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 Verandahs 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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