In a world of her own

Plenty outside, not enough inside

When Larni moved to her Central Coast home in 2025, she took on almost 1.25 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens in a semi-rural setting. It’s the sort of property where the setting is as important as the house itself and the garden completes the picture. A long winding driveway, clipped hedging, lush lawns, and mature trees in almost every colour and shade providing the backdrop.

There’s no shortage of room outside. But inside, space was a different matter. And what was lacking most was a place where Larni could work. She needed somewhere she could shut the door, enjoy some peace and privacy, and be productive.

The house itself simply couldn’t accommodate this.

“We didn’t have a lot of space for an office in our main dwelling, and I needed privacy for an office,” she explains.

With so much garden to work with, and an existing structure in it that was ready for an upgrade, Larni saw an opportunity to create a separate space away from the main house.

‘Easy and interactive’

Initially, it was Greenspan’s pricing and professionalism that caught Larni’s attention. But what sold Larni was the design. Because with such a picturesque environment to compete with, it needed to be the right building, not just a place to put a desk.

She found this in a Melwood Verandah.

“The style of the build was exactly what I was looking for, matching my existing building,” Larni tells us.

Rather than an impersonal box that looked like any other, the Verandah not only started off with the right look from the outset, but it could be further customised to carry through the details of the existing home and create a cohesive pair on the property.

And getting there was something that Larni found to be refreshingly easy. Visiting a Display Centre in Sydney, she could see the buildings in person – examine the quality and craftsmanship, get a feel for size and space, and explore the personalisation options available. Then, working with her Design Solutioneer, all of her ideas came together and began to take shape.

“John made the process very easy and interactive, with a site visit to see the sample builds and a 3D model to bring it to life,” Larni recalls.

Settled in the setting

It’s the verandah that gives this design its name and its connection to the surroundings.

Running the full length of the front, it mirrors that of the house and extends into the garden with a deck, upgraded from pine to Merbau. It’s a feature that’s more than a nice finishing touch – instead of merely sitting in the garden, the building becomes part of it, while echoing the house it closely neighbours.

Choosing an upgrade to pre-primed weatherboard cladding, this was later painted in the same earthy tones of the home’s exterior, and features the same white trim on the verandah posts, windows and doors. Monument roofing grounds the building with the driveway that leads up to it, and the trunks of the trees that stand next to it.

And so, although not even a year has passed since it was installed, it looks instantly at home – settled into its own little world amongst the lawns, trees and flowers that surround it.

Many versions of one room

It’s on entering that the building reveals what it has become. Because, what started as a simple need for a private place to work has grown into a space that accommodates so much more.

Yes, it’s the home office Larni set out to build. Bright and light, with its high-pitched ceiling, softly off-white walls and abundant glazing, a desk sits at one of the two front windows, offering the quiet and privacy to concentrate, while overlooking the gardens and the pool beyond.

But like everyone, there’s more to Larni than just work. And it’s in this Melwood that she has a place to be every version of herself.

There’s an end set up for Pilates and movement – a reformer, mats, hand weights, props. An exercise bike for a cardio workout. A huge mirror in the corner to check form.

Other days, it’s the turn of the easels, canvases and paints, with a section of the room dedicated to art.

At times, it’s a place to relax – a sofa to sit and read one of the many books that line the bookcase, watch a movie on the TV, or simply gaze out the sliding doors across the gardens and enjoy the view.

It’s a home office, an art studio, a Pilates space and a place to unwind. All within a few steps of the house, all within a little world of its own.

Steps away, worlds apart

Some Melwoods are extensions of the house. That one extra room that a family needs. A home office. A guest bedroom. A retreat for the teens or a second living space.

This one, however, is different.

Steps from the house yet worlds away, tucked privately and peacefully amongst the greenery and growth, it offers Larni an escape from the house without ever leaving home.

But it’s inside that the extent of this escape becomes evident.

Because beyond that verandah frontage isn’t just one room with one purpose. It’s a space that shifts with Larni and her day, her mood, her needs. It’s a place to work, to create, to move, and to simply be. Somewhere with what she needs, when she needs it, and the privacy to be who she wants to be.

It’s a whole little world all of its own, held within a single, light-filled room.

All measurements are approximate.