We have had a treat, and it’s going to be a treat for Banksia Cottage guests as well. A guest, a decorator by profession, traded a couple of extra nights for paint. It seemed like a good deal to us – but only after the work was finished did we discover just how good!

I’ll need to do the photography properly, rather than just using my camera-phone, but here are a couple of teasers to give you the idea. First, Banksia’s master bedroom.

What follows was once a fairly nondescript wall in the hall.

The loft now has a lovely unity with the colours of the mud bricks.

I wish I were a photographer! – Our wonderful guest also re-imagined the idea of a bird feeder. And yes, the birds like this a lot more than a plate on a stick!

We had one last surprise: a little rock carving that apparently occupied the evenings!

If anybody in Melbourne needs a thoughtful and creative decorator, ask us and we’ll put you in touch with him!