Former Block star Carlene Duffy gives a 100-year-old farmhouse in Cudgera Creek a colourful transformation

There are houses that are resplendent in scale and spectacle. And then there are those that, while devoid of grandeur or opulence, are imbued with a magical sense of style and place. It is these homes, brimming with character and soul, that cast a spell that is arguably even more impactful.

This is a scenario that rings true for this joy-filled cottage in Cudgera Creek on the NSW North Coast. Nestled amid lush, undulating pastures, the century-old farmhouse – known as Keltara Cottage – beguiles throughout the seasons.

A highly customised makeover by former The Block contestant-turned-interior-designer Carlene Duffy of interior design studio Cedar & Suede has propelled the ageing weatherboard house into an enchanting new era.

For the latest custodians – Georgina, her brother Brad and her husband Cameron – the renewal of Keltara Cottage is indeed a fitting one.

“This little farmhouse has been in our family forever,” Georgina says. “It originally belonged to our grandfather, and then our mother and father, so it means a lot to all of us. For that reason, it was very important to give it a new lease of life.

“The makeover was largely cosmetic, although with the help of a very close family friend, Dave, we had already added extra insulation, repaired termite-affected walls and done some restumping, as the original house was in a fairly bad state. But we didn’t extend or change the layout in any way.”

Having enlisted Carlene’s expertise on a previous renovation, Georgina was happy to follow the lead of the designer and TV celebrity once more.

“Working with Carlene was incredible,” she says. “I trusted her completely.”

With good reason. The mesmeric rebirth has put vivid colour at centre stage. From cosseting bursts of rust to playful pops of mustard, this is anything but a minimalist home dressed in neutrality. Indeed, it’s one that sets an unmistakably evocative scene.

“Going white and bright would have been a missed opportunity,” Carlene explains. “We wanted to create mood in the home, and did that through rich colour. We were definitely not afraid for each space to have its own strong colour identity. We wanted to go to town on colour – so we did.”

Perhaps the greatest use of colour is in the bunk bedroom, where the spotlight has been masterfully cast on another singular hue – the somewhat surprising zesty citrine.

“I wouldn’t put this level of colour saturation into every home, but this is a character home, and so it works here,” Duffy says. “It meant we could go all the way. We even painted the ceilings in the same colour as the walls, creating a beautiful cocooning effect of being enveloped in the one colour.”

In fact, the only exception from statement tones is in the bathroom.

“The bathroom has a lot of natural light, so we worked with that and kept the space feeling a little brighter and fresher,” Duffy says.

Providing a further feast for the eyes in each domain is a treasure-trove assemblage of upcycled and vintage pieces that speaks to the home’s heritage.

To Carlene, decorating with retro wares – particularly in a period house – makes sense from a sustainability, budget and style perspective.

“We spent a lot of time repurposing furniture and doing second-hand sourcing on Facebook Marketplace,” Carlene says. “I sent Georgina out to op shops and antique shops, and also re-covered some Ikea pieces like the sofa in the living room.

“We looked at every decorative element in the home. Some of the artworks reflect country life, and Georgina sourced an old stereo as a decorative item, while the use of stripes and checks in the window furnishings feels like a beautiful, simple nod to the past.”  

Even the kitchen, reimagined with a mosaic terracotta-tiled splashback and cafe-style curtains, was repurposed from another place and time.

“We bought the kitchen on Facebook Marketplace,” Georgina says. “The French doors that open out to the front deck were also Marketplace finds – they came from a little Queenslander in Brisbane. Anything we could find second-hand, we did.”

For Georgina, there was immense satisfaction in seeing her beloved family cottage come alive with creativity and, of course, colour. 

“I didn’t have to be talked into any of it. I always knew there was going to be colour, as I know how much Carlene loves it,” she says. “Seeing her vision and the process come together has been amazing.”

For the interior designer, also, it was a heart-winning project.

“I didn’t want to modernise the home in any way. I wanted to make it feel very ‘Australiana’ – warm and loaded with character,” she says, adding, “And the setting is so beautiful.”

Keltara Cottage’s note-perfect makeover is now complete, its family delighted with the incarnation.

“I can’t imagine we would ever part with the farmhouse,” Georgina says. “It’s a very special and sentimental home to us all.”