The Adelaide

Overview

Retaining a sense of history proved vital in the renovation of this rundown train carriage in Hunter Valley wine country.

Milton Lever - Long Backplate

The classically crafted Milton Lever is inspired by the ornate styles of the Victorian era. Its elegantly curved silhouette offers expressive yet refined ornamentation, featuring an upturned lever profile. For renovators seeking to honour early 20th-century architecture, the Milton Lever is a fitting choice for Federation and Edwardian homes built between 1840-1915.

See product

Cocooned in a bracing layer of pink-toned tongue-and-groove panelling, The Adelaide had a former life as a train carriage before being transformed by the team at The Station into a holiday rental equipped to house up to eight guests.

“Our vision for The Adelaide was deeply personal,” say the owners. “Dedicated to our daughter Addie, we imagined a carriage with feminine flair—a perfect girl-gang getaway—with tasteful, subtle nods of pink throughout.” They also needed it to stay in-keeping with the four other train carriages they have transformed on their 25-acre property in New South Wales tourist-haven Pokolbin. “It was important that The Adelaide spoke to our other trains,” they continue, “blending seamlessly with their balance of traditional charm and modern comfort.”

The Adelaide proved itself to be a challenging project from the outset. “It was one of the most dilapidated and previously unusable carriages on the property,” they say. “It also became our first train to feature an extension, allowing for a larger living space where guests can gather and truly unwind.”

The style of the property is rural-chic, with Thonet-style chairs encircling a wooden dining table; and Belfast sink, marble-topped island and traditional pull handles in the kitchen. Warm, textured linen dress the beds. The team chose TradCo to help support their heritage vision for the getaway. “Our Antique Brass TradCo selections worked beautifully alongside the natural textures already present, including original timber panelling and doors, as well as our high-quality linen bedding,” say the owners. “We also spent countless hours restoring the vintage French doors that lead from the living room extension to the outdoor area, so finishing them with TradCo Antique Brass Milton Lever handles made perfect sense.”

They opted to use TradCo throughout the project. “TradCo products were the obvious choice,” they note. “It’s the little details, like the Antique Brass light switches, electrical sockets, and hardware throughout, that have helped preserve a sense of timelessness and quiet luxury. The Adelaide simply wouldn’t be the same with basic white, plastic fittings.”

Doors, in particular, boast TradCo hardware, with choices that include the Milton Lever on Long Backplate, Offset Pull Handle and Panic Bolt. In line with the history of the carriage as part of a working train, TradCo Luggage Racks were installed above the beds, a design choice that both saves space and honours the carriage’s story.

But the team at The Station aren’t stopping there. “Since completing The Adelaide and moving onto the final touches of The Station Masters, which is the original homestead on the property, we’ve continued to choose TradCo’s stunning aged brass hardware,” they say. “Truly, nothing else we’ve used in our many years of building and renovating comes close.”