Inside Pop and Scott’s Poppy Garbin’s warm and wonderful Margaret River cottage and studio

When Poppy Garbin’s retro 1995 Toyota Coaster, packed with her husband and their three young kids, rounded the driveway of their Margaret River home for the first time, the whole family was in tears.

It had been a long journey to get to the property — literally, and figuratively.

After two years in lockdown, the family had driven from Melbourne in their bus, a lengthy road trip made even longer when they were forced to stop in South Australia for more than a month because of border closures.

But for Garbin, the pull to return home to Western Australia had been tugging even before the COVID-19 pandemic put their lives on hold.

If you don’t know Garbin by name, you may know her sustainable furniture business, Pop and Scott, which she founded with husband Scott Gibson, or you may have lusted after her previous homes in interiors publications.

What began as a collaboration that sold vibrant, hand-painted pots soon grew into a thriving furniture and lighting company. Despite growing their team, and opening a showroom in Northcote in 2015, it’s mostly been Garbin and Gibson on the tools.

Now, more than 13 years later, Pop and Scott is solely online, with the couple consciously scaling down their output to keep the business more sustainable. Their popular dreamer couch is handcrafted from Australian wood — with a tree planted with each purchase through the Plant-a-Tree program — while their statement lighting is welded by Gibson, and lovingly woven by Garbin.

Despite Melbourne playing a huge role in their story and success, something was missing for Garbin.

The family moved from the hills to the bush and beach in search of the missing piece, but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that Garbin realised what it was.

“I never felt like I was home, and I didn’t realise that until COVID came, and was like ‘Oh my God, I need to get home’,” she says.

Her ultimate dream home was a specific lush green property in Wadandi Boodja — the Margaret River region. But like anything worth having, making it her own didn’t come easy.

Garbin loved everything about the online listing that revealed a sweeping oasis surrounded by marri trees — except its price. The couple were also carrying out a renovation on the Mornington Peninsula.

The South West home was never far from her mind, though. By the time they sold their Victorian home for more than expected during a housing boom, the Margaret River dream abode was under offer.

Yet something sparked Garbin to check the listing at 5am one day. It was up for sale again.

When she called the estate agent later in the day, the home was already under offer. The couple decided to put in a backup offer, just in case.

As fate would have it, the first sale fell through, and they were soon bundling the kids into the bus to make the trip across the Nullarbor.

“Once we got over (from Melbourne) and drove down our magical driveway, Scotty and the kids were all crying . . . it was one of the most amazing moments in our life, ” Garbin says.

The serendipitous experience didn’t stop there, either.

The property had been running as a wellness retreat, and Garbin’s sister was heading down to one the week after their purchase. Given they hadn’t actually seen the property in person, the videos she took came in handy. Garbin’s parents had also been friends with the original owners in the 1970s.

It’s not hard to see why Garbin was so drawn to the place they now call home. Nestled among the towering trees sit two buildings: a two-storey stone cottage, and a newer spacious building that had been used for the retreats, all surrounded by plush grass and established cottage gardens.

It was the character-filled cottage — a fully furnished space with high ceilings and natural light, rustic wooden floors, walls and features — that had caught Garbin’s eye and captured her heart.

She was right to trust her gut. The cottage and Margaret River immediately felt like home, and the community welcomed the family with open arms.

“It’s (Margaret River) so different from when I was a kid, but at the same time it’s not,” Garbin says.

“There’s a really strong, powerful energy in this place, being Wadandi women’s country. It still has this magic feeling from when I was a kid. Even though it’s changed, it still has that essence to it.”

Ahead of the big move, Garbin sold much of their furniture to excited buyers, only keeping pieces with sentimental meaning. She kept their couch — the second dreamer the couple ever made — as well as some art, rugs and a collection of their favourite homewares.

“I have a Wandjina (the Wandjina rainmaker and creator spirit is associated with the North West region of the Kimberley), a mama and a baby Wandjina, a beautiful artwork by Regina Karadada which my aunty Cathy — who was working up north nursing and caring for her — gave me for my birthday. I got it stretched and framed. I love it so much,” Garbin says.

An outdoor jarrah table that had seen better days was expertly sanded back and given a second life in their dining room. A sturdy sideboard bought by the original owners is another special piece.

Despite ripping most of it out, the kitchen remains the beating heart of the home. A new oven and stovetop are made good use of, while the dishes are washed in the laundry. Once the kitchen renovation is done, the upstairs bathroom is next on the list.

And while their beloved cottage only needed a few gentle flourishes, the second building on the property was another story.

Described by Garbin as government building-esque on the outside, and reminiscent of a gymnasium or basketball court inside, it didn’t quite flow with their warm and welcoming aesthetic.

With a few changes, though, they’ve transformed the cavernous space, starting by painting it black and building a jarrah pergola off one of the sides.

Inside, a wall has been added to make the interiors feel more intimate, while newly painted floors, a book nook, and some of their signature statement lighting have added personality.

Much to their delight, the low corrugated iron ceiling in the commercial kitchen concealed high jarrah ceilings, which they patched up and painted white. The space also features a mezzanine where guests can stay.

They’ve named the multi-use hub Brass Moon. It’s part studio for their business, part arena for fun — there are silks and a piano for the kids to play with. The space can also be hired for workshops, exhibitions and photo shoots.

Interior lovers will soon have a chance to get their own glimpse of the property during the upcoming Margaret River Open Studios: an annual event that will see 144 artists open their studio spaces this year.

Garbin is equal parts nervous and excited to showcase her studio to the public.

The nerves are mostly overridden by the desire to present new lamp designs and furniture pieces, and the couple would love to work on more bespoke pieces for WA customers. Garbin is also a long-time house nerd. A favourite pastime is having a nosy into people’s homes.

And then there is the opportunity to give guests the chance to make the winding drive on to the property — a journey that will forever feel magical for Garbin.

Brass Moon will be part of Margaret River Region Open Studios from September 7-22.