Our Journey. The Story Behind Gather & Co.

The story of our own hosting journey. The challenges, wins and everything in between.

We’re Brit & Michael

Hi there!

A family of three consisting of a woman, a man, and a young girl, standing together in front of a wooden barn door. The woman is smiling and holding the man's hand, while the man is holding the girl in his arms and looking down at her. The girl is resting her head on the man's shoulder, with a relaxed expression.

The husband and wife team behind Gather & Co.

Before Gather & Co, we each came from very different worlds. Brit spent years guiding tours for National Geographic, with a background in Business and Arts and a lifelong love of travel, design, and people.

Michael came from a background in fitness and business ownership, but soon found himself immersed in a completely new world of trades, building, and renovation. With a natural knack for problem-solving and getting things done, he’s now practically a fully qualified handyman.

“Spaces tell stories - we just help them find their voice.”

Where It All Began.

Our hosting journey started in 2021 with Ananda Eco House, a huge renovation project that we took on. We took on a massive risk, as the place needed a lot of TLC (the building and pest report describing the joists under the deck as like ‘weet-bix’), and neither of us had ever taken on a project like this before!

We replaced joists stumps and bearers, had to relevel the main living area, replacing cladding and painting practically the entire house inside and out.

We replaced the composting toliet, replaced doors, windows and the biggest one, over 250m² of decking connecting the entire house together.

Once stage one of the renovations were complete, we moved on to setting up the space and furnishing. We furnished the whole place on a budget, all while sticking to our eco principles along the way, buying second-hand, repurposing anything we could to reduce our overall impact.

Two people jumping in the air in front of a real estate sign, smiling. The sign advertises a secluded treehouse retreat for sale.
A wooden deck with potted plants, just outside a small house with two blue-trimmed windows and a glass door with purple curtains, surrounded by trees.
A small red building with a sign that says 'Yoga' on the front, surrounded by lush green trees and plants, with a walkway leading up to it.
A person cleaning a wooden deck beneath a large open-sided wooden pavilion with a corrugated metal roof, surrounded by wooden buildings with blue window frames, tropical plants, and trees.
Fallen tree and large leaves on the ground in a dense tropical jungle or forest.
Colorful living room with yellow walls, hardwood floors, a wood stove, leather sofas, a round dining table with a red tablecloth, and decorated with artwork and various knickknacks, including a star-shaped pillow and a bowl of snacks on a small table
Workers installing siding on a house exterior during construction, with ladders and construction tools on a wooden deck under a partly constructed roof.
A young man and woman stand together on a dirt path in a lush green forest, smiling. They have their arms around each other. The woman is wearing a yellow top and jeans, and the man is wearing a gray t-shirt and shorts. Sunlight filters through the t
Stacked cut wooden planks placed on the ground outside a house, with fallen tree branches and leaves nearby, and the house's foundation and support beams visible.
Colorful kitchen with a wooden countertop, yellow walls, and a variety of art and decorative items hanging on the walls. A hanging pot rack with pots and pans is above the stove, and there are yellow chairs around the counter. The room has a cozy, bo
A woman standing outdoors in a lush, tropical garden, smiling and holding a bunch of bananas and a large, purple banana flower.
Wooden deck with potted plants, a white bench, and a covered outdoor area with colorful fabric canopy, surrounded by lush tropical greenery.
Open-air outdoor living space with ceiling fan, large sectional sofa, ottomans, small side tables, surrounded by tropical greenery.
A house under construction in a tropical area, with a wooden structure, elevated on stilts, and surrounded by green trees. The site has construction posts and tools, with the ground excavated.
A large group of people, including children and adults, gathered outdoors for a celebration or family gathering on a wooden deck. String bunting decorations hang above, and lush greenery surrounds the area.
A dirt yard with a small plant being planted using a small tiller, in front of a wooden house with blue window frames, surrounded by lush green tropical plants and trees.
Under construction deck with wooden planks and framing, surrounded by trees and two finished wooden houses.

Our proudest addition was using the trees that we had to clear to create shelving and benches in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Every part of the process was a mix of hard work, problem-solving, and determination and it taught us more than we could have imagined about painting, renovating and rainforest living (aka spider catching!).

When we got to the point of listing the space, to be honest we just hoped a few people might enjoy our little creation as much as we did, but we never expected what came next. Ananda quickly became booked out within a few months, and continued to perform, averaging 98% occupancy over three years and connecting us with guests from all over the world. It far exceeded anything we imagined. We fell in love with sharing a place that we created for others, seeing people use it their own way (proposals, special birthdays, healing getaways and yoga retreats) and creating their own special memories that they would continue to take with them for the rest of their lives.

