Outdoor bath and savvy interior design provides unexpected luxury oasis in suburban Devonport
This thoughtfully-renovated 1901 weatherboard home – complete with a luxurious outdoor bathing pavilion – provides a relaxing oasis for guests and a great base for exploring Tassie’s North-West
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Fat raindrops were falling rhythmically on the glass ceiling above me as I slid my tired body into the warm and welcoming water of a pastel pink clawfoot bathtub. As steam rose into the cool night air and crispy autumn leaves gently drifted downwards from surrounding trees in the spacious and private garden, I couldn’t help but feel relaxed as the sky streaked orange and day turned into night.
I’ve been fortunate to stay at a number of properties over the years which have featured outdoor baths, and I always love the opportunity for some alfresco bathing, especially when there’s a stunning beach or bush view to be enjoyed while indulging in a leisurely soak.
Most have been at secluded properties, far from civilization. Think glamping retreats with rustic tubs nestled in nature. Mineral or wood-fired hot tubs overlooking orchards or farmland. Or maybe a bathtub perched high on a hill, overlooking a mountain range or a sweeping expanse of azure ocean.
So with those experiences planted firmly in my mind, I was surprised to find myself here, at Townhouse & Loft, indulging in such a fabulous bathing experience, in the backyard of a renovated two-bedroom home in suburban Devonport.
What sets this place apart is that it’s not just a simple bathtub plonked on a deck. It’s a full outdoor room experience – a cute white timber outbuilding which has been perfectly styled in hues of pastel pink and green to create a unique and luxe open-air bathing experience.
Townhouse & Loft owner Estella Mason says she and her partner Isaac Fergusson wanted to create “an immersive and transportive experience” for guests, but still wanted it to be practical enough to use in any weather conditions, which is how they came up with the idea of a greenhouse-style design – complete with a rustic door, a glass roof and square, rectangular, triangular and arched windows, reminiscent of a Play School episode – to allow for uncompromised stargazing, even when it’s raining.
It was certainly not what I was expecting to find in the middle of Devonport. But, as I quickly discovered, Townhouse & Loft is a property full of welcome surprises.
From the minute I walked through the front door of the white weatherboard home, with my husband and two kids in tow, I was in awe of how beautiful the home was. A significant amount of thought and effort has clearly gone into both the renovation – which is modern and innovative yet remains true to the era of the 1901-built home – and into the impeccable styling.
Bold colour choices – including pops of deep green in the master bedroom and rich blue hues in the second bedroom – have been paired beautifully with a simple white palette, which lets Mason’s eclectic mix of furniture and homewares shine – from luxe cushions, mirrors, lamps and light fittings right down to the finer details like towel hooks and tapware.
In fact it was hard to know what to look at first, or where to sit first, as there are so many interesting artefacts and comfy sitting nooks to explore throughout the home, along with a healthy selection of houseplants. Even after staying two nights at the property I was still finding new things to look at, and was left wondering how I hadn’t noticed them sooner.
Mason says she took inspiration from the features that were already in the home – like the arched doorways and curved lines – and had a vision that it could become “a spa-like sanctuary with a Moorish feel’’.
“We had been travelling around Europe the year before we purchased the property which became part of the inspiration to create a space we would want to stay in,’’ she explains.
“A lot of the vintage treasures we collected actually formed the basis for some of the design choices in the house.’’
Sun streams into the property and glass doors open into the large leafy backyard, where there’s not only a deck and the Instagrammable outdoor bathhouse, but also a separate loft (with a kitchenette and ensuite) that can accommodate two more guests if required.
Mason and Fergusson purchased the property in 2017, and spent two years of nights and weekends renovating it while both working full-time before renting the home to guests in 2019.
Mason has worked at Devonport homewares store Mr. Wolf for the past 11 years – and took over the business from her mother last year – and says the home has been a great way to showcase products that she loves.
The house is centrally located, only a short walk from Devonport’s CBD, and we discovered it’s a great city for families.
We spent a few hours wandering along the path that weaves around the foreshore, enjoying the fresh coastal air and making stops along the way at various parks, beaches and lookouts before enjoying old-fashioned ice-cream sundaes from the ice-cream van at Mersey Bluff playground.
We also enjoyed visiting the bluff’s striped red and white lighthouse and – at the insistence of my eight-year-old – we spent a couple of hours at Devonport’s fantastic aquatic centre.
Townhouse & Loft also provides a great base for exploring nearby towns – we all had a fabulous time browsing the aisles of Latrobe’s famous Reliquaire gift store, posing for photos with the giant penguin statue that the coastal town of Penguin is famous for, while the boys gave the Ulverstone skate park a big thumbs up and enjoyed playing on the dinosaur equipment at Fairway Park – which I fondly remember visiting as a child.
Returning to Townhouse & Loft to relax each night was a joy – it was cosy, comfortable and quiet.
In fact, my biggest evening dilemma was deciding which bathtub to enjoy first. Because, as well as the enticing outdoor bathing pavilion, this property’s master bathroom features a spectacular curved mosaic step-down bath, flanked by candles and ornate metal lanterns – reminiscent of something you might find in Morocco – which was also vying for my attention.
The author was a guest of Townhouse & Loft
MAKE A NOTE
Townhouse & Loft is located in Hiller St, Devonport.
The main house has two bedrooms, with the option of a loft at the rear of the property for additional accommodation.
It also has an outdoor bathing pavilion.
Prices start from $339 per night, minimum two-night stay.
Book on Airbnb or visit @townhouse_and_loft on Instagram
For more information about Mr. Wolf visit shopmrwolf.com
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