In the picturesque Yarra Valley, designer Leora Mendelson reinvents a 1970s family homestead as a sophisticated weekend getaway.Just fifty minutes from Melbourne city, the Yarra Valley has long been a place of escape for both weekend warriors and those in more serious pursuit of a slower lifestyle. 

In local winery, restaurant and homestead Seville Estate, design-discerning city slickers may have found their ideal retreat. A family business with a firm emphasis on celebrating local craftsmanship and produce, the estate offers an authentic yet sophisticated way to experience the local landscape – and the jewel in its crown has to be the newly-restored Seville Homestead.

Leora made the most of local designers and makers in the furnishings for the homestead, sourcing handcrafted tables, cabinetry and accessories throughout. Signature pieces like the Made by Morgen dining set and the Ross Gardam wall lights add a contemporary detail to the spaces, which are characterised by base materials such as timber, whitewashed brick walls and stone. The original bricks were repainted to a bright white throughout the home to lend a gentle modernity while keeping the rustic foundations of the home.