Ever since norsu founders Nat Wheeler and Kristy Sadlier opened the doors to their very first norsu store, the dream of purchasing their very own norsu property was born. Customers would visit the store and enthuse about how much they loved the store and how being there made them feel so calm and ‘at home’. It birthed the idea of a place they could design themselves in which guests could stay and truly unwind, meanwhile immersing themselves in norsu’s famed Scandi-style products.
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Stay in a chic log cabin, Scandinavian style
01 July 2024
Nat’s real estate husband Dan (Wheeler, of Marshall White Armadale) shared the Macedon listing with them one evening and it was love at first sight for the business owners, who had first met in mothers’ group years before. After spontaneously making an offer moments after the initial inspection, by that evening it was secured, and the dream of making norsu short stay accommodation, soon to be the norsu Cabin, was about to become reality.
‘The uniqueness of this property really stood out to us, I mean, how many log cabins do you see in Australia?’, says Kristy.
‘We loved that it reminded us of a quaint retreat in the heart of Scandinavia - a nod to the ‘Scandi’ roots of our retail business, and the fact that it was located less than an hour's drive from Melbourne had us sold!’
The duo picked up the keys on a Monday and had the builders onsite the next day. They were already in reno-mode with Nat's home renovation taking place concurrently which was the perfect synergy, as they were able to piggyback off the stages and selections and knew exactly what needed to take place in what order. Being able to streamline this process helped enormously and in total the renovation took just four months to complete. Believed to have been built in the mid-1990s, the retro-inspired home featured a quirky A-frame design with timber log walls, pitched ceilings and landscaped gardens.
‘The biggest challenge we faced was the logs themselves,’ says Kristy.
Neither the external or internal log walls could be moved, so they were unable adjust the floorplan and needed to work within the home's existing footprint. The exterior was eventually painted black for a modern touch, while the existing logs inside were carefully sanded back by hand, before being treated to a lime wash to reveal a restful blonde timber.
The magic of the norsu Cabin is unmistakeable.
There’s enough room for up to eight people across the three bedrooms and there’s even a concrete bath overlooking the rows of silver birch trees in the gardens.
‘There are some homes that just have that 'feeling' that you can't quite explain - you need to experience it to understand - and this Cabin has it in spades!’ explains Kristy.
Not surprisingly, the Cabin has been in high demand since listing for short term rental, and Nat and Kristy’s families too enjoy the Macedon retreat.
‘We've had the pleasure of spending several precious weekends there with our families together so far,’ says Kristy. ‘Watching the kids make memories by exploring the gardens and toasting marshmallows while the adults enjoy great conversation by the fire over a cheese board and a nice bottle of red is what really puts a smile on our faces.’
The norsu Cabin features design and styling by norsu Design. The Cabin sleeps up to eight guests and is now available to book at norsucabin.com.au/book
