holiday AT HOME

SUN, SURF AND SKATEBOARDING – THE FUN NEVER STOPS AT THIS FRESH FAMILY HOME BY THE BEACH ON THE GOLD COAST

With three children aged seven and younger, Aaron and Sarah don’t get a lot of downtime. Luckily for them, the beautiful home they have created for their energetic little family on the Gold Coast is filled with spaces that invite fun, play, love and sunshine. When Aaron finally finished building their homemade skateboard ramp that takes pride of place in the backyard, his seven-year-old son Braxton gave his father a memory that would last a lifetime. “He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face,” says Aaron. “He said ‘this is so cool Dad.’” The couple’s daughters Frankie, four, and Chili, one, can also be found rolling up and down on skateboards on their tummies when they’re not too busy in their nearby cubby.

But the home didn’t always say family bliss. When the couple bought the 1960s red brick house in its original condition 12 years ago, it was in desperate need of love. “It was absolutely terrible,” says Aaron. “It was full of asbestos but the location was really good.” With a clear vision, they bought the home, positioned on a quiet stretch along the Gold Coast a street back from the beach, with the intention of renovating, selling and moving on.

Things didn’t quite go according to plan. “We really fell in love with the location and realised it was a good home that suited us,” says Aaron. “We love the beach and we were looking at starting a family, so we thought we’d change focus and do it how we wanted it to be. We just wanted to build a beautiful home.”

The house was completely gutted and a 120-square-metre extension added to the back of the super-large block. A block wall was built around the perimeter to maximise space and privacy, and a pool installed to extend the long summer days. “We are such water people and the kids and us live between the beach and our pool all summer round,” says Sarah. Keeping the home open and relaxed to create a seamless transition between beach and home was another priority. “We’re a real surfing family,” says Aaron. “I grew up surfing and Brax loves surfing too; he’s a real little goer.”

An admirer of beautifully made homewares, Sarah runs her own children’s decor business, Bubbles Lane, from home (the couple converted a bedroom into an office.) But by the time the weekend rolls around, she is ready to shut the door and welcome friends over to relax and enjoy the creature comforts of their inviting home. Not surprisingly, all the kids usually head straight to that skate ramp or pool while the grown-ups enjoy nibbles and beer on tap – a festive perk thanks to Aaron, who works at Balter Brewing Company – all in the custom-made conversation pit, which is Sarah’s favourite spot at home, the pool area a close runner-up. “We get amazing sunsets to the west in the late afternoon,” she says. Holiday vibe sorted.

KITCHEN Aaron and Sarah (pictured with Braxton, above) didn’t want their home’s hub to look like every other modern kitchen, so they made use of recycled timber from an old weathered shed on the Gold Coast hinterland that had been pulled down. “We loved the texture and colour of it,” says Aaron. Railway sleepers give added texture at the end of the bench and white open shelves, handmade by Aaron, replaced overhead cabinets. Flair pendant lights in Concrete from Beacon Lighting were placed at the back of the kitchen, rather than over the bench. “We like to do things differently and just wanted extra lighting over the cooking area,” he says. ‘Cafe’ bar stools from The Beach Furniture and Ice Snow benchtops from Caesarstone complete the look.

“WE WERE ALL ABOUT HIGH CEILINGS. WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE detail AND WORKMANSHIP” ~ AARON

“I CHOSE THE PINK TILES. IT WAS A bold decision, BUT A GOOD COLOUR FOR A BATHROOM” ~ AARON

SUMMER DAYS Whether gently swinging in a crocheted hanging chair – picked up in Bali from Bungalow Living – while the kids play on the skateboard ramp out back, or watching the sunset from the bench seat in their pool, homeowners Aaron and Sarah couldn’t be happier with the fun and family-oriented home they share on Queensland’s Gold Coast with their children, Braxton, seven, Frankie, four, and Chili, one. “In summer, we cannot get the kids out of the pool,” says Aaron who, with Sarah, spent 12 hands-on years renovating the home. Putting things in the too-hard basket is not in this couple’s nature. A homemade half pipe? Why not, too easy. Four different kinds of Moroccan tiles by Jatana Interiors painstakingly laid by Aaron in the pool? Absolutely. >

LIVING ROOM Blending a coastal Palm Springs look with a Cape Town house they fell in love with, Aaron and Sarah couldn’t be happier with their home’s aesthetic. The ceilings are lined with Axon 133mm smooth Scyon cladding from James Hardie, while a soft colour palette of pink and white was adopted for a calming effect. “We didn’t want anything too bold and out there and crazy – our life is like that already!” says Aaron with a laugh. The family loves kicking back on the sofa (for similar, Mark Tuckey ‘Box’ sofa), which is teamed with a jute rug from Pillow Talk. The ‘Cleo’ rattan occasional chair by Hello Trader and side table (try ‘Ayana’ stool in Natural by Hello Trader) add another textural element to the room, along with the corner armchair by Trader Trove. >

ENSUITE Aaron selected the matt ‘Fluor’ pink wall tiles in the ensuite to complement the white wall tiles, both 100mm x 100mm, and Carrara marble ‘Fish Scale’ floor tiles, all Tile Trends. “I see it as just another colour and we wanted that difference,” he says. Combined with the ‘Oasis’ bath in Snow White by Concrete Nation, a chic brushed brass Elysian mixer and spout by ABI Interiors, and a ‘Cape Palm’ print by Boho Art Styling, the ensuite is all style.

MAIN BEDROOM The custom French windows by Designer Timber Doors are thrown open in Aaron and Sarah’s peaceful bedroom (above), which overlooks the front courtyard. “It’s really calm and relaxed, which is just what you want your bedroom to be,” says Aaron. “From where it’s come from, the old asbestos bedroom, to where it is now, we love it.” The Dune bedhead and bedside tables from Hello Trader enhance the coastal feel, with Juju fringe ‘Darcy’ cushions from Langdon Ltd, a White Vienna quilt from Bungalow Living Bali, a throw from Pineapple Traders and ‘Desert Sun’ print by Seascape Living adding luxe comfort.

COURTYARD Morning sun pours into the front courtyard (below left), where Aaron and Sarah sip on coffees while leaning up against the Himalayan sandstone wall as the kids play in the sandpit under their shady pandanus tree.

ENSUITE Unable to find a bathroom vanity they were happy with, Aaron and Sarah decided to convert an ‘Aruna’ sideboard by Tailored Space Interiors (below right) into one instead. A stone benchtop and ‘Halo’ basin in Dusty Pink from Concrete Nation were added to complement the bath, with handblown glass lights from Soktas Lighting adding a bespoke touch. >