The Orchard of Pollarded plane trees outside the home that artist Georgie Careless shares with her husband Simon, a pilot, and their two children, Gabrielle, 17, and Elle, 12, is the first sign that is not your ordinary Clovelly home.

At thee date, a small sign warns 'Bizzare Chien' (crazy dog), referring to the lady of the manor's harmless toy poodle, Fifi L'Armour. On the concrete patio leading to the copper front door, a blue and white Portuguese painted title reads: Chacun a son gout (each to his own taste). They are fitting words for this home, where the couple's love of the exotic and whimsical has manifested itself in a mix of Moorish, Indian and Chinese decorative styles. Having previously lived on a Hunter Vallery farm, the pair had already drawn up plans for their dream house when they came across a run-down building divided into three flats in Clovelly. "It was spooky," George says. "We wanted a lot of house and less of a garden and found the proportions of this property were exactly as we had planned." Even more unusual, she says, the doorwars in thr house were in exactly the same position as those they had drawn up on the plans. "Even the ceilings proved to be a pleasant surprise," Simon adds. "We thought we had nine-foot ceilings proved but discovered they were actually false and hid another three feet." The home's front room is a nod to the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles and endeavours, Chinese-inspired floral decorative panels that have a tapestry-like appearance. An antique Czechoslovakian crystal chandelier hangs from the centre of the room, while in the corner bi-fold mirrors create a point of interest and give added depth. "We once counted as many as 22 aspects of the room reflected by all the mirrors. It's quite a simple space but there is always something to reflect on," Georgie says. In the adjoining library, above a French reproduction desk, hangs a stunning emerald green chandelier designed by Georgie. French antiwue linen tea towls that were made into pillows, and an Australian Army Light Horse Regiment helmet that belonged to Simon's grandfather, rest on a divan covered in zebra skin to complete the room's colonial feel.

A long, central hallway leads to an intricate Moorish double french door inlaid with mother of peral. The main room is hidden from the visitor until the last second and is dramatically revealed as an expansive light and airy space with a dining room and formal licing room.

Modelled on homes in Pompeii, the main room features a central stone fountain surrounded by six rosewood columns designed by Georgie and made in India.The columns combine Roman bases with Greek shafts and Rajput tops. Indian scalloped or tri-folded arched windows around the room build on the exotic theme. Reproductions of ancient stone urns and antique Indian archways sources from a friend who used to sell parts of Indian palaces sit along side Georgie's hand-painted mirrors of tiny birds perched on delicate branches.

"Space is such a luxury," Simon says. "We like the drama of the room. Nothing is fixed; it can all be moved around."

In one corner, alongside a couple if Merdici chairs, is the pair's prized possession: a 400-year-old Scottish seat with arms that lower to provide extra seating.

"We bought it for $2000 a year and a half ago but have sicne been offereed up to $15,000 for it," says Simon."It's deinitely a piece to be looked at, admires abnd appreciated, but not sat upon."

On the other side of the massive room is the dining area featuring a Phillipine colonial table with Phillippe Starck Louis Ghost chairs."I'm hoping to replace [the table] soon," Georgie says. "But it will be tough to part with it; it was one of the first furniture investments I made. bought when I was two years out of art school."

Tying the room together is a whimsical string of fairy lights that reflects off the highly polished white floors featuring more than eight layers of resin to soften the concrete.

The greatest compliment the couple has recieved about their home is from the guests who hadn't realised they had a kitchen. Althoughit is in full view of the main room, the spacious kitchen has walls and cupboards cleverly disguised in duck egg blue paint and Chinese inspried white silhouette frescoes. The effect is to cloak the kitchen in artwork, giving it a camouflage so the only giveaway is the sink. Back