The White House Daylesford

About The White House Daylesford

A short drive west from Melbourne to a leafy street in Daylesford, lies a hidden abode that is The White House. Nestled behind wild hedges, passing through a latched gate, you get the feeling you're stepping in to a classic novel.

Formerly a miners cottage, The White House has been revamped in to a delicately balanced installation of vintage collectables that also doubles as a vacation rental for the design enthusiast. Surrounded by beautiful Spa Country, designed & styled by Interior Decorator - Lynda Gardener.

Behind The Brand

Your best pieces of advice for home / décor styling?

I would have to say, making sure from the moment you walk in the door of your home, your interior is consistent all the way through….  I always start with a very basic palette – keep it simple and dress the room with collections and personal items you love which will always make your home unique.

Choose a colour you love and commit to it through the entire space and spaces in your home.  At the moment it’s for me, naturals, neutrals, browns, raw, army greens -which I keep the flow continuing from one end of the house to the other.

I also love a collected piece or pieces to become a statement in each room…it could be lighting, a beautiful old table or collection of vases in one colour etc, which then becomes the feature!

What was the spark for your brand? Where did the story begin?

For me it has all happened very organically…. I have just always worked in and on what I loved best and that was decorating, styling, collecting…all very visual.  I started from a very early age collecting at markets with my mother…. I naturally gravitated to one off vintage pieces of clothing to furniture and so on.  That hunt for the one-off finds is still with me to this day…. anywhere in the world, I will always travel and make my way to the nearest flea market.

I had always wanted to work in fashion in which I did with Levi Strauss when I was 18.  I started as a junior secretary and within a year created a role for myself sourcing all the vintage pieces and stock for all Levi Strauss concept stores around Australia. I styled and sourced for years in this role. I decided after 12 years to open my own store Empire Vintage and only closed it a few years ago after 24 years.  In the meantime, opened up 4 properties over the past 12 years.

The White House Daylesford, The Estate Trentham, The White Room Melbourne and The Apartment St Kilda all very successful bespoke accommodation which I styled decorated and designed and it doesn’t stop there – just opend TRENTHAM GENERAL, coffee, food, provisions, home goods, homewares in the heart of Trentham, around the corner from the Estate Trentham. A huge venture that sort of popped up in the first part of 2018, not something we had planned for years by any means.  And to add to this we will be opening our 5th property by the end of 2018, something very special for couples, in Daylesford again. A new look and style to add to the other four accommodations.

What inspires you creatively?

Pretty much all that is around me…. from leaves in autumn to cracked walls in old houses……for me the most unlikely of things – can bring instant creative ideas.

Most memorable place you’ve travelled?

There are way too many to choose one….one of my favourite cities is Amsterdam, feels like a second home to me….and one place that literally took my breath away was the first time I arrived into Venice, I literally gasped!

On a typical weekend we’ll find you?

In a cafe having a chat and breakfast/brunch with my partner Mark. Something we have always loved to do – oh and Sundays are always at a flea market at the crack of dawn!

A favorite quote?

“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different!” – Coco Chanel