I have just returned from a couple of days spent at my families property in a little place called Adelaide River. Going back there reminds me why I still live in Darwin, where just an hour from town you can escape to a whole different world, a place of such beauty that it inspires me to paint it, photograph it, sing about it… none of these things am I any good at so instead I snap a few photos and stare off into the distance trying to capture every scene in every direction and burn them into my memory. Even photos don’t do it justice – this place has too much natural beauty to even take in with your eyes.

Yesterday i stood against a fence, glass of sav in hand gazing out over the cattle yards, grey with spots of  all rusted red and orange tin against a muted yellow grass backdrop with bursts of fresh green paddocks of grass and then further back the deep jungle green of the natural spring and jungle behind it. Twisted old mango trees from an orchard long lost with old high up branches blackened by years of surviving the wild fires that spread through every dry season.

As i stood there the sky turned from orange to soft lilac purple and the flock of peacocks came wandering by to add to the already unbelievable colours with their feathers of teal, lime green and gold. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any prettier the sky sharply turned to blazing pink with long strips of iridescent blueish purple streaked across it as the last of the sun reached through the trees over the hill before the dark blue set in and the stars started popping out.

I have always liked ranch style homes since i saw Ralph Laurens ranch home in Colorado, it appeals to me for its mix of typical country elements such as timber and leather blended with traditional  Mexican textiles and native American Indian pieces.

Redefining the ranch is an article I’ve come across while researching rancher style and is an interesting read about a woman who fell in love with an unusual ranch style house as a young woman, and then went back years later and married the owner of it. crafty?!

History of the Ranch Style

Although Ranch Style homes are traditionally one-story, Raised Ranch and Split-Level Ranch homes have several levels of living space. Contemporary Ranch Style homes are often accented with details borrowed from Mediterranean or Colonial styles. The earth-hugging Prairie Style houses pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright and the informal Bungalow styles of the early 20th century paved the way for the popular Ranch Style.

So what constitutes “Rancher style”exactly ? you need timber, lots of timber and with ideally timber ceilings or exposed timber beams for best effect. A stone feature wall or fireplace adds to the warmth that this style is famous for and lots of different textures which can be added by using rugs (cowhides work well), leather, wool, thick throw rugs and the use of different patterns. Lighting needs to be soft and I recommend at least one feature piece of lighting to really make a statement- this can be done using a bold pendant,  a pair of table lamps or even a striking floor lamp, just try to achieve different levels of lighting and show off some of your own personal items to add character and uniqueness to the space.