A little studio, a lot of joy

A new chapter, a new space

After years on expansive acreage in rural NSW, Bill and Eugenie made a significant life change. Now needing more convenient access to shops and medical facilities, it was time to trade wide open spaces for town life.

Having made the move to a smaller property and now retired, the couple found themselves with the enviable luxury of extra time on their hands. Time that could now be spent immersed in doing the things they love best. And for Eugenie, that thing is art.

The majority of both professional and hobby artists want – and need – a space devoted to their creativity. Somewhere they can leave their work mid-flow and return at their convenience, ready to pick up where they left off. A place where they can focus and become absorbed in their latest piece. A space that is theirs to make as much, or as little mess, as they like.

Eugenie was no different.

“My wife wanted to have an art studio separate from the house,” Bill tells us.

A Google search led them to Greenspan and a tour of one of the Sydney Display Centres sealed the deal, with Bill recalling, “We liked what we saw”.

From there it was all smooth sailing, guided by the expertise of the Greenspan team. Particularly helpful for the couple was the support they received around council approvals, site preparation and orientation – the kind of details that can be daunting for many, but are second nature to our experienced team.

Built for life, built for light

The building Bill and Eugenie chose was a Melwood Mod 13 – a design that is compact, yet surprisingly roomy, and perfectly suited to the task. With front highlight windows and a sleek skillion roofline as standard features of this design, the Mod’s practicality and aesthetic appeal are unrivalled.

Making the most of the personalisation features available to them, the couple added glass double doors flanked by full-length double-hung windows on each side, creating an almost entirely glass frontage. Combined with an additional double-hung window to one side of the building, light – the must-have for every artist – is delivered in abundance.

A sliding window on the rear wall provides excellent air flow and cross-ventilation, while the front deck provides a welcoming entrance that bridges inside with out. The black frames of the windows make a bold linear statement against the pale white and grey tones of the exterior and interior.

Built fast, built without fuss

For many of those adding space to their home, the building process itself is the most complex, stressful and daunting part of the project…and understandably so.

However, Bill and Eugenie wouldn’t change a thing about their experience.

That’s the beauty of our building system.

The entire building – from floor to roof – is prefabricated and assembled into modular panels and components off-site by our skilled production team. Once delivered, typically on a single small truck, it’s simply a matter of securing the panels together on site — a process that usually takes less than a day and is so straightforward that many customers choose to DIY. There are no months of dust, disruption, noise and trades coming and going. It’s clean, efficient and remarkably quick.

Finished simply, finished well

With the installation complete, the couple put the finishing touches on their new space.

The interior was kept deliberately simple and unfussy – just as a working studio should be. Walls and ceiling were plastered and painted in crisp white, amplifying the natural light that pours in through that generous glass frontage. The floor was left raw, sealed with a waterproof coating that keeps the space easy to maintain no matter what creative chaos unfolds on top of it.

Air conditioning was added to ensure the studio is comfortable in every season – cool enough to work through an Australian summer, warm enough for a winter afternoon spent with a canvas and a cup of tea. A music system completes the atmosphere, because every artist deserves the right soundtrack to paint by.

The result is a space that is clean, calm and completely conducive to creativity.

Space for art, space for love

The studio has been a fixture of the garden for five years now, and in that time it has become one of the most cherished corners of the property – and not just because it allows Eugenie her creative outlet.

It’s also a place where she can spend quality time in the company of her granddaughters. Creativity is contagious, and what better way to bond with precious family than painting together in a cosy, light-filled studio at the bottom of the garden.

And while many Melwoods serve multiple purposes, this space is all Eugenie’s.

“It is dedicated to its art studio function,” says Bill.

And while Eugenie may never be the next Archibald Prize winner to own one of our Melwoods, that’s not what it’s about.

Because not every art studio needs to produce masterpieces. The greatest value a creative space like this brings is simply the permission to spend time doing the things you love, with the ones you love. And that’s priceless.

More, not less

Downsizing and retiring isn’t about giving things up. With the right approach, it’s about welcoming more into your life – more time, more intention, more of what truly matters.

For Bill and Eugenie, that meant a Melwood, a hobby and quality time with family.

A small building that has quietly made a very large difference.

And five years on, with paintbrushes still in hand and the granddaughters still dropping by, Eugenie’s art studio has continued to grow in value – not just in the financial sense, but in the way that really adds up.

It turns out that a little studio can hold a lot of joy.

Eugenie’s art studio is a Melwood Mod 13 measuring 3.6m x 3.8m, with a front deck measuring 3.6m x 1.3m. It features board and batten cladding, aluminium windows in “Black”, and timber full glass double doors. Colorbond® roofing is in “Woodland Grey” with flashings in “Surfmist”.

All measurements are approximate.