When Vanessa Cribb first decided she’d like a bolt hole for her creative endeavours tucked into her rainforest garden, she was imagining something a little less chic and far more rustic than the glimmering object she now has. Her architect, Angus Munro of Marc & Co, posed the question, “Don’t you want something a little better than that?” and things took off from there.

“I was really just thinking of a quiet retreat in the garden where I could do some painting or weaving or dying — a space to create that was a separate hideaway from the kids,” says the graphic designer-turned-stylist. Vanessa became entranced by beautiful images of extraordinary buildings, then had a serendipitous meeting with artist and stylist Caro Toledo. The two formed a new business, Indigo Jungle Interior Styling, offering their services in propping and creating wonderful interiors for photographic shoots and films.

“Caro and I wanted to do something creative together,”says Vanessa, “So then the shed became the Indigo Jungle shed.” An object in the landscape, Munro’s design is an oxymoron of sorts — receding into the dark forested slope, while simultaneously carving out a strong geometric presence. A contemporary rendition of the A-frame, its blackened sides have grouted patterns incised into the surface, recalling both the scribbled barks of the surrounding trees and the contours of the hillside.

“It has a simple relationship to nature,” says Munro. “The steeply pitched sides and large overhangs offer shade. It’s a down-to-earth sort of log cabin.” A low band of glazing along the bottom edge of the walls modulates the amount of light entering, mindful of computer screens and art objects that are light-sensitive. Glazing at the northern end also allows light to filter through the foliage, while on the southern side a large solid barn door pivots open to reveal the full space.

Beautifully crafted shelves line the walls and display the ever-moving treasures that are Indigo Jungle’s tricks of the trade, while the floor is covered with a shimmering expanse of mosaic tiles. A small ‘front’ door nestled into the forest slope at the side creates an intriguing entry sequence — after a meander along the forest path and the encounter of the imposing object, visitors turn to a discreet side path and enter through the doll’s house-like door, replete with a peep-hole vitrine to one side. It’s a nice ‘open sesame’ moment.