Tallowwood Cobbitty Farmhouse Renovation

In Cobbitty, NSW, a modest cottage has been reimagined as an expansive family home where contemporary refinement meets the warmth of farmhouse design. Designed by Studio Jenka, the renovation balances richly veined stone, dark joinery and warm metallic accents with a restrained architectural framework that carries from the original home into the new addition.

The project began with an original cottage and evolved into a considerably larger residence designed around a contemporary extension. Rather than treating old and new as separate, Studio Jenka developed one architectural language to connect them.

Designed for a family of four, including two teenager girls, the home moves between living, entertaining and private spaces, each with its own character. Repeated mouldings and a carefully controlled material palette provide the underlying rhythm, allowing individual rooms to feel distinctive without being disconnected.

Natural Stone, Dark Joinery and Warm Brass

Natural stone forms the foundation of the interior palette. Super White Dolomite and richly veined marbles are layered with dark painted joinery, brass accents and woven metal mesh, while polished, honed and textured finishes create depth without relying on strong colour.

In the bar, honed Super White Dolomite is paired with brass mesh and satin polyurethane joinery, bringing warmth and permanence to the contemporary composition. Related materials appear throughout the bathrooms and practical spaces, creating subtle points of connection across the home.

An Architectural Thread

“For us, mouldings are an integral part of the architecture rather than simply a finishing detail. Intrim gives us the flexibility to introduce proportion, depth and a sense of permanence, with a broad range of profiles that allows us to choose what best suits the style and scale of each project. We have also always found them very easy to work with, which makes the whole process that much smoother.” 

Jenny Matek, Studio Jenka 

Intrim’s CM36 cornice runs through most of the home, while Intrim SK498 profile is used as both a generous 230mm skirting and 90mm architrave. Specifying the one profile for both applications creates a continuous architectural line around the rooms and openings.

In the more formal living and entry spaces, Intrim CR62 chair rail and Intrim IN23 inlay mould introduces a restrained wainscoting detail. Rather than competing with the stone and joinery, the panelling brings balance to the rooms and reinforces the home’s contemporary farmhouse character.

Beauty in Everyday

Some of the home’s most thoughtful moments appear beyond its principal living spaces. The same skirting and cornice details continue into the wardrobes, laundry and mudroom, giving these practical rooms the same sense of resolution as the more visible interiors.

In the mudroom, V-groove panelling sits alongside an Irish Green marble dog bath and brass mesh joinery. The laundry is similarly considered, with extensive cabinetry, a dedicated hanging rail and a fabric-care cupboard designed around the routines of family life.

These rooms reveal the strength of the overall design. The architectural details do not disappear when the spaces become functional, and luxury is expressed through consistency and utility rather than ornament alone.

Tallowwood demonstrates how a varied material palette can feel calm when grounded by a clear architectural framework. While its scale is generous, the principle is broadly applicable: establish the moulding language early, repeat it with confidence and give everyday rooms the same attention as the spaces designed to impress.

Interior Design: Studio Jenka

Build: Macquarie Grove Homes

Photography: Sebastian Mrugalski