Seamless blend of old and new

Forget white-washed walls and coastal cool, this mid-century modern-inspired renovation pulls you in like a warm embrace, writes Lisa Hughes

AS soon as you enter this reinvented 1980s home, tucked away at the end of a quiet cul de sac in Broadbeach Waters, it is clear that it is no ordinary Gold Coast property. The owner, Sarah Andrews, has taken the aesthetics of a 1960s-era family home and elevated them to a level that is on par with a luxury hotel or private members’ club, such as London’s Soho House. The result is a mid-century modern masterpiece.

The line between old and new has been so expertly blurred that it is often difficult to differentiate between the two.

The raked cedar ceilings in pristine condition, for example, are all original, yet the matching timber veneer kitchen has been newly built. The dining table is antique as is the sideboard record player, yet the settees are from Coco Republic.

Old or new, the overall effect is that anyone who enters this property feels in an instant, welcome, warm – at home.

The secret to such a successful renovation is in the detail and Sarah’s passion for interior design and architecture is evident in her sophisticated colour choices and bespoke selection of light fittings, paint, tiles, tapware and soft furnishings.

“While the most simple details of a home can appear effortless, the irony is that they are often the most time-consuming and expensive to execute,” Sarah said.

As the sales and marketing director for developer Andrews Projects, a family business founded by her father Danny Andrews, Sarah has helped many people find their dream home over the years, but when it came to buying her own home, it wasn’t as easy.

Many properties that she looked at just didn’t feel right, but it Sarah said that is how she knew 15 Bal Harbour was the one.

“I had no pre-conceived idea of what I wanted, it was more just a feeling,” she said. “It was the first time I really felt that pull with a home.

“In terms of the renovation, I didn’t want to just paint everything white. It’s a brick house and so it was more about trying to make it the best version of itself and within that I found reference to that mid-century aesthetic,” she said.

It is not only the interiors of this home, however, that make you want to pull up a seat and stay a while.

Despite its understated street facade, the property fans out across a 1,098sq m point position block, one of only four on Bal Harbour, which provides access to more than 38m of water frontage including a stretch of sandy beach.

The home’s floor plan was designed to take advantage of the outlook and city skyline backdrop, with the bar, kitchen, dining and living areas all connecting to the alfresco spaces.

While Sarah has enjoyed her unique home for the past three years, she has now purchased another property, which she intends to renovate, albeit in a completely different style.

“I live on Instagram and Pinterest. It’s a genuine passion for me – real estate interiors and architecture – I live and breathe it,” she said. “I’m a creative person and I have a creative outlet here, whether it is designing a huge building, or a home – it’s fun.”