Amazing transformation: couple turn an old bus into a cellar door

Couple turn an old bus into an amazing cellar door

When winemaker Elise Cook and her husband Domenic were travelling Australia in their cute Kombi, they hit upon the idea of creating a tasting room on wheels.

Down The Rabbit Hole Wines eventually found a home in a 1974 vintage Leyland bus, which came all the way from Scotland to Australia 15 years ago.

"We went on a mission, to make him ours and then to drive him back to South Australia," Elise said.

"After a whole lot of TLC - he’s ready. We made a clear canvas enclosure for the top but in summer it will come off for an open rooftop zone."

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The couple's unique cellar door launched in August 2019, and is open six days a week from 11am to 6-6.30pm. They've also made a few additions since launch, including a coffee/cocktail hut and toilet block.

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Our little indoor / outdoor toilet block has been getting a bit of photo love over the last few weeks 😄 who would have thought... amazing what a beautiful cabinet can do for a bathroom. To answer the questions: We transformed these rattan @ozdesignfurniture cabinets into our vanities, and fitted them with @nood_co basins (one in blush, one in terracotta) and @highgrovebathrooms brass gooseneck taps. The tiles (straight over the concrete slab) are from @tilecloud and work so well with the heavy foot traffic. Our big round mirrors are from @zanui And the doors, we made and painted in our signature terracotta blush (you'll find pops of this colour everywhere here!) Big thanks to our family and friends who built and painted this toilet block with us in pouring rain, under tarps and with head torches at night 🙌🏼 turned out alright.

Down The Rabbit Hole wines also offers grazing boards created from fresh produce sourced from local organic farms.

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☺️✨ Date night on the top deck 🙌🏼 And finally - some before and afters of the upstairs of our vintage bus (Lennon). 👉🏼 The enclosure we made for the top unzips on both ends, rolls up on the sides, and in summer - the whole thing will comes off so it's an open rooftop (perfect for summer sunsets at @downtherabbitholewines 👌🏼- because yep, it's a PLACE now, still kinda can't believe it...) There's going to be some special times up here, I can feel it ☺️ Feels good.

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For more information visit the website at downtherabbitholewines.com.au or check them out on Instagram.

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Nicola Conville

Nicola Conville has worked as a lifestyle journalist and editor for twenty years across a wide range of print and online publications. As Home Beautiful's Digital Content Editor, she is passionate about discovering and sharing the latest styles, trends, hacks and celebrity homes.

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