Seaside escape A family has given a beach shack a new lease of life

AN UPCYCLED BEACH SHACK ON THE COAST PROVES TO BE THE PERFECT TONIC FOR A SURF-LOVING FAMILY CHASING LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE

Sitting on the balcony of the sublime multi-level beach home on a hill overlooking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast that she shares with her husband and daughter Jordy, Di describes her everyday morning routine. “I get up at 5am and stand on the deck with a coffee and watch the sunrise, the surfers, the whales and dolphins and wait for the world to wake up,” she says. It’s a blissful existence among soaring bunya pines in the sleepy enclave, and a world away from the busy life she and her family once shared among the hustle and bustle of Sydney. However, the simple life didn’t come without its challenges. Their designer abode is barely recognisable from the beach shack they bought five years ago. “Every time we used to drive past, we called it Old Mother Hubbard’s house because it looked the size of a shoebox compared to the large neighbouring family beach homes,” says Di. Rotting walls and sunken floors were layered in garish swathes of old paint, and years of leasing had taken their toll. “Somehow, despite all that, it radiated charm, screamed potential and we loved it the first time we saw it,” she says. “We knew we could create something we’d never want to leave and needed to basically reconfigure the existing house. Often we wondered whether it would have been easier to knock it down and start again fresh, but we really wanted to retain the character of the place.” A sprawling pandanus tree greets visitors at the front gate, which opens to a series of stone and spotted gum platforms that meander past the pool deck to the front door. Inside, a neutral palette is soothingly in tune with the ocean expanse beyond. “I didn’t want it to look like a showroom,” says Di. “I wanted sandy oak floors, white walls, grey tones, touches of blue in all shades for calmness, linens for texture and just a dash of black for contrast.” While she took complete creative control over the renovation, Di’s friend and interior designer Nina Caple, of Anchor & Belle, provided much-appreciated support along the way. “We share the same aesthetic and I could not have done it without her,”says Di. Recently, the family has begun enjoying the best of both worlds – relishing time at home during the school year, and jetting off on adventures in peak tourist season to let out their sanctuary to guests. “We are so content,” muses Di. “It’s a happy home and a fulfilling one. We are often sitting on the back deck, with a drink in hand, saying for the umpteenth time, ‘God, I love this house.’”

TIME OUT Homeowner Di spends time with labradoodle Bella by the pool at the once-humble home she shares with her husband and 12-year-old daughter. “It was the most basic of beach houses – reminiscent of long summers and sandy feet, rustic and carefree,” says Di (pictured). “We wanted to keep those feelings, but bring it into the 21st century.” Spotted gum now envelops the pool deck, a few steps down from the living area. An outdoor lounge from Cane-line (above), with freshly upholstered cushions, offers relaxation. Timber coffee tables from HK Living and a Satara ‘Bliss’ occasional chair play up the natural surrounds.

DINING ROOMA trio of Hermon HermonLighting spiral lights pulls focus on the dining zone between the kitchen and living space (below), while an eight-seat setting from Mark Tuckey, topped with a terrazzo planter and bowls from HelloTrader and Magnolia Lane, is set for a summertime crowd. Provence French Oak ‘Avignon’ engineered floors from Queensland Timber Flooring continue the pale wooden tones and a rug from Armadillo& Co delivers softness underfoot.