Margaret and Christian Meyer moved to Orange from Leura in 1987 and set about designing a house to suit their family including daughters Courtney, Brinley, Jahne and Jodin.

Margaret eventually devised a design featuring two octagons made from three different types of stone and rock, linked by a passageway.

She worked with draftsman Charles Bayl to bring her daring vision to fruition.

Project manager Nick Jaspers helped coordinate the work alongside builder Greg Good and stonemason Stan Hare.

The family's sleeping quarters and family bathroom and laundry are nestled in one of the octagons, while the living area, including the kitchen, formal dining room, lounge room and games room are all housed in the second octagon.

The fact that the walls are 350 millimetres thick means sound doesn't travel from one area of the house to the next.

"It's so sound proof it means you can blast music at one end (of the property) and in the sleeping quarters you don't hear a thing," Margaret said.

The octagon design, and the fact that the house sits 911 metres above sea level, also means you can look out the windows and not see any other parts of the house.

"You just look out onto the views, including Mount Canobolas," Margaret said.

"We're a very relaxed family when people come, we just like to feed them and chat, we're not television people."

Margaret said the house was also designed to showcase the family's impressive collection of artworks, many of them by Margaret and her daughters.

"It's so peaceful here, everyone who comes here just wants to stay here, they don't want to leave," she said.

tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au

In fact you could be forgiven for thinking the house was built as a haven for the Standfords' sons, with a pool table, a table tennis table and a punching bag, sitting harmoniously among the dining table, lounge suites and the usual trappings of family life.

"We want everyone to feel comfortable here," Grant said.

"We didn't want people to feel like they couldn't touch things."

The doors throughout the house are cedar and were made by Raymac Cabinet and Joinery.

"We just liked the look and smell of them," Grant said.

Grant, who runs a tree-clearing business Austrim, also operates Australian Hardwood Furniture, and there are plenty of tables throughout the house showcasing his handy work.

Despite all of the indoor activities on offer, the Standfords insist they also like to enjoy quiet family time and can often be found sitting around one of the two combustion fireplaces, talking and playing cards.

"The television doesn't go on much and that's something we're instilled in the boys," he said.

The large country kitchen includes a collection of family curious and furniture, much of it from Grant and Jan-Maree's families' properties including an old cupboard that once housed tractor parts but now serves as a kitchen counter.

"We like the look of these things, and we like their history," Grant said.

"We think the older stuff just doesn't go out of style."

Grant said he'd encourage anyone who wants to build a house using corrugated iron to go for it.

"The main thing I'd encourage people to do it to make sure it's insulated properly to stop the drafts," he said.

tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au