TALLOWWOOD CABIN

Introducing Tallowwood Cabin. Nestled in Currumbin Valley on a lush, densely vegetated site, Tallowwood Cabin was designed as a modest secondary dwelling for a young couple's father.

Working with Fouché Architects, Kira & Kira had the pleasure of styling this property, creating a cosy atmosphere with a minimalist design highlighting the natural beauty of the cabin's surroundings.

The property features established native trees and plants, providing a habitat for koalas and other significant wildlife. Only a tiny portion of the 6-hectare land was developed, in a small clearing near the western boundary chosen to minimise environmental impact and preserve the site's natural characteristics.

Located in a bushfire-risk area, the cabin was built to meet the highest bushfire safety standard, the BAL-FZ rating.

Inside the cabin, the material palette is simple and honest. Cool concrete floors are offset by warm OSB timber walls and ceilings. The design of the internal programme is free from excess. The lounge area contains built-in seating, a fireplace and TV arranged around its perimeter to maximise space. 

In the kitchen, dining has been built into the island bench, creating a simple space to converse while creating. Behind the kitchen, large stacking doors opens on to a deck with an impressive view of the surrounding green landscape.

The cabin showcases minimalist styling, resulting in a simple, pared-back living space. A standout piece of art by Georgie Wilson adorns the wall, serving as the focal point. This abstract work responds to and interacts with the colours and tones of the home's natural surroundings.

Two modest bedrooms and a bathroom make up the rest of the house programme, with their size counteracted through expansive viewing windows that look across the canopy. In the bathroom, operable apertures create an open-air feel and a window-less shower features a rain-head fixture, exposed to the natural elements allowing a true rain-forest experience with every rinse. 

The surrounding tree canopy, access, views, and a desire to touch the ground lightly played a large role in defining the form of the home, while the external skin of the cabin was intended to not only to perform robustly in its environment, but to blend in unobtrusively with its natural surrounds.