Sticky beak: A slice of French farmhouse-chic in the Mid West

Back when we didn’t have to watch reruns of Getaway to get our exotic holiday fix, I hopped on a plane with my dad to visit his relatives in France. In his home town of Condom — yes, it means the same thing over there as it does here — we took a drive past the rolling countryside and castle ruins to his cousin’s farmhouse. The Bluff Point masterpiece brought to life by French-born Isabelle Greenfield is almost the mirror image of that home. Situated on a half-acre block with a view of the ocean, the two-storey structure draws influence from Ms Greenfield’s family farmhouse in Normandy. It was built in 1997 and features the high ceilings, delightful window shutters, plaster facade and decorative hardwood features which are common to the French family home. Geraldton windsurfer Hans Ambauen bought the place in 2016 and got to work on the property, which had fallen victim to the harsh climate. The garden, too, was overgrown and required significant landscaping. Hailing from Switzerland, Mr Ambauen was drawn to the farmhouse which so resembled his own childhood home. “It is very unique and I think these places make quite a bit of history in the future,” he said. European features like the arched kitchen pantry and recycled timber doors are offset by more artistic design choices, such as a shower cubicle which appears to be made from an old water tank. One of the cosiest spots in the house is an upstairs nook which gives Mr Ambauen a view of the stunning Mid West landscape each morning. In the evening, guests can watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean from the balcony. No farmhouse would be complete without chooks, although Mr Ambauen said the pair were better at catching cockroaches than laying eggs these days. The retiree was under no illusion about how much work would be required to maintain the property, but Mr Ambauen said the house itself had fared well for its age. “It’s got a suspended concrete floor, it hasn’t got any major crack, so I would imagine structurally it is sound,” he said. “And this is always a worry when you have a place like this which hasn’t really been built anywhere else in Australia.” With DIY skills which would put even The Block host Scott Cam to shame, Mr Ambauen has put his mark on the property over the years with the help of his handyman brother. While most modifications fit the farmhouse brief, you could be forgiven for thinking others like the quirky letterbox made from his first windsurfing board would be better placed at a beach house or surf shack. But for Mr Ambauen, the ocean is where he feels most at home while he waits for the green light to visit his relatives overseas. “I want to spend as much time on the ocean as I possibly can,” he said.