Homes

The Idyllic Country Family Home Of The Design Files’ Partnerships Manager, Alice Ziebell!

Today’s home is extra special as it belongs to one of our own – The Design Files’ partnerships manager, Alice Ziebell!

Alice and her husband Marlon purchased their house in Korumburra, South Gippsland back in 2010, with long terms plans to turn it into a country weekender. But when Covid hit in 2020, the couple decided to bunker down here while expecting their first child. Three years later, they’ve settled into country life, permanently!

Alice and Marlon recently completed an owner-designed renovation (in just four months!) that has taken their charming country cottage to the next level. Join us for a tour!

Written
by
Lucy Feagins
Supported by Dulux

Dampier Lantern from The Society Inc. Table and chairs handed down from Alice’s aunty and uncle. Stokke Trip Trapp high chair. Vase inherited from Marlon’s nanna and poppa via Bendigo Pottery. Woodturned salt pot from the Korumburra Men’s Shed. Paintings on the wall were a wedding present from Ellen Taylor featuring all the things growing in the garden. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Marlon and Alice Ziebell, Otis and the chickens! Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

There was previously no connection between the backyard and the house, but the garden is now perfectly framed through recycled windows collected from garage sales and Facebook Marketplace. Dulux Antique White U.S.A. paint on the rear exterior.  Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Panels on front of kitchen bench by Surround by Laminex. &Tradition Flowerpot pendant. Le Creuset kettle. TS Makers chopping board. Speckled bowls from Ivo Angel. Vase from the Korumburra op shop. Ella Reweti vase and Yo-Dan glasses on top right shelf. Paint colours Dulux Royal Oakleaf and Dulux Hog Bristle Half. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Baskets sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Corn jug and cups from the Korumburra emporium. Bonnie and Neil tea towel. Le Creuset kettle. TS Makers chopping board. Speckled bowls from Ivo Angel. Vase from the Korumburra op shop. Ella Reweti vases. Yo-Dan glasses. Fowlers Vacola jars filled with homegrown produce. Robert Gordon egg holder. Painting by Love SJ. Paint colours  Dulux Royal Oakleaf and Dulux Hog Bristle Half. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Panels on front of kitchen bench by Surround by Laminex. &Tradition Flowerpot pendants Le Creuset kettle. TS Makers chopping board. Speckled bowls from Ivo Angel. Ella Reweti vases. Paint colours Dulux Royal Oakleaf and Dulux Hog Bristle Half. Basket sourced from Facebook Marketplace. TS Makers chopping board. Fowlers Vacola jars filled with homegrown produce. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Dampier Lantern from The Society Inc. Table and chairs handed down from Alice’s aunty and uncle. Vase inherited from Marlon’s nanna and poppa via Bendigo Pottery. Woodturned salt pot from the Korumburra Men’s Shed. Brocolli painting on the wall by Shelley Steer. Dulux Hog Bristle Half paint. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Dampier Lantern from The Society Inc. Table and chairs handed down from Alice’s aunty and uncle. Vase inherited from Marlon’s nanna and poppa via Bendigo Pottery. Woodturned salt pot from the Korumburra Men’s Shed. Dulux Hog Bristle Half paint. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Dampier Lantern from The Society Inc. Table and chairs handed down from Alice’s aunty and uncle. Vase inherited from Marlon’s nanna and poppa via Bendigo Pottery. Woodturned salt pot from the Korumburra Men’s Shed. Paintings on far right by Ellen Taylor. Pink painting by Nancy Frank from Artists of Ampilatwatja. Dulux Hog Bristle Half paint. Sun face by Katia Carletti. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Alice in her element knitting! Couch sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Shelves made from timber recycled from a small table bought at the Korumburra op shop. The artwork was wedding present by Camilla Walker. Various pots and vases from local op shops, and one on the bottom right made by Alice. Planet lamp found in hard rubbish. White coffee table from an op shop. Rug from Urban Outfitters. Dulux Hog Bristle Half paint. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Marlon at work in the newly revamped home office. Map of Victoria inherited from Marlon’s grandparents. Desk sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Painting featuring the family’s beloved chicken, Beatrix—a commission by local artist Lucy Hersey. Shelves made by Alice’s dad for her room when she was a child. Framed photo from Format Framing. Various vases and pots from local op shops or handmade by Alice. Glass vase by Yo-Dan. Couch sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Painting by Lucy Hersey. Shelves made by Alice’s dad for her room when she was a child. Framed photo from Format Framing. Various vases and pots from local op shops or handmade by Alice. Glass vase by Yo-Dan. Couch sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Lemon candle from Nonna’s Grocer. Ceramic watering can by Robert Gordon. Jars of produce canned by Alice and Marlon in Fowlers Vacola jars. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Surround by Laminex Heritage 150 panels painted Dulux White Polar. Light and chair sourced, from Facebook Marketplace, Painting above fireplace by Marlon’s grandfather, David Armfield . Framed tapestry sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Painting of quince blossom by Marlon’s relative, Betty Langley. Small vase made by Alice. Terrazzo vase by Tantri Mustika Ceramics. Glass vase by Amanda Dziedzic. Tapered vase by Ella Reweti. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Surround by Laminex Heritage 150 panels painted Dulux White Polar. Painting of quince blossom by Marlon’s relative, Betty Langley. Vase made by Alice. Lamp from an op shop. Hanging light sourced from Facebook Marketplace. I Love Linen bedding. Bedside table bought secondhand from Kongwak Market. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Dulux Hog Bristle Half paint on walls and Dulux Natural White on trims. Tiles from Academy Tiles. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Dulux Natural White paint. Bathroom vanity sourced from Facebook Marketplace with sink and tap added on top. Beci Orpin print. Baina hand towel. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Surround by Laminex Classic VJ 100 panels painted Dulux Royal Oakleaf. Rug from Ikea. Cabinet sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Hooks from Made Measure. Picture in frame by Otis. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Surround by Laminex Classic VJ 100 panels painted Dulux Royal Oakleaf. Sketch by Ghostpatrol. Pillows from Ikea. Corn cushion from Gorman. Quilt cover from I Love Linen. Hand crocheted blanket a present from Marlon’s aunty. Heico Rabbit lamp. Rug from Ikea. Cabinet sourced from Facebook Marketplace. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Alice and Marlon’s productive garden! Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Tablecloth from Bonnie and Neil. ‘The rogue poppies have come up through the gravel – where we didn’t plant them!’, says Alice. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

