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Musicians Samantha Lombardi and Simon Torcasio were renting a unit in Melbourne’s northern middle ring when they first visited this Wattle Glen property for sale.
’As soon as we drove up the dirt road, saw kangaroos grazing on the side of the road, and walked into this house we were pretty sold already,’ says Samantha.
Not much is known about the house’s history, but it was likely built in the 1960s, and extended in the 1970s with an Alistair Knox-inspired addition. Features including brick walls, exposed beams, timber panelling, and slate floor are all keeping with ‘bush modernism’ homes across the wider north-eastern Melbourne fringe.
‘Walking in, there was just something charming and super cosy about the house. We loved all of the natural textures,’ says Samantha.
Simon and Samantha have made relatively small but impactful changes to the home internally — mostly returning the interiors to their near original state.
They worked with Maple Constructions to remove a wall in the upstairs living area (‘Having the wall there just made the room feel much smaller and darker, as it blocked a whole other angle of light coming in through the window,’ explains Samantha) and removed a leaking gas heater from the downstairs brick chimney to reinstate a double-sided fireplace.
Samantha and Simon are members of alt-country band The Smith & Western Jury, which has, in many ways, inspired the styling of their home. Items including a restored Kriesler record player, wall-mounted guitars, cowboy hats and American memorabilia set the scene for the couple’s music, which is often written and recorded in the house.
‘The high ceilings just make it sound beautiful,’ says Samantha. ‘We actually even recorded our first few songs as a band in our home a few years back and recorded the drums in that room, for that very reason.’
The place is furnished with mostly secondhand mid-century pieces, which lend their own distinct character to the space.
‘We aren’t super precious about our furniture being in mint condition’ says Samantha, ‘we like that most pieces have had a life before us.’
The most significant update Samantha and Simon have made to their property has been the garden, designed and installed over two stages by Sam Cox Landscape.
‘When we moved in the front yard was full of big gum trees, but bare as far as any other plants. And the backyard was very suburban looking, all paved with a big retaining wall,’ says Samantha.
‘We just felt we needed a more natural looking backyard and garden — something we could sit in and enjoy, bringing nature and wildlife closer.’
The couple essentially gave Sam free rein over the landscape design. ‘All we said was, we wanted to be surrounded by natives, bring in the birds and we wanted to have a little pond in there too.’
The garden surrounding the home is now an enchanting maze of native plantings that feels worlds away from the home’s semi-suburban context. A pond with cascading rocks and plants along the boundary add to this tranquil setting.
‘The main objective for the backyard was to soften it and make it feel like a much more relaxed and natural environment, which he absolutely nailed. As the garden grows, we are seeing new colours pop every season.’
Samantha and Simon adore the home they’ve created, which is large enough for making music solo, or with the band, and remains within easy reach of central Melbourne.
‘I love that I can go for a walk and see an echidna, kangaroo and kookaburra just roaming around,’ says Samantha.
‘It’s far enough for some peace and quiet, but still close enough to be able to catch a show at Lulie Tavern on a Friday night!’