Lotte’s Hjem

Brimming with homely charm, Lotte’s Hjem embodies the romance of small-town living. The weatherboard cottage, which is almost entirely encased by lush gardens, has stood on Ives Street, Pambula for more than 150 years. Owners Miranda O’Rourke and Harrison Balodis have taken every measure to create an oasis both in and outside the house’s four walls.

A celebration of domestic pleasures, the well-equipped kitchen, which is complete with a large awning window that opens onto an outdoor breakfast bar, is the heart of the home. Avid cooks will delight in the Smeg cooktop and oven, deep farmhouse sink and concrete benchtops. The pantry comes stocked with more than just the basics. Open shelves are decorated with vintage homewares and there’s an enviable library of cookbooks overflowing under the mantle of a bricked-in fireplace.

When it comes to sleeping, three rooms are filled with kaleidoscopic linen-clad double beds. The considered-yet-mismatched approach to styling includes pieces from brands like Society of Wanderers, In Bed and Bed Threads, which make getting up in the morning a hard task.

A restored zinc soaking tub (which is rumoured to have once belonged to French royalty) sits proudly in the bathroom. But the rainfall shower and heated floors provide more modern amenities if you prefer. There’s also a washing machine and dryer tucked away in the corner for any beach holiday laundering needed.

At the rear of the house is the living room. Centred around a slow-combustion fireplace, a deep-seated linen lounge and sheepskin-adorned cane chairs provide the perfect place to read your book in the afternoon or relax into an evening.

Located where the country meets the coast, this rustic-chic stay might include a visit from a six-legged friend or two as most of the windows don’t have screens.

The house is a few minutes’ stroll (or ride on the complimentary bikes) into Pambula town. Flanked by national park and sweeping sandy beaches, this corner of the Sapphire Coast is a haven for seafood-lovers, hiking enthusiasts and anyone looking for a slightly slower pace of life.