The Gypsy Saddler Tenterfield Renovation

In March 2021 my first big renovation project started on an incredible heritage building in the historical town of Tenterfield, which is a 2.5 to 3-hour drive from Byron Bay. Tenterfield is a very historical town for many reasons including being the ‘Birthplace of the Nation’ with Australian Federation being establishment of Australia as a nation in 1901. As well as Banjo Patterson famously marrying his wife from Tenterfield who wrote ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘I Still Call Australia Home’ and of course the incredible   Peter Allen song  ‘Tenterfield Saddler’ written and recorded by Peter Allen about his Grandfathers Saddlery which is located across the road from the building I have been working on. 

‘The Birthplace of the Nation’. It was in the town, in 1889, that Henry Parkes delivered a crucial speech about the need for Australian Federation which led to the establishment of Australia as a nation in 1901.

The building is steeped in history, being made in 1910, it has had many tenants over the years from being a wine cellar in the 1940s to being a school uniform shop to an artist residence and art studio. The building has two shops at the front and a one-bedroom flat at the back, which I renovated and styled myself creating The Gypsy Saddler airbnb. 

I renovated this myself over 3 months and filmed the process on my instagram. 

I was inspired by the incredible burnt tones and dry picturesque landscape of the Australian bush around Tenterfield and the rich history of the town (which you can read about here: https://www.visittenterfield.com.au

Here was my original colour moodboard, I created my own paint colours in Bunnings by uploading photos I had taken of Tenterfield and pulled the colours off the image. I then used this to inspire the mood and feel of the space. 

I filled the space with vintage treasures which I searched high and low for and created a really unique country bohemian feel.