When passionate gardeners Treska and Dave James found themselves in a newly built house on the South Coast of New South Wales, complete with shiny new furnishings and a lawn “manicured to within an inch of its life”, they had an overwhelming sense that something was missing. “We built a massive home on a postage-stamp block,” says Dave, who, along with Treska, works as a public servant and commutes to Sydney part-time. “What we needed was the opposite – a smaller house and a massive yard.”
A gorgeous festive wreath, created by local florist Rebecca Syphers of Porter & Hudson, adorns the front door.
Gifts wrapped in Bespoke Letterpress paper await the lucky recipients.
With Treska, 32, having grown up in Berry and Dave, 31, in Kangaroo Valley, a pull to the countryside led them inland to the town of Picton, south-west of Sydney on Dharawal and Gundungurra land, in 2018. “We’d come to see another property that wasn’t quite right, and as we were leaving, we noticed a cluster of houses that looked really pretty,” explains Treska.
Upon returning a short time later, an unassuming ‘for sale by owner’ sign caught their eye. With only 15 minutes to view the property, they made a beeline for the backyard. “We were the only ones who went out there because it was covered in privet and boxthorn weeds,” says Treska.
“The terrace has views over Picton,” says Treska. “From here, we watch the steam trains.”
The stainless-steel tank pool is a hit with visitors in summer.
In the greenhouse, potted plants sit with cut garden flowers, and blooms from Pickle and Cole, an organic flower farm in Thirlmere.
After being told – following a silent auction – that the house was theirs, they were both surprised and terrified because they had no idea what they were in for. “I’m a very emotional person and Dave is very rational,” says Treska. “This was definitely an emotional decision.” She recalls her husband stopping to inspect the wonky chimney. “Going from a home where everything’s manufactured and perfect to one where nothing is square or level took a bit of work to get our heads around,” adds Dave.
“The vegie patch is somewhere I go every day,” says Treska. “The mastery of growing something is fun.”
“The tiles are the thing that made me buy the house!” says Treska of the exquisite decorative tiling on the front steps.
Fresh eggs ready for use in the kitchen.
Rythdale Cottage is situated in Picton’s railway precinct, where a smattering of heritage houses sit mostly on half-acre blocks. Dave and Treska believe their charming home was built around the turn of the century.
“The train station opened in 1863 and this land was then subdivided,” explains Treska. “It’s very Victorian, with little hints of Federation.”
Treska and Dave with schnoodle Bellatrix and spoodle George.
Delicate Kalinka roses.
“The previous owner had started some of the hard landscaping around the back area and the sheer size of the sandstone blew us away,” says Dave. “Because someone else had started it, we felt the need to continue and finish it.”
Perched on the high side of the road, the home almost appears to be two-storey. “It has a commanding presence,” says Dave, with the wrought iron and front steps offering a glimpse of what could be. “It had a sense of grandeur, and these were the things we could build on,” adds Treska.
While building did take place, returning Rythdale Cottage to its former glory involved more subtracting than adding. “It’s been a bit of an adventure, scraping things back and uncovering the past,” says Treska. “I don’t think there’s a surface we haven’t touched!”
The living room holds prints by Loré Pemberton.
A mix of viburnum, stock, foxglove and hydrangeas.
Blue features throughout the house.
One of Dave’s proudest moments was carefully removing the exterior aluminium cladding to expose the original hand-cut and chamfered timber boards; three out of four of which they were able to have restored. “They were made more than a century before I was born, and now they’ll probably last another century,” he says.
Despite the work required, it is this handmade sensibility that makes the home so special to the pair. “People have had babies here, people have passed away here, wars have happened and this house has stood the test of time,” muses Treska. “That’s what was missing in our other house – the emotional attachment and legacies that have come through before.”
Potting around.
The hall cabinet came from the old bookbinders in Berrima. “It’s nice to have furniture that reminds us of the Southern Highlands – and the adventure of getting pieces home!” says Treska.
“We have a motley crew of foster chickens and our own mixed heritage chooks – plus a Peking duck, Jemima,” Treska says.
ABOUT THE HOUSE
The chosen paint colours are a nod to the home’s history, including Resene Hermitage (double strength) on the exterior; Dulux Snapshot on the kitchen and bathroom cabinetry; Porter’s Paints Tea of China in the dining room; Dulux Tranquil Retreat in the bedroom; and Taubmans Deep Water in the lounge room. Meanwhile, all whites on the interior and exterior walls are Dulux White on White.
After selling their previous home fully furnished, the couple started from scratch. “An interior designer once told me that if you fill your house with things you love, it will work, and that’s the principle we’ve gone with,” says Treska, who has collected bits and pieces over time.
Honouring the home’s past while making it feel like their own has been the biggest achievement, she adds. “It has been amazing to nourish something that has been here for so long and feel that history in the walls.”
Creating the garden was a way to add their own stamp, which includes a glasshouse they hand-built using salvaged materials. “Everything in that glasshouse brings me joy,” says Treska, a keen baker who loves using fresh produce in the kitchen. “Dave and I have very analytical jobs, so there’s something grounding about planting and growing something, and then bringing it inside to share with others. It’s a really therapeutic process.”
In the guest bedroom, a vase of vibrant cornflower sits below a pen sketch of Rythdale Cottage drawn by mixed-media artist Lea Hawkins – Treska’s mum!
Many ingredients and garnishes used in the kitchen come from the garden, including rhubarb for the tart, flowers on the bundt cake, and oranges for the citrus cake. Florist Rebecca Syphers also sourced bouquets for display.
The exposed brick wall contrasts with the dark cabinetry and white mantelpiece in the dining room. Fresh wattle and flannel branches bring the garden indoors.
Local families purchase surplus vegies and eggs, while Treska’s garden supplies flowers to The Store Menangle, around a 15-minute drive, during summer and autumn. This ‘locals supporting locals’ mindset was one of the qualities that drew them to the area. “It’s quiet here, but we still know who makes our coffee,” says Treska. “Picton’s lovely like that – big enough that everyone doesn’t know your business, but small enough that when we go in for breakfast, we know the people and what’s going on in the community.”
The hand-built greenhouse holds a variety of plants, herbs and flowers. Bright ranunculi stand tall beside terracotta pots filled with strawberries.
Floral touches brighten each room.
Treska’s in botanical heaven in her greenhouse.
Rythdale Cottage will no doubt be filled with fresh blooms and baked delights over the summer months as friends and family come and go. “Christmas, for us, is not so much a day but a season of enjoyment,” says Treska, who plans to spend the time eating, relaxing, and making dog treats for their beloved spoodle George and schnoodle Bellatrix. “At the end of the day, you just want to come home and feel wrapped up by your house; that’s why you fill it with the things and people you love.”
Sunlight filters through the stained-glass window in the bathroom.
