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Neale Whitaker on the art of living well
We hear a lot these days about wellness, but not so much about living well. And there’s a difference. Wellness tends to focus on things like health, nutrition, diet and exercise, but living well? Maybe it means something different to each of us, but to me it means finding joy in the moment, and sometimes through the simplest pleasures.
Home has never been more important. Pictured above is the Zaza Sofa, Zaza Armchair, Vertio Wall System and Cassia Ottoman.
Enjoy what is close to home
If there’s one lesson the pandemic taught us, it was to value what we had close to home. Time was when I would have been eagerly planning the next trip overseas and deciding which far-flung exotic location to tick off the bucket list. And then life changed. For David and me living on the NSW south coast, there were times when even a trip to Sydney was impossible and interstate travel, unthinkable. But we humans are an adaptable and resourceful bunch. Many of us chose to re-evaluate the pleasures we had on our doorsteps and - despite everything - live well.
Let me explain. I’m writing this in my home office at our country property near Berry. My desk at the window looks out over paddocks. Directly in my line of vision is a magnificent ghost gum that never fails to lift my spirits. I can tell the time of day by the way the light hits it. An early morning walk from our property into town will set me up perfectly for the day, and a short drive to the ocean at Shoalhaven Heads blows away not just cobwebs, but any trace of the blues. And while it will indeed be fine to one day revisit the Amalfi Coast or the blue domes of Santorini, I challenge even a sundowner in Venice’s Piazza San Marco to come close to a glass of chilled rose, sipped whilst watching a summer sunset from our own verandah. Or a winter night in front of the fire, candles lit, whilst the August winds do their worst.
The Quay Ceramic Dining Table is paired with the Luna Outdoor Dining Chairs to create the ideal outdoor entertaining oasis.
Embrace the simple pleasures
It’s these simple pleasures David and I hope to recreate for visitors to the guest house we are currently building. We remember how we both felt when we first came to this region: the fragrant air, the stillness of night, a dawn chorus of kookaburras and whipbirds, the taste of meals served on an outdoor deck. These are the moments we want our guests to enjoy, but also the luxury and comfort that comes from classic design and well-considered furnishings. We’re fortunate in Australia to have beautifully designed and rigorously tested outdoor furniture that allows us to replicate our indoor aesthetic. And at our guest house as at our own home, there will be KING outdoor styles such as the Quay Dining Collection, the Zaza Outdoor Sofa and the curvaceous Luna Outdoor chairs, designed for KING by Charles Wilson. Yes it’s all about the magnificent country views, but if you can also enjoy them in style, why wouldn’t you?
Indoor-outdoor living is part of the Australian way of life. Featured above is the Zaza Outdoor Sofa, Luna Outdoor Chair and Oasis Outdoor Coffee Table.
Experiencing indoor-outdoor living
We are indeed blessed in Australia too with the perfect climate for indoor-outdoor living. Over the decade or so that I edited interior design magazines, I was privileged to see some of the most magnificent homes in this country and overseas. I truly believe Australian designers and architects have pioneered the concept of the outdoor room, and inspired their contemporaries around the world. Whether we live in a city apartment, a coastal beach house or a suburban terrace - and whether we live north, south, east or west of our continent - many of us have chosen to increase the footprint and liveability (trust me, it’s a word) of our homes through outdoor rooms that take design cues from their indoor counterparts.
The building blocks of an outdoor room are similar to those of an indoor living space. A good foundation like KING’s Avalon indoor-outdoor rug, a comfortable sofa (KING’s Zaza, Jasper and Delta all have outdoor models), generous low table (cue Monument side and coffee tables) and - if space permits - additional outdoor armchairs and an outdoor dining setting for lazy lunches and dinners beneath the stars. Lamps (or at the very least, hurricane lamps and candles) and outdoor heaters will allow year-round use of your outdoor space and create all the ambience you need when the sun sets. Oh, and far be it from me to divulge details, but let’s just say some of the outdoor rooms created by contestants on the new season of The Block take outdoor living to the next level. Be inspired.
Neale at his country property near Berry, NSW with the Luna Outdoor Chair.
The Australian way of life
And back to the idea of living well. We’re all familiar with the Scandinavian concept of hygge that was so popular several years ago. I was all for the candles, but somehow the mugs of hot chocolate, the roasted marshmallows and hand-knitted scarves missed the mark, at least for me. They never felt very Australian. But I’ve realised the things that make my heart sing - the pounding of surf on an empty beach, the smell of autumn woodsmoke, the call of a currawong - are perhaps the closest we get to hygge in Australia. Signs of a life lived well, simply - and outdoors.
