melwood Mod 15 measuring 5.4m x 2.6m with board and batten cladding, double-hung windows and double doors. With the external cladding painted in Monument to match the cabana roof and his Colorbond fence, his Melwood has a contemporary coastal feel.

Turning to influences from his travels around the pacific islands, Barry is thrilled with his beautiful tropical oasis.

“It just gives a lovely outlook and opens out the perspective.”

Barry also added his own finishes touches to keep down the glare. By adding reflective film to the horizontal windows, it’s helped keep the art studio cool from the morning sun.

Previously maintaining an English country garden on his acreage, Barry enjoyed the process of decorating his Melwood and DIY-ing the landscape design.

Barry installed a Melwood Mod 15 measuring 5.4m x 2.6m with board and batten cladding, double-hung windows and double doors.

Turning to influences from his travels around the pacific islands, Barry is thrilled with his beautiful tropical oasis. And like a true Polynesian garden, two Moai statues inspired by the monolithic human figures on Easter Island stand at both sides of his Melwood.

“It has also made a very attractive focal point for our garden, not to mention the added value to the property.”

“At the previous house, I had a formal garden, which was all clipped hedges and that sort of thing. I decided I’d go with the much easier look here to make it more of a tropical garden.”

The patio is the perfect place to relax and catch the afternoon breezes.

“It has also made a very attractive focal point for our garden, not to mention the added value to the property. The patio is the perfect place to relax and catch the afternoon breezes, while looking out over the vista below. So many benefits!”

Want to Give Your Family More Space?

A custom-made garden room is the perfect starting point to creating more space for your family.

Adding a Melwood to your property is quicker & easier than most people realise. We’re ready to show you just how easy it is.

Click here to download our brochure and get your project started.

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Laura’s Versatile Backyard Studio

“I love it. It has been amazing. It’s my space.”

“It’s my little sanctuary.”

Here in this backyard sanctuary, Laura enjoys her dedicated creative space away from all distractions.

“I’m an artist, so we needed a studio for me.”

“Also, because we have a small garden, we needed something that was going to fit.”

“Having done our research, the cabins from Melwood seemed perfect.”

*Porch 10 with cedar upgrade, panoramic window, and double doors*

“We had seen them many times passing by your Neutral Bay showroom, so we decided to get Melwood to look at our garden and have a chat.”

After finding the perfect fit for her garden, Laura chose a Porch Design 10 with a cedar upgrade.

She added extra windows, allowing for plenty of natural light to fill the backyard studio.

“It’s the perfect size for what I need.”

“It’s a lovely feature for our garden.”

And it’s Laura’s favourite space.

“I’ve left the inside as is. As an artist, I think it adds to it.”

“I don’t have power in my studio yet, but I will be getting it, making it easier for me to work late into the evening.”

“Everyone that comes over says ‘you’re lucky to have this space.'”

*Laura’s art studio has evolved to suit her family’s changing needs*

And in recent times, Laura says she’s been fortunate to have the extra space.

“During these last two years of lockdown, my daughter used it as a space to do her school work.”

“She would sit there and look out to the house. She needed space for herself, and she needed to be separate from the house.”

“She was out there all the time. I had to fight her over it.”

Want to Give Your Family More Lifestyle Space?

A custom-made garden room or pool cabana is the perfect starting point to creating more space for your family.

Adding a Melwood to your property is quicker & easier than most people realise. We’re ready to show you just how easy it is.

Click here to download our brochure and get your project started.

Already downloaded the brochure? Click here to schedule a call with a Design Consultant

Lesley’s Peaceful Art Studio

“It’s fabulous. I love it.”

“It’s a place to be creative.”

Most of all, it’s a sanctuary, away from all distractions.

“It’s away from the house. No one can phone me. I’m away from the internet.”

Lesley chose a Porch 20 with a cedar upgrade.

She added double doors, sidelights, and colonial-style doors.

*The flexible design allowed Leslie to choose the size and orientation of doors and windows*

“I’m an artist, so what it looked like was important.”

“I love the designs, especially these heritage looking cabanas. That’s why I wanted to go with Melwood.”

“The roof angle is the right angle, and the proportion of the length to the width is very pleasing.”

*Inside Lesley’s art studio with timber framing and foil sarking visible*

The flexibility of the design allowed Lesley to create a studio to suit her needs.

“I had a lot of doors put in so I could have a lot of light come through.”

Since having the studio installed, Leslie hasn’t fitted it out.

With the sarking visible, she says she’s grown accustomed to its rustic look.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever line it. But, it reflects the light, so it’s beneficial.”

What Lesley loves most is how picture perfect it looks on her property.

“Sometimes in winter, you wake up, and the whole world is white. There it was, all covered in snow.”

*The Porch 20 looks picture perfect in a winter wonderland*

And while she appreciates the beauty of a winter wonderland, she will always favour a warmer climate.

“I was born in the desert. I was born in the Alice.”

“It’s a chapter of accidents how I ended up in Katoomba!”

Want to Give Your Family More Space?

A custom-made garden room is the perfect starting point to creating more space for your family.

Adding a Melwood to your property is quicker & easier than most people realise. We’re ready to show you just how easy it is.

Click here to download our brochure and get your project started.

Already downloaded the brochure? Click here to schedule a call with a Design Consultant

Award-winning Artist Takes Us Inside Her Backyard Studio