Summer HQ An old holiday house is turned into a warm family home
A GOLD COAST COUPLE TRANSFORMS AN OLD BEACHSIDE HOLIDAY HOUSE INTO A WARM AND WELCOMING FAMILY HOME WITH SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Beach houses come in all shapes, sizes and colours, as Chris and Jess’ home on the Gold Coast proves. With its earthy neutral base, tribal-inspired decor and striking splashes of black, the home is as far away from cookie-cutter coastal style as you can get. But, while you won’t find lashings of blue and white, or nods to traditional nautical themes, you will discover that the home’s vibe is one of total relaxation. “Chris wanted a modern-looking home and we didn’t want a predictable beach house aesthetic,” explains Jess. “But we still wanted that ‘coastal’ feel.” After being drawn to the home in early 2017, for its spectacular beachside location and its great structure, the couple – parents to Asten, nine, Abbie, six, and Ayden, four – knew there were changes needed to liven up the property’s white interiors. “It was a holiday home for the previous owners, so it needed to be loved,” recalls Jess. With its expanses of blank walls, cavernous open spaces and simple kitchen, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom house was lacking in personality. So while the ink on their contract was still wet, the couple engaged interior designer Donna Guyler, with a contemporary coastal scheme and family functionality in mind. “We had worked with Donna on previous renovations and we were really excited to call her with a new project, even though, at the time, it was just for a few bits and pieces – carpet, paint, that sort of thing,” says Jess. However, as is often the case, the scope evolved rapidly. “We ended up changing every room in the house!” laughs Jess, whose wish list was headed by a butler’s pantry, extra wardrobe space for her and her husband, and more colour and character, by way of wallpaper and window treatments throughout the home. The kitchen – the first room to undergo a makeover – set the colour palette that would flow cohesively throughout the whole home, with a healthy dose of black in the way of cabinetry to add drama, plus plenty of natural textures and pale hues for softening. Elsewhere, playful personality takes a starring role in each room: some exotic wallpaper here, a splash of colourful tiles there. Storage is cleverly integrated everywhere, with customised joinery designed by Donna to accommodate every need of a busy and active family. On the top floor, Jess and Chris’ wish for extra wardrobe space was answered with lust-worthy his and her walk-in robes. Downstairs, the layout takes full advantage of sunny outdoor spaces, sea breezes, secluded privacy and shady comfort, allowing the children and the family’s dogs to roam inside and out. “Our lifestyle is very much outdoors focused, so we love how the doors open all the way out the back – they’re permanently open in summer!” says Jess.