Checkout the result below…

An outdoor patio area with black chairs around a wooden table, surrounded by lush green tropical plants and a wooden house with warm lighting.
Living room with beige sofa, brown pillow, wooden framed window showing lush green foliage outside, and a floor lamp with exposed lightbulb.
A clawfoot bathtub with a textured beige towel draped over its side, situated next to a potted green plant on wooden flooring. There is a window with colorful stained glass and lush greenery outside, and a glass shower enclosure with tiled walls insi
Cozy bedroom with large windows showing lush green tropical foliage outside, warm lighting, a bed with beige pillows and white bedding, a basket of rolled towels, a rust-colored throw blanket, and a comfortable armchair with decorative pillows.
A cozy interior scene with a beige sofa and pillows next to a large window showing lush green jungle outside. A lamp with an exposed bulb and some books are on a small table beside the sofa.
Open double doors view into a cozy bedroom with a bed, pillows, and a blanket, surrounded by tropical plants outside the window.
A fireplace with burning logs and flames inside a black metal enclosure.
Open door leading to a cozy bedroom with large windows and lush greenery outside, decorated with wooden walls and plants.
Kitchen sink with a black bottle of hand soap labeled 'Glow Lab' next to the chrome faucet. There is a small potted succulent on the windowsill, and a mirror reflecting some plants. The countertop is dark wood, and a window with greenery outside is v

Our Second Project.

By the time we found Linden Rose Barn, we’d been searching for more than two and a half years, and to say we were particular is an understatement. We had a clear vision of what we wanted: a property with soul, a beautiful location, and unique, all while staying within budget. Not easy to find!

When we finally secured Linden Rose Barn, we jumped straight into what would become our most intense six weeks yet. It was a whirlwind of late nights and early mornings, adding bedrooms, recladding walls, building recycled brick features, renovating a full bathroom, completely reconfiguring the kitchen, painting ceilings, and furnishing every room from scratch.

A girl painting a section of a wooden wall with dark gray paint inside a wooden structure, sitting on the floor with paint supplies nearby.
Person wearing safety goggles, face mask, and black hoodie taking a selfie in a construction site or renovation area, holding a power sander with a ladder in the background.
Interior view of a spacious living room with high vaulted ceilings, large windows, and a loft area. The room has a mix of modern and rustic decor, including a large leather sofa, pink armchairs, a wooden dining table with chairs, a television, and wa
Interior view of a rustic kitchen with wooden and metal accents, a wooden dining table with four chairs, black cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, and a large window overlooking greenery.
A smiling man, woman, and young girl sitting at a table with a blue Paw Patrol plate and some food, inside a wooden and metal structure.
Open kitchen with black cabinets, wooden accents, staircase, and a loft area with railing, and a landscape painting on the wall.
Modern bathroom with double vanity sink, walk-in shower, and bathtub by large window showing a scenic landscape, dark tiled walls, and ceiling with white paneling and red trim.
Interior of a building under construction with a corrugated metal wall, a sliding glass door with a 'BE CAREFUL' sign, a blue ladder, and construction materials.
A person standing on a ladder cleaning or working on a large ceiling fan inside a tall, open living space with floor-to-ceiling windows and wooden interior walls.
Spacious living room with high vaulted ceiling, large windows, wood accents, contemporary furniture, and a view of the green backyard.
Interior view of a spacious, high-ceilinged living area with a second-floor balcony, wooden stairs, artwork, and large windows showing green foliage outside.

We poured ourselves into every detail, sanding, painting, styling, and sourcing sustainable materials wherever we could. It was exhausting, but deeply rewarding. Linden Rose felt different, more than just another stay. It became a space that carried our story forward, grounded in the same eco-conscious principles, but elevated with a new level of creativity and connection.

When it finally came together, we couldn’t believe what we’d built in such a short time. It was warm, layered, and full of heart, a true reflection of everything we’d learned from Ananda and beyond. Linden Rose Barn became our proudest creation yet, a space that feels alive, honest, and distinctly ours. It represents not just the next property, but the evolution of what Gather & Co stands for.

See how it all came together.

Living room with a beige sofa, a wooden dining table with chairs, a fireplace, and a wine rack on a wooden accent wall, with large windows and sliding glass door leading outside.
A dining room with a large wooden table surrounded by wooden chairs, set on a patterned rug. Large glass sliding doors and windows reveal an outdoor garden with green grass and plants. There is a large potted plant inside and a hanging plant near the
Interior of a modern house with a high vaulted ceiling, large windows, and a ceiling fan, featuring wood and metal accents.
Living room with a beige couch, throw blanket, armrest pillows, a wooden coffee table with open books, a wood-burning stove with a chimney, a large window showing outdoor scenery, and a wine rack on the wall.
A rustic kitchen corner with wooden paneling, a black cabinet, a white coffee machine, a toaster, a black cylindrical container, and a kettle. Open shelves hold glass jars with spices and ingredients, and a potted fern plant is in the foreground.
Multiple bottles of wine displayed horizontally on a dark wooden wine rack.
Living room with a wall-mounted television displaying a nature scene of a river and mountains, a wooden shelf beneath the TV, woven baskets on the floor, and a window with a potted plant nearby.
Wood-paneled wall with black hooks on a wooden board, a wooden bench, and a partially visible wooden barn-style door.
A black wood-burning stove with a glass door showing flames inside, set against a brick wall in a cozy interior.
A cozy bedroom with white bedding, a brick wall, white curtains, and a hanging vintage-style light fixture near a window.
A vintage cream-colored refrigerator with plants on top, seen through a doorway with wooden frames, in a rustic kitchen with wood and metal elements.
Bathroom with two round white vessel sinks, dual faucets, large rectangular mirrors, beige towels hanging between mirrors, and a soap dispenser on the countertop, with a window reflecting in the mirrors.

Thanks for reading our story!

We’d love to hear yours.

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