A magical Tauranga property with rural French country ambiance

Article by Your Home and Garden

The two-storey house on this magical meandering property is a blend of Kiwi woolshed-meets-French country

A magical Tauranga property with rural French ambience

Who lives here? Rebecca-Jane Russell (designer, farmer and wedding-venue owner and manager), partner Jean-Francois Larue (arborist), Rebecca-Jane’s children Moss, 14, and Maggie, 12, Jess and Molly the dogs, numerous cats, horses, goats, black-faced sheep, dairy heifers, beef cattle, chooks, and miniature kunekune pigs named Maybelline and L’Oréal.

Rebecca-Jane, how important was it for your home to include an orangery? I very much love the French aspect of it; plus it provides a venue for intimate luncheon and dinner parties (for up to 22) and for indoor wedding photos. The internal spiral staircase leads up to a bedroom where brides can get ready, and where newlyweds can spend their wedding night.

A favourite room in your house? There are many much-loved spaces and the bathroom is certainly one of them. I have only one small light in that room to read by, but plenty of scented candles. I can lie in my claw-foot bath and take in the view, which includes keeping an eye on the children and the stock.

Style secrets

Consider adding a magical extra to your home to delight children – for example, interconnecting bedroom wardrobes, or a secret passage
If possible, widen a section of your passageway to make an area to include a keyboard or computer desk and shelving for books and board games
Contemplate including a fire-side cupboard – that can be fed from outside – to enable easy access to firewood
Give thought to positioning your fireplace at an elevated level so the flames can be enjoyed at eye-level

Words by: Monique Balvert-O’Connor. Photography by: Angela Keoghan.

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Rebecca-Jane and daughter Maggie, with dogs Jess and Molly, outside the orangery.

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The French-inspired front doors to the orangery were found among the antique collectibles in a store formerly operating as the Onehunga Movie Theatre.

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The house was designed around a variety of living spaces to suit every mood. Among them is a cluttered, homely kitchen full of baking smells, jars of preserves, garden produce and collections of Provence-style crockery and basketware.

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The light, airy dining hall opens onto the lawn for summer meals then cosies up with fairy lights, candles and music for winter banquets where L’Orangerie lamb shanks (from lamb produced on the farm) are a favourite.

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Looking from the dining hall – where candle lighting makes for magical feasts around the huge trestle table – through to the enchantingly cosy kitchen.

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A ‘cake stand’ display is the perfect place for bottles and lotions in the master bedroom’s ensuite

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The white and airy guest room (which can be hired as a bridal suite) has a baby’s tin bath as a whimsical basin.

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The stunning claw-foot bath is the centrepiece of the upstairs bathroom.

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Newlyweds are spoiled for choice when it comes to places to toast their marriage at this property, including the orangery, an indoor-outdoor room boasting beautiful 1875 kauri church windows, tubs of citrus and an ornamental Japanese maple tree.