A bohemian couple who travelled around in a kombi Servisi van for two years before transforming their dream home without any renovation experience have built a cellar door in their backyard complete with a double decker bus tasting room.
Elise Cook, 28, and her husband Domenic Palumbo set off from South Australia on a ‘van life’ adventure in 2017, running their wine company while on the road.
When they returned they wanted to reconfigure an old green shed they had behind their home into a cellar door so that travellers to the McLaren Vale wine region could come and taste their precious pints.
A bohemian couple who travelled around in a kombi servisi van for two years before transforming their dream home without any renovation experience have built a cellar door in their backyard complete with a double decker bus tasting room
As an added challenge they purchased a 1974 vintage Scottish Leyland double decker and turned it into a boutique tasting room for guests
Without even checking out the interior, Elise and Domenic bought the house in March 2018 and unknowingly signed up to 24/7 hard labour for three months come September when they got the keys
'It snowballed pretty fast. Probably because we had no idea what we were doing, and not much of a budget so we were doing as much as we could ourselves (Dom's become a carpenter, a plumber, an electrician, a landscaper, and a diesel mechanic in the last few months).
'But we're pretty over the moon with the result. I LOVE this house now. And I love that we've created this together. We've done something I never imagined we'd be capable of.'
BEFORE: This is what the South Australia-based home looked like when they first purchased the property
AFTER: And now it has a wrap around deck and a fabulous garden
OUTDOOR DECK
'The back deck is my favourite zone of the house,' Elise said.
'It has such an inviting, calming feel about it, and I just love mornings sitting out on a rocking chair with my cuppa, listening to all the birds.
'We created boxes in the deck for the plants to grow, and I planted peachy pink Bougainvillea which I hope to train up to frame the pergola. It will add a great splash of colour to the whole zone.
'Our outdoor furniture on the big part of the back deck is from Australian brand Uniqwa Furniture. We first fell in love with the big daybed (originally thinking for our cellar door - but hey, I like it better here for us - and it's so comfy!) and had it on our mood board - and then after hours scrolling their website I was in love with the whole collection.
'Although we are South and they are based in Queensland, the women who we dealt with were amazing. The outdoor table is big enough for my big family, and is made from weathered, rustic teak - so much character!'
‹ Slide me ›
'The back deck is my favourite zone of the house,' Elise said of the incredible transformation
'In our bedroom we put in the wooden wall and slim shelf instead of getting a bedhead, pulled out the old built in wardrobe, had to level out the floor as there was a slight ramp into the room,' she said.
'Patching up the wall where the built in wardrobe used to be was very tedious, but we got there.'
The antique Indian mirror featured in their room is from Alabaster Traders and the pair know the couple who run the business.
'Karmin (who runs it with her husband) sourced incredible pieces from India and imports and restores them. This would have to be one of my favourite pieces in the house, it is so special,' Elise said.