Client: John Singleton Group
Location: Mount White, NSW, Australia
Type: Event Venue Mt White
Credits
Client: John Singleton Group
Interiors: Michelle Leslie Studio
Architecture: White + Dickson Architects
Photography: Luke Shadbolt
When Condé Nast Traveller has named a restaurant one of the most beautiful in the world – twice – the owner knows the bar has been set very high. So it was for John Singleton, the owner of Saddles restaurant at Mt White, when he decided to transform a large garden nursery barn into a function, event and casual dining centre. It had to be slightly different from the restaurant, but just as beautiful and exacting.
John knew interior designer Michelle Leslie was up to the challenge. She designed Saddles restaurant and Pretty Beach House, as well as the interiors of several stunning homes on the Coast and internationally.
“The last thing we wanted was for it to look like a vast, soulless hotel ballroom. It had to have loads of character, relate to its rural environment and be stunningly beautiful at the same time.”
Like Saddles, The Stables continues a distinctly Australian rural feel, with a wrap-around veranda, aged timber exterior and grand barn doors. Inside, a sandstone fireplace anchors the space, surrounded by leather lounge chairs, velvet couches, quiet nooks and carved timber tables. Bountiful foliage, giant clam shells and considered lighting create the feeling of a lavish private homestead rather than a traditional function space.
Michelle’s vision was for a rich, welcoming interior where time-worn craftsmanship meets elegantly theatrical gestures. Gilded details, ambient lighting and sumptuous styling create a place of graceful poise, designed for togetherness and celebration. From weddings and family gatherings to corporate functions and musical events, The Stables is an effortlessly adaptable setting, with John Singleton’s extraordinary aviary of free-flying macaws just beyond, providing an unforgettable backdrop.
