NSW Home - Sarah King and family

Artwork by Sarah King

Psyche Lounge designed by Sarah King. 'So nice to lie on the Psyche Lounge + look at the giant pines out the window' she says... 'I designed the lounge to perfectly take the weight off your feet - it has a thin layer of memory foam - it holds yours shape and then forgets you entirely when you are gone. This version also has electroluminescent wiring which glows through the upholstery. It was created as an exhibition piece - but its not plugged in at home!'

Zig-zag candelabra on the table is by Sarah and Ben (Blakebrough + King) - Chee Soon + Fitzgerald are now stocking them in Sydney. Also available directly from arpshop online.

The stunning black stool is one of Sarah and Ben's Mark III + IV carbon chairs 2008/09, which she exhibited in Milan this year!

The old sign from Arp (Sarah's design shop in hobart) hangs above the fireplace. Ben made those bronze horses in his 20's when he was a young artist.

When I visited Milan in April, I was very lucky to hook up with fellow Milan-first-timer Sarah King - affectionately known by friends and colleagues as Sarah K! Originally from Sydney, Sarah K is an architect, designer and indefatigable do-er - her many creative achievements have been well documented over the past 10 years... (Arp shop / Pop Up Co-Op shop in Bowral / The Australian Design Museum auction at Shapiro earlier this year... to name a few!)

Sarah K was the perfect Milan buddy - we became firm friends whilst navigating the exhausting Salone circuit together - often ducking off the design trail altogether for a dose of retail therapy and/or gelati-eating to balance out the relentless schmoozfest!

Sarah K recently emailed me these pics of her previous home - Dorset Farm, situated on a hill above Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands, about an hour out of Sydney. Sarah and her partner Ben fell in love with this dilapidated timber farmhouse whilst walking in the area years ago, whilst visiting Ben's mum in the highlands. At that time it was a horse stud with beautifully lined hardwood stables on the acreage surrounding, but it has since fallen into disrepair and the horses are all gone.

When Sarah and Ben saw the place for rent on the internet in 2008 they couldn't resist - so they moved from Tasmania for it! A year later the creative pair had lovingly restored the property - too lovingly it turned out, as the owners saw it in all its glory and wanted it for themselves! Whoops!

Sarah K and co. have recently purchased a little cottage on a big block in neighbouring Moss Vale. They're currently in the process of relocating their lives and workshop to this new home... and after four years of renting, are relieved to think they won't have to move again for a while...! Sarah says her daughter Kit recently counted 7 houses that the family have lived in since 2006!!

Dorset farm must be over 100 years old, but it was renovated around the 1920's, and which time the two end walls of the main living area were replaced by industrial steel framed windows. The trees around the home are so tall that it creates a totally private world. Sarah says 'It's a bit magical', with different out-of-control gardens growing all around, echidnas, tortoises, wombats and kangaroos about the place, and just a hop, skip + jump down the hill into town, which made it pretty special. 'You will see why we left Tasmania to live there' says Sarah K - 'it was my favourite place I have ever lived'.

Awww! Sarah and her family will always remember Dorset Farm fondly... so it's nice to be able to share their lovely former home here for all to see! I've no doubt they'll soon put their mark on their new home in Moss Vale, and when they do... I'll be waiting for the photos!

Kitchen details and lovely handmade ceramics

More ceramics on the window-ledge in the kitchen. The little plate with the butcher's pig is from St Johns restaurant in London. 'We went a few years ago for my birthday with my brother Nick, who is a Londoner.' says Sarah. 'It was the last night that smoking was allowed in restaurants and bars, the air was thick with smoke... Ben + I were in tears most of the night as the smokers were really making the most of it. The waiter gave me the redundant ash tray as a parting birthday gift!'

Sarah's daughter Gussie's bedroom and grass chair(!?) in the garden!

Recycled steel gates made by Sarah's partner Ben and their neighbour/friend Mick Pfahl (cluxstowe@catavento.com.au)

Sarah and Ben's workshop... Sarah loves these last photos of the courtyard + the workshop - 'you can really see the most sculptural trees' she says!

Now that's a chair collection.