‘Otis loves “helping” in the garden!’ says Alice Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

The charming cubby house was a gift from family friends. ‘They had made it for their own grandkids who had grown out of it and passed it onto us to give it a new life,’ says Alice. Photography – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli

Writer
Lucy Feagins
1st of March 2023

The home of The Design Files’ very own partnerships manager Alice Ziebell, and landscape architect Marlon Ziebell of Ziebell Landscape Architecture, is a charming country house in Korumburra, South Gippsland. 

The couple initially spent weekends in the property, until Covid hit, and they decided to move here full-time. Three years later, they haven’t left!

‘It is a truly special place and I’m eternally grateful that we found it,’ says Alice. ‘It has stolen our hearts in more ways than we could have imagined.’ 

When Alice and Marlon first purchased the property (initially as an investment) back in 2010, it was a beautiful but simple home, filled with history and quirks. ‘We think the back half of the home was originally a miners cottage at some point,’ says Alice. ‘Someone moved the old front part of the home here (probably from a nearby town) and joined the two together to make one!’

After the birth of the couple’s son Otis (now 2.5), the ‘charming’ elements of the home were leaning more towards ‘unliveable,’ so it was time for a renovation.

Alice and Marlon designed the renovation themselves, focusing on the kitchen and bathroom, whilst also adding insulation, and opening up the rear of the house to their glorious garden. 

The kitchen in particular was tailor-made for the family’s many weekends spent preserving produce and making pasta. The custom, 3.8 metre-long, recycled hardwood bench made by their builder Luke Walsh of Four Elements Carpentry makes this task both fun and functional—perfect for a mini production line! ‘It is where many of our happiest memories are made,’ says Alice.

There was previously no connection between the backyard and the house, but the garden is now perfectly framed through recycled windows collected from garage sales and Facebook Marketplace. ‘Adding some (new to us, but old) windows have really transformed the place into a bright, warm, and cosy family home that we love to live in,’ says Alice. 

Warm timbers used throughout the interiors are complemented by a beautiful selection of artworks and a considered use of colour. Green Dulux Royal Oakleaf features in both the kitchen and Otis’ bedroom (transformed earlier by us with Surround by Laminex!), with Dulux Hog Bristle Half in the living areas and kitchen, Dulux Natural White in the bathroom and on the windows/trims, Dulux White Polar in the main bedroom (also updated with Surround by Laminex), and Dulux Antique White U.S.A. on the rear exterior. 

The entire renovation was completed in just four months, and Alice and Marlon couldn’t be happier with the result. The house is gorgeous but remains unfussy—fit for the garden-loving family and active Otis. ‘This is a home that gets used and loved,’ says Alice. ‘It’s a cosy place we can sink into and really call home.’

Needless to say, moving to the country is one of the best decisions Alice and Marlon have ever made. Living on a 1400 square metre block has provided the space to create the productive garden they’ve always dreamed of, filled with zucchini, pumpkins, green beans, apples, hops, cosmos, carrot flowers and much more. It’s also home to the family’s chickens, dogs Bella and Dexter, and a beehive. Little Otis really is living the dream childhood here!

In fact, Alice and Marlon’s garden is truly SO amazing, it’s worthy of its own story… so stay tuned for that in the coming weeks!

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