Plenty of room, still not enough space

Space isn’t always enough

It’s easy to assume that a large country property solves all of your space problems. But as Natalie found, having plenty of room isn’t the same as having the right kind of room.

Natalie and her partner Oliver share their Northern Rivers home with Heather, a family member who lives with them.

Between the three adults, there’s work from home to juggle, meetings to manage, and visiting clients to welcome. Add two children being homeschooled and even a generous home on a spacious block of land can start to feel a little cosy.

With everyone under the same roof during the working day, there wasn’t quite enough separation between work and home, client meetings and school work, peace and play.

“We needed a quiet work from home space,” Natalie explains.

It wasn’t that they needed more space in general. The property had plenty. It was that they needed one specific space. A place where work could happen in peace while family life carried on around it.

And they had the perfect spot for it – out by the stunning pool, on their beautiful 2.5 acre property.

Help with the hard parts

The need was clear and a separate workspace was the obvious solution, but the question was who to build with.

A few things drew Natalie to Greenspan.

“Your quality of designs, cost effective solution, and the “do it for you” support in the research and design phase,” she says.

That last part mattered most. As a busy professional juggling work and a young family, Natalie didn’t need more to manage. Rather than being left to work it out alone, she had guidance and direction from an experienced Design Solutioneer from the very start… and then every step of the way from there on.

“He handled everything from telling us exactly what we could or couldn’t do according to our local council and helped us through a few iterations of designs,” she recalls. “Super simple.”

Beyond the design stage, it continued to be just as straightforward, with the building being delivered a few weeks after signing off on the plans, and a smooth and simple installation taking place shortly after. In fact, when asked if she had any suggestions to improve the process, Natalie was stumped.

“I honestly can’t think of anything. It was smooth at the start… building was easy and our guy had no issues,” she tells us.

The warmth of timber with a modern edge

Taking the lead on behalf of the household, Natalie worked with her Solutioneer to shape a design around both the beautiful country property it would sit on and the job it needed to do.

She started with the Melwood Workshed – a practical and endlessly versatile base upon which to apply the extensive personalisation choices on offer.

And this was an opportunity Natalie fully embraced.

First, the cladding. Natalie selected Western Red Cedar weatherboards, bringing the natural warmth and depth of character that suit such a setting.

Against the rich tones of the cedar, black window and door frames are paired with Monument Colorbond® roofing, gutters and downpipes. The warmth and familiarity of timber, sharpened by dark, industrial detailing – a building that has classic charm with a contemporary edge.

There’s balance and symmetry to it, too. Double doors are flanked by double hung windows on each side and further full height glazing is mirrored to each side and the rear. It’s a structured composition that borders on formal while sitting comfortably and looking relaxed.

And then there’s the location – pride of place and centred beside the pool, expansive lush green lawns wrapping around it, the bush stretching behind it.

A home office that’s a home away from home

At 3.2m x 5.4m the interior generously delivers approximately 17 square metres. But step inside and it feels more spacious still – its secret lies in the high-pitched ceiling overhead, and the extensive glazing that opens the room to its surroundings.

Impeccably lined and painted a crisp white, it’s bright and airy with natural light pouring in from every direction. The cedar tones of outside are reflected in the interior through the flooring and accent furnishings, while darker details echo the trim of the windows and doors that frame the views on every side.

It’s a space made for an enjoyable day at work. The large timber desk is positioned beside the glass, with views across the pool on one side and the immaculate gardens on the other. The bush backdrop behind takes some beating, too – no virtual background for Teams meetings required here.

When work calls for a face-to-face meeting, there’s room away from the desk too. A generous sofa and a characterful velvet lounge at the other end create a comfortable place to sit with clients in peaceful surroundings. They’re equally inviting for a phone call away from the desk or a quiet pause between tasks.

Lighting is thoughtfully layered, from pivoting overhead LEDs that direct light where it’s needed for work, to wall sconces and lamps that bring a softer glow when the day winds down. Discreet blinds sit almost invisibly when raised, ready to be drawn for privacy or to filter the light when needed.

It’s a long way from the busyness of the household and a family’s competing priorities. This is a proper, separate room. Calm, considered, peaceful and productive… and genuinely lovely to spend time in.

The difference the right space makes

“It’s a work from home space and a place to have client meetings out of the house – which supported our growing family to make more use of many spaces and provide everyone with what they needed,” says Natalie.

Given the scale of the property, this is quite an observation. With a spacious homestead, two and a half acres of land and what seems like plenty of room to spread out, you might wonder what more a family could need. But space alone doesn’t guarantee that every room works for everyone, especially when home is also the workplace and the classroom.

One Melwood Workshed has changed that.

By moving work and client meetings out of the house and into the garden, the family can make better use of the space they already have inside. Work is kept separate, in its own dedicated room. School can occupy its own place in the house. Family life has room to unfold away from all of this. The kids can play, adults can relax and everyone can enjoy space that is designed with purpose. There’s freedom to get on with the day and no competing demands on space.

Even on a property where there’s seemingly room for everything, this one simple, fast and cost-effective addition makes the whole place work better for everyone.

It’s all about having the right room. Not the amount of rooms you have.

All measurements are approximate.