Where does someone like Nicole Kidman go for a family vacation with horseback riding, a mineral swimming pool, tennis—and no gawkers. She might consider the new Copperstone Estate just inland from Byron Bay on the NSW North Coast.
The enclave is the latest project of Emma and Tom Lane, developers of luxe rural rental properties that they’ve dubbed The Range Estates. In this case, they worked closely with architect Sam Ray of Story Design Collective to create a dream retreat from Sydney for themselves and their four kids—and rental guests
The family are world travelers, and Emma and her two daughters, Matilda and Lulu, are avid equestrians. They wanted the five-bedroom homestead to reference Spanish haciendas—one with a mix of contemporary and classic detailing—and for the adjacent stable to look like an extension of the house. As with the couple’s previous projects, the plan is to eventually sell—they’re already at work on the next. But for the foreseeable future, Copperstone and its staff are available as a dream hideaway providing in the Lane’s words “an opportunity to totally switch off from the noise.” Join us for some armchair design inspiration.
Photography courtesy of The Range Estates.
Above: The 47-acre estate is set on a former stone fruit farm in Bangalow, 15 minutes inland from Byron Bay. Guests stay in the five-bedroom house and have the place to themselves. Photograph by Sean Fennessy.
Above: The colonnaded exterior is finished in a mix of sand and cement naturally tinted to match the color of the soil. The roof is standing seam metal and, in addition to solar panels that enable the house to be used off-grid, there are rain water tanks providing water for the grounds, and Emma says, “throughout the entire estate.” Photograph by Sean Fennessy.
Above: The back porch overlooks the swimming pool and cross country riding course. There’s also a walled Tuscan-style garden and acres of walking trails. Photograph by Sean Fennessy.
Above: The interior walls are finished in Mineral Fox’s Ibiza Plaster, an entirely natural lime plaster-mineral mix. The rugs throughout are from Armadillo’s new Panorama Collection, which takes its colors and textures from Australian landscapes. Photograph by Anson Smart.
Above: The sunken living room, Tom tells us, is “a signature in Emma’s designs—she loves their warmth and intimacy, especially in grand homesteads.” The wooden flooring throughout is Darwin stringy bark, which the Lanes describe as “sourced from an indigenous mob in Cape Tribulation, who harvest it from their own land without any external or government support, so funds go back to their community. They run a strong regeneration program and plant more than they harvest.” Photograph by Anson Smart.
Above: The impressive plasterwork extends to the farmhouse-style kitchen, which has a custom built-in pizza oven. There’s a concierge to take care of all requests and an on-call private chef. The farmhouse table was made to order locally by S. Lambourn-Hull and the wool rug is Armadillo’s Thatch design in a color called Marsh. Photograph by Anson Smart.
Above: The custom cabinets are Corten steel and the countertops are copper. Photograph by Sean Fennessy.
Above: Steel and copper were also used in the pantry. “Copper is very durable, improves with age, and is naturally antimicrobial,” explains Emma. “It’s also a sustainable, eco-friendly material, an aspect of design that is very important to us.” Photograph by Sean Fennessy.
Above: Each of the five bedrooms has a built-in headboard and niches finished in lime-mineral plaster. They also all have king-size beds, en suite bathrooms, and private decks. Photograph by Sean Fennessy.
Above: After a sunrise gallop or trail ride, you can take an ice bath, sauna, and steam in the pool house—or retreat to your own bathroom. Photograph by Sean Fennessy.
Above: The Italian washed linen Heritage Sheets are from Totum Project—they’re linen on the outside and cotton satin against the skin. Armadillo’s Thatch rug is used here in a pale pink.
Above: The 25-metre swimming pool has a deck of repurposed brick also used on the back porch and in the stable.That’s the dressage arena in the background. Photograph by Sean Fennessy.
Above: The stable has the same “superior fittings and joinery” as the house. Copperstone is available to rent for short and long stays; price on request. Photograph by Alicia Taylor.
For more dream vacation rentals, take a look at:
