The owners of this Lenswood property say there’s nothing quite like sitting on the deck at ‘golden hour’, taking in the sunset views across the apple orchard and the rolling Adelaide Hills.
‘It’s country life at its best,’ Romany Mollison says. The landscape painter and her husband Tom were living in Sydney when they first came across the sandstone cottage on the 16-acre property, which had remained in the original family as a commercial orchard for ‘at least’ 100 years.
Built in 1910, the two-bedroom home was run down, but still beautiful enough to inspire the couple’s move to South Australia in pursuit of a ‘slower pace of life’. They purchased the property as a passion project, turning it into a successful Airbnb now known as ‘Ode to the Orchard’.
‘We recognised very early on that it’s a really special place and it has been a six-year labour of love for us to bring this crumbling cottage back to life,’ she adds.
With some sweat, tears, and help from friends and family, Romany and Tom repainted, repointed the sandstone, put in a new bathroom, new wiring, plumbing, and new verandahs. The rustic interiors are rich with charm, thanks to details like an 100-year-old wood fire stove in the country kitchen, timber furniture, and the outdoor claw-foot bath.
‘We spent many happy weekends scouring the vintage shops and farm clearing sales for all the treasured pieces that are in keeping with such an old home. They make this such a special stay for our guests,’ Romany adds.
They’ve also completely redesigned the cottage garden, featuring rhubarb, mint, and thyme, alongside rows of lavender, gravel paths and have planted more than 100 established deciduous trees around the property.
‘We have amazing 360-degree views, so whether you’re sitting by the fire pit or one of the many lawn areas, each has different aspects to enjoy nature at her best,’ Romany says. ‘We built a large deck that sits above the lavender and rosemary and looks out to the rolling hills. It’s such a fantastic spot to relax on the outdoor couch or share a long lunch with friends.’
Romany and Tom have since hosted hundreds of guests there and have received hundreds of five-star reviews — making it one of the ‘most-loved’ homes on Airbnb!
The couple are selling the home fully furnished, so it’s up to the new buyers if they want to continue running it as short-stay accomodation, or perhaps keep it as a private escape for themselves…
1551B Lobethal Road, Lenswood, SA is for private sale with Andrew Adcock, Nikki Seppelt and Jake Adcock from Adcock Real Estate. Expressions of interest close 11am December 5.
