Indah Island - Hamptons Farmhouse

This boutique design team built their Hamptons dream home in rural Toodyay using framing made from TRUECORE® steel.

Each new wing of the home was built using framing made from TRUECORE® steel.

Design versatility
Overall construction time reduced
Straight and true to help deliver a beautiful finish
100% termite and borer proof
Project Goal
  • To add two new wings onto an existing 1860’s mud and brick farmhouse.
  • The structure needed to incorporate key Hamptons design elements such as high ceilings (5m to eaves, 6.6m to ridge) and wide spans (8 to 21m long).

Key Benefits Delivered

Design versatility

With the impressive strength-to-weight ratio of TRUECORE® steel, a true Hamptons design of very high ceilings and wide spans was possible.

Efficiency

Follow-on trades were able to complete their services more efficiently due to the pre-punched holes for electricians and plumbers. Since light gauge steel (LGS) framing made from TRUECORE® steel is straight and true, the plastering team was able to complete the dry-wall faster as no frame straightening was required.

Time savings

The couple estimated that by using framing made from TRUECORE® steel for the two new wings of the home, the building timeline was reduced by half (when compared to the alternative considered - which was a brick and timber build).

Flexibility

The frames made from TRUECORE® steel were able to work seamlessly with the original house that was built over 150 years ago from mud and bricks.

Won't catch or contribute to fire

The property is located in a rural area, so using materials such as TRUECORE® steel that won’t catch fire was very high on the priority list.

Project Information
Project

Hamptons Farmhouse

Location

Toodyay, WA

Client

Natalee and Mark Bowen, Indah Island

Designer and Builder
Steel Frame Fabricator
Principal Steel Product
Case Study

July 2020

100% Termite and borer proof

Frames made from TRUECORE® steel are termite and borer proof – another key priority.

Peace of mind

The property is located in a rural area, so using materials such as TRUECORE® steel that won’t catch fire was very high on the priority list.

Frames made from TRUECORE® steel are termite and borer proof – another key priority.

Project Details

Indah Island has recently completed renovating a stunning farmhouse in Toodyay – a rural township located an hour north-east of Perth. Indah Island specialises in the 'Hamptons Style' and was founded by Interior Designer and media personality Natalee Bowen. This project was a team effort with her husband Mark Bowen, who oversaw the construction of the build and managed all trades.

The original Toodyay farmhouse was built in the 1860s by Mark’s fifth-generation grandfather and has been in his family ever since. When the opportunity to purchase the property arose, Natalee and Mark jumped at the chance to keep it in the family. The initial plan was to fix up the original farmhouse and keep it as a weekender for their family. However, when it was revealed that parts of the original home were in derelict shape, they instead decided to salvage what they could of the original home and add on two new wings on either side. The project then expanded some more to become a showcase home for their design business.

“It really excited us to do what we wanted to without any restrictions.”

Natalee Bowen, Principal, Indah Island

As well as a place for the family to come together, the home will also be used to host events for clients and builders.

Each new wing of the home was built using framing made from TRUECORE® steel – a first for Indah Island for a project in their home state.

Outcomes

Toodyay Farmhouse is now complete and Natalee and Mark could not be happier with the results, or with the speed at which such a large-scale residential project was completed. “We are a turn-key company,” says Natalee, “and one of the things that our clients are always wanting is speed. They want to know the timeframe and they also want to know that the house is going to be really solid.”

Having now completed a build using framing made from TRUECORE® steel in WA, Natalee is pleased to be able to recommend this method to her clients. Says Natalee, “We’re already out there saying, “You need to look at this. You need to look at it being built with a steel frame”.

In addition to hosting many events in their newly completed property, Natalee and Mark will be spending 2020 digging into new projects for private clients, fulfilling various media commitments and also launching an online store for Indah Island. Says Natalee, “We’ve got a few balls in the air but it’s all heading in the same direction of educating and bringing the Hamptons style to Australia”.


The construction of Hamptons Farmhouse is now complete and we sat down with Natalee to discuss the benefits of using TRUECORE® steel for the build.

Sources
  • Natalee Bowen, Principal, Indah Island (NB)
  • Mark Bowen, Director, Indah Island (MB)

The content of this case study is based on statements made by the source/s listed above and is a reflection of their views and experience on this project. Same/similar results are not guaranteed for each user and outcomes may vary across projects.
TRUECORE® and COLORBOND® steel products were provided to Natalie and Mark as part of a commercial arrangement with BlueScope Steel Limited.