Story
Creating Provider House | The Journey
18 September, 2024
Provider House - The Journey
During 2021, when NSW was in lockdown, I was up in Brisbane looking after my Mum, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The border between QLD and NSW was closed, and I had luckily just snuck in before it shut.
In between hospital visits and caring for Mum with my big sister, Tash, I had a bit of free time. I was so used to standing in our little shop in Surry Hills every day, talking to people, and staying busy; this new routine was a little different.
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First time seeing the house.02
Finished exterior shot by Jonathan Wherrett.The moment I saw it, I thought, “That’s it; that’s my dream home!”
For a long time I had been talking about opening some kind of accommodation arm of Provider. I even had a box labelled ‘Provider House’ that I would add special things to after each trip to Japan to manifest it.
One day I was scrolling through the internet looking at houses everywhere and anywhere in Australia. I put ‘Hobart’ into the search, and this old cabin in the woods came up... The moment I saw it, I thought, “That’s it; that’s my dream home!”.
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Kitchen before the reno.04
Kitchen post reno.Luckily the border from QLD to TAS was still open, so I figured I may as well go look at it, and if nothing comes from it, then at the very least I get a tiny holiday. So, within a day, I was on a flight to Tassie.
I fell in love with Hobart instantly. The fresh air when you get off the plane, the friendly people, the wine, the food—everything! When I saw the house, I immediately knew it was right. I made an offer (not having any idea of what I was doing), but sadly, I was priced out immediately. The next day, before heading to the airport, I drove by the house again and stood on the driveway, envisioning what I would do if I owned it.
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Visiting Hobart.06
Dreaming of the house.At the airport, I purchased a “Discover Tasmania” tourism tee and wore it around Brisbane for the next week. On the following Friday, the real estate agent called me and said the people pulled out and the house was ours. It was meant to be, and Mum was excited about the new venture.
I was back in Brisbane for a couple more months before I made the hard decision to go back to NSW, where I knew I wasn’t going to be allowed back to QLD or TAS. The house sat empty for 12 months, and Mum sadly passed away.
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Renovating progress.08
Renovations.I roped in our friends at Trias Architects to help draw up some plans for the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry. Instead of a Pinterest board, I gave them a big stack of my Japanese interior mags with doggy ears and post-it notes and then found Drew Projects, our amazing builder.
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Bathroom before.10
Bathroom after.
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Complete bathroom overhaul.12
The incredible cedar bath.The house had so many things wrong that we didn’t know about—the water tanks burst, the power was wired illegally and needed a full upgrade, and nothing was level. Suffice it to say the work was extensive.
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Tara at the house amongst the renos.14
Renovating.There was a little studio outside that we wanted to convert into a greenhouse, but it was completely rotted so had to be removed. Instead, our good friend Ross Mills redesigned the space with a Japanese rock garden and sunken firepit.
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Designs.16
Landscaping.Over many months, everything came together, and when we finally opened it to stay, it was one of my proudest moments. Mum (who smoked like a chimney) would have loved it down there. If you go stay, there’s a little vintage ashtray in the cupboard as a tribute.