Embracing Modern Country Interior Design (and a Quieter Lifestyle)

Tinkering with the idea of escaping the rat race? Wanting to rock modern country interior design in a brand new home? Today I’m showing you how to make a move to a regional area happen – along with some phenomenal design you can adopt once you move there, of course!

Country living is on the rise, decorating junkies. And you know I’m going to head in that direction eventually. While I might be a city slicker right now, you know I have grand plans to run a homeware store in a regional town in my twilight years. Every rural community needs a good honest country gay that everyone knows and loves. And that guy is going to be me. With glasses. And an apron. And probably definitely a pencil behind my ear.

Turns out a lot of people are beating me to the move, actually. And there are many reasons why a relocation to a slower way of life is so appealing. We’ll get to those in today’s post. And I’ll also show you how easy and affordable a move like this can be.

But before we get into that, let’s take a look at what’s inspiring me to escape from the city the most: this modern country interior design vibe from my friends at Metricon. Their Davenport display home in Warragul is simply stunning, and the design inside is a gorgeous blend of a few styles you know and love. So let’s take a closer look and get inspired.

Modern Country Blends a Few of your Fave Styles

Moving to a regional area means embracing the local design vibe. So let’s explore what you can achieve at your place once you relocate (because if anything is going to twist my arm and make me move, it’s a stunning interior!).

The clever cookies at Metricon are always evolving their display homes and the design styles within them. It’s one of the many reasons I love working with them as a presenter. Every time I walk into one of their homes I’m overwhelmed in the best way possible. There’s always something new to explore and I’m always stealing ideas I can roll out in the homes of my own design clients.

I hosted an event recently in the display home you see in this post and it’s the best interpretation of modern country interior design I’ve seen in a long time. What makes it so amazing is that it blends the best of provincial living, gives a nod to the Hamptons, injects a little classic country style, and also mixes in a touch of Colonial design.

The result, as you can see, is breathtaking. Every room feels warm and welcoming. Every space feels rustic and yet refined. And all of the rooms feel casual and relaxed but still ooze sophisticated. It’s an effortless feel and yet so many design considerations have been made here. I truly want to pack my bags now and head to this home to stay.

The panelled ceiling above is truly divine. The way the kitchen, dining and living zone all connect is genius. And the flow into the outdoor area is also pretty spectacular. What’s not to love?

“What makes this look so amazing is that it blends the best of provincial living, gives a nod to the Hamptons, injects a little classic country style, and also mixes in a touch of Colonial design”.

It’s Not Just Design Making People Relocate

There’s a huge demand of late for people moving to regional areas, and I got the inside scoop on why this is at a recent event I hosted for Metricon. An entire panel of experts were on deck to give attendees insight into why escaping the city was a wise idea. And we came at the issue from every angle.

We had Nerida Conisbee, Chief Economist for realestate.com.au giving us a look at property market stats in regional areas. Mark Attard from Finance path took us through the benefits from an investment point of view. Dean Ipavis from ABC’s Escape from the City was there to tell us about his own move to a rural area. And then Metricon’s Regional Manager Jeff Telford took us through the myriad reasons people were flocking in droves to Metricon for help to buy and build in regional Victoria.

Other Reasons People are Escaping the City Include:

• Having more land to enjoy with the family
• Escaping the hustle and bustle of the rat race
• Wanting to feel like part of the community in a regional area
• Being able to secure a brand new home on a cheaper block of land
• Enjoying the market growth in regional areas like Geelong
• Doubling the first home owner’s grant (more on that here)

So it turns out it’s not just the phenomenal modern country interior design you see here that has people wanting to go rural. Though if you ask me, being able to secure a home as gorgeous as this one definitely tops the list.

“So it turns out it’s not just phenomenal interior design that has people wanting to go rural. Though if you ask me, being able to secure a home as gorgeous as this one definitely tops the list”.

Relocating to a Regional Area Proving a Safe Bet

What was most fascinating about the event was hearing about the growth some regional areas were enjoying, even when the market was in a slump. Over the last three years for example, though the market has been less that wonderful, Geelong still enjoyed growth of over 25%. Ballarat enjoyed 19% growth. And Melbourne West over 20%. This is compared to somewhere like the Melbourne Inner East which had growth of -8.7%.

Regional Victoria was also favoured in this year’s federal budget, with the Geelong to Melbourne fast rail in the works. Considering commuting to work is a huge concern for people relocating to a regional area, this is great news. I’ll need that fast rail when my homewares store is closed on a Monday and I want to come to the city to shop for clothes (as you do!).

Comparing what you get for your Dollars, City versus Regional:

Of course, you get a lot more bang for your buck when you move to a regional area. The stunning modern country interior design you see here isn’t going to fit into your city pad, let’s face it.

For $1.6M you can get a two bedroom, one bathroom weatherboard cottage in Albert Park.

Or for less than $500K, you can get a double storey, freestanding Metricon home with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage, all with land in Corinella. Sadly the dreamy furniture and decor doesn’t come with, but you get the idea right?

What Would Make you Escape from the City?

I am going to make this modern country interior design dream happen, I promise you. I just need a few more years to get it off the ground. I’ll have a city pad, a country home, and I’ll jump between the two.

What would make you move to a regional area? Would love to hear from you in the comments below. Is it something you’re considering?

To find your dream regional home with Metricon, click here and explore their map.