I think we should buy it!” Louella Grattan-Smith remembers declaring to her husband, Tony. They had just heard that a sale had fallen through on the building she had been admiring for decades, the old Moss Vale Municipal Council Chambers, a Georgian commercial building constructed in 1890 – and it was up for grabs again. “Literally, I think this is one of the prettiest buildings in all of the Southern Highlands,” says Louella.

Louella, a GP and psychotherapist, has two great passions in life: medicine and design. A career spent helping patients, physically and mentally, inspired an exploration of modern wellness and Eastern philosophies, with a big focus on the power of meditation.

“I became very aware that how you exist in this world has an enormous effect on your physical wellbeing. I just love everything there is about what it means to be a human being. I’m fascinated by the philosophy, the psychology and the psychotherapy,” she explains.

But she also loves interiors, architecture and design. “I love the sense of beauty in architecture and interiors, so when I saw the house I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to run a retreat?’”

Walls painted Dulux Domino. The community dining table brings guests together for shared meals, conversation and activities. Paper shade pendant light, Hay. Sculptures by Harvey Shields and artwork by Kyle Murrell, both Defiance Gallery. ((Photography: Tom Ferguson ))

It was a grand plan for a hospitality novice, but Louella doubled down and compiled a vision of all the things she’d loved whenever she had stayed somewhere special. “I wanted to be inspired by beautiful surroundings. I wanted to feel that the people there were kind – like an old friend. I think when you go somewhere, what you really remember is how you felt at that place,” she says.

This vision formed the foundation of Moss Manor, a place where her values of community, generosity and beauty could thrive and be shared.

For the kind of deeply emotional architecture that would be required, she turned to Luke Moloney, who had designed Louella and Tony’s family home in the Southern Highlands. “Apart from being a lovely man, he’s a beautiful architect and I loved working with him on our house.”

“I knew I wanted something simple: a big glass box that we could sit in and look out over the beautiful, old cherry tree,” she says.

Luke Moloney’s dog, Miniature Schnauzer Lottie (or 2IC as Louella calls her), was a regular on site. Carrara marble benchtop. Chair, Lawsons. Chopping board, Dirty Janes Antique Emporium. ((Photography: Tom Ferguson ))

The job list was drawn up – Louella would tackle the interior design, and the original Georgian features would be restored. All eight bedrooms needed to be decorated in individual styles and marble ensuites installed, the kitchen needed a do-over, but the most important element would be the striking extension that would hold a generous group dining at one end and a cluster of lounges at the other.

“I wanted a sense of community. Guests have become friends here – they don’t know anyone at first, then they sit down for breakfast at this long table together,” she says.

At first, Louella considered stark white walls for the extension, but because the ambient brief was to bring a sense of peace, warmth and cosiness, she decided on walls of rich and moody Dulux Domino.

“I wanted the extension to be dark so it flows seamlessly from the Georgian style at the front to this modern extension at the back. It’s very beautifully constructed and sharp.”

The existing kitchen was never meant to work as a large commercial space, but Louella has really upped the ante. “It’s very high-functioning, efficient and well laid out. We’ve even had chef Stefano Manfredi come down and do a dinner for 22 people out of this kitchen,” she reveals.

But to her surprise, her favourite element in the kitchen is the Zip tap. “It has transformed our lives – we use it constantly.”

Because of the nature of the building, Louella leaned into an English country aesthetic for the rest of the interiors. “I got to mix and match patterns and fringing, but I also wanted the artwork to be modern so you have this sort of juxtaposition.

“If everything is in the same style, it can feel a bit like you’ve just walked into a furniture store,” she says, laughing.

Lottie makes herself at home. Curtains and valance in Campbell & Robertson fabric, and lamp bases, all Dirty Janes Antique Emporium. Artwork by David Collins, Defiance Gallery. ((Photography: Tom Ferguson ))

Walls painted Dulux Antique White U.S.A. Garage, purchased at garage sale. ‘Petra’ carpet in Damascus, Carpet Court. ((Photography: Tom Ferguson ))

The eight bedrooms each have their own style. The Ruby Suite is suspected to be the old vault of the municipal chambers. “We’ve laid black subway tiles up the walls and across the ceiling to create a cave with brass fittings,” says Louella.

The dramatic bath placement in the bedroom of The Sophia Suite was inspired by acclaimed Australian interior designer Michael Love. “Thirty-five years ago I remember seeing his apartment in a magazine with a Roman marble bath in a bedroom and I became obsessed – this was finally my opportunity!”

“This is one of Frank Gehry’s original ‘Wiggle’ chairs, which I absolutely love. It’s an artwork in itself,” says Louella. ((Photography: Tom Ferguson ))

But right now, she is very much present in the moment, focused on sharing this curated space and the values of community, generosity and beauty as a daily practice.

“If we could all sit back just for a moment and look at the beauty that surrounds us,” she says, “in the trees, the birds, in nature, we would all be a lot happier.”

Pendant light, Beacon Lighting. Bed linen, Bed Bath N’ Table. Armoire, Lawsons. Artwork by David Collins, Defiance Gallery. ((Photography: Tom Ferguson ))