45 My Home

My home

Theres and Hannes live and work off the grid at their property on Neudorf Road. The warm and welcoming home has served them and their family well for 21 years. Although, they spend most of their time outdoors, tending to mushrooms for their business, Neudorf Mushrooms.

AIMEE JULES

Where is your home and who lives here?

I live here with my husband Hannes. Our home is on Neudorf Road in Upper Moutere, we have lived here since 2001.

What four words would you use to describe your home?

Cosy, spacious, welcoming and sustainable.

What inspired this look?

We love the natural combination of mudbricks and timber.

What do you love about the neighbourhood where you live?

We live in a great, creative, rural community well known for art and food.

What piece would you never part with?

Our kid’s paintings.

What’s your favourite spot in the house?

I love my kitchen with the views over to Nelson and Hannes his outdoor cooking space with a barbeque and pizza oven.

Where do you shop for homewares?

Mainly second-hand shops.

What’s your decorating style?

Rustic with a twist.

What’s next on your interiors list?

The floor needs a bit of TLC so it’s time to sand it back and recoat it.

When it comes to homeware, do you save or splurge?

It’s always good to find a bargain.

TOP: Being off the grid Theres and Hannes rely on both gas and coal ranges for cooking and heat. LEFT: The barbeque and pizza oven are used all year round and is a favourite spot to entertain. RIGHT: This piece of furniture dates back to the 1820s, it was bought by the couple at an auction in Switzerland 30 years ago. It has a special purpose in the home to showcase an ‘exhibition of treasures.’

OPPOSITE PAGE LEFT: Theres and Hannes designed the home to be open plan with views over Nelson Bay. OPPOSITE PAGE RIGHT: Hannes has a talent for stainless steel sculpture. He has added pieces to compliment the home over the years, including a grapevine up the staircase and fish swimming over the front door.

Have you done any renovations?

The whole house has been an ongoing renovation. We had a builder create the shell and then we did the inside ourselves. Over the years renovations have continued, what was supposed to be the garage has now been turned into the factory with a commercial kitchen for the mushrooms.

What’s your favourite room?

Not a room, but the outdoors with all our planted trees. We mainly grow trees for the mushroom production, but we also have a home orchard with various fruit and nut trees.

If money was no object what would you get for your home?

A biosphere for our tropical fruit plants. We have many sub-tropical trees already in the home including papaya, pineapple, banana and coffee trees.

What should every home have?

A spacious kitchen so everyone can be around while cooking.

Best money spent?

Electric water heat pump and the solar panels as we are off the grid.

Best memory in your house?

Christmas with the whole family.