Just up the hill from the Beacon Hill Country Store sits Rebekah and Roger Bay’s historic family home in Hope. The Beacon Hill house was originally a humble cob cottage, constructed back in the 1840s. Since then it has seen a number of renovations as six generations of the family have made it their home.
Photos: Tess Jaine
Where is your home and who lives here?
Our home is in Hope. My husband Roger and I, and our youngest daughter Evangeline, live here along with our puppy Esther, our four chickens, our herd of yaks and our deer.
What four words would you use to describe your home?
Spacious, timeless, rustic and private.
What inspired this look?
I’ve always loved traditional homes but I have pretty eclectic taste, I like mixing styles, so as long as I love it, I add it. We live on a farm so it has to pass the ‘is this practical’ test. I don’t follow trends and I don’t change things often, so whatever I choose I know I’ll have to live with for a long time, so I choose carefully. I still have items I bought when I was 18 which I still love. Quality never goes out of style.
What’s your favourite spot in the house?
We all love the conservatory.
Where do you shop for homewares?
I love Richmond Antiques and Eclectic. I also shop a little too much in my own shop.
What piece would you never part with?
I’d never part with our historic family portraits, brought out from India with the Paton family in the 1860s.
What’s your decorating style?
I love quality and the natural world, so I adore natural materials. My decorating style is very influenced by this, I love stone, timber, linen, and earthy colour schemes. Nature definitely has a strong influence on my style choices. I am always drawn to things with a rustic edge and a bit of a story. I love antiques but they have to be practical.
What’s next on your interiors list?
We’re talking about creating an easy-care potager veggie garden with raised beds that are close to the house, so we can grow more of our own food.
Have you done any renovations?
Yes, the original part of our home was built in the 1840s so many renovations have been done over the years, there is always something we’re plodding away on. I don’t think we’ll ever be done.
When it comes to homeware, do you save or splurge?
I save, but if it comes down to a quality issue, I spend what it takes as quality always wins for me. I don’t change things often so poor quality really annoys me.
If money was no object what would you get for your home?
We’ve always dreamed of putting in a beautiful pool area.
Best money ever spent?
Building our conservatory, we love this space and use it all year, during the day and in the evenings. It’s a beautiful space to entertain in and we love the open fire in there. There’s something so lovely about sitting looking at a fire in the evenings. It’s a great way to unwind.
What should every home have?
A fireplace.
What do you love about the neighbourhood where you live?
I love the rural vibe, the space, the privacy, the views, the sunshine, the trees, the birds and that everywhere I look is green, and I love that it’s only five minutes to Richmond. It’s a great place to live.
Best memory in the house?
Having two of our children’s weddings on our property.
