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Design Styling Travel

Barefoot luxury: unwind at this boutique holiday home in Noosa

As the Queensland borders have re-opened, a summer getaway in the sunshine state seems like the perfect way to celebrate reaching the end of a tough year! For those looking for a relaxing coastal retreat, Noa by the Beach – a contemporary redesign of a 1980s beach house – is a gorgeous holiday home located right in the heart of Noosa’s Little Cove.

Homeowners, Debbie and Wes, wanted a family holiday home that is reminiscent of their childhood growing up on the beach and spending memorable days outdoors. Collaborating with local building designer Georgina Price and interior designer and stylist, Bindy Ward, they set about creating their ideal getaway. 

The design of Noa by the Beach was largely influenced by its stunning surrounding environment, as both Georgina and Bindy strongly believe that honouring location is a key part of creating a cohesive, harmonious home. This approach foregrounds the adjacent Noosa National Park and the nearby Little Cove Beach, and integrates the house into the beauty of its location.

The functionality of this holiday home was also carefully considered in the design process, boasting a fully equipped kitchen, spacious open plan living and dining with an indoor fireplace, a media room, a fully-equipped laundry, six thoughtfully designed bedrooms (sleeping twelve people in total), and four luxurious bathrooms. There is also air conditioning in all of the bedrooms and the media room.

Large windows, glass sliding doors, custom vertical battens, and skylights allow natural light to filter into the home, adding warmth to the sun-bleached colour palette that features shades of driftwood taupe, misty grey, and shell pink, punctuated by black. Earthy and textural material is used to soften the architecture of the home and draw focus to the leafy surrounds. 

This connection with nature is encapsulated through the expansive deck that flows from the main living area and looks out over the lush, tree-lined backdrop of Noosa National Park. The deck has a fully covered alfresco area with outdoor kitchen, sitting area, BBQ, and outdoor heating. Downstairs, the backyard features a pool (which can be heated upon request), trampoline, board racks and plenty of beach and pool toys for guests to make use of. 

Based in Singapore, Debbie and Wes wanted to create their dream beach house as a place for them and their young family to enjoy when back home in Australia, with it being rented out as a holiday home when they were abroad. With COVID-19 travel restrictions in place, Debbie and Wes have instead opened the house as full-time holiday accommodation for families and groups of friends to enjoy together. 

Debbie says: “We both felt we wanted an anchor for our kids to build a stronger connection with Australia and somewhere they could call home – that’s why we designed so many features of the property with our three young children and our extended family in mind.”

Located only 90 minutes north of Brisbane, Noosa is well-known as a luxury holiday destination, and Noa by the Beach is perfectly situated to take full advantage of its ever-evolving foodie and bar scene, featuring refreshments that are also inspired by the natural surroundings; from ocean fresh seafood to tropical cocktails.

It’s a place where you’ll find high-end fashion, and pop-up markets that shine a spotlight on local produce. Plus, Noosa’s hinterland and coastline are a veritable playground for outdoor enthusiasts; hiking, surfing, sailing, cycling, horse riding, island hopping, cruises, treetop adventures, and much more!

A 10-minute walk to Main Beach and Hastings Street (and Little Cove Beach only a short stroll away), Noa by the Beach is the perfect holiday accomodation for those wanting to unwind and relax in coastal luxury.

Photography: The Palm Co

For more information or to book

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Design House Tours Interviews Real Renos RENO ADDICT

Ballarat heritage terrace becomes moody boutique holiday abode

“I love contemporary design overlaid on a historical backdrop,” says retail designer David Cook-Doulton who, together with his partner Martin Shew, is responsible for the gorgeous overhaul of this grand 1880’s Victorian terrace recently, located in Ballarat. We just love its masculine, almost Gothic feel.

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Bedroom
Bathroom

The original home, called Lyon House, was a result of the goldrush boom; a time that, rather incredibly, saw the city rival Melbourne in size. “The 1890’s was the peak of Ballarat. It had lofty ambitions and as such, the city itself has incredibly grand buildings,” says David who was lured to the city a few years ago and has since turned several heritage buildings into premium accommodation establishments.

Lounge room
Lounge room
Bedroom
Bedroom

“Our business is focused on renovating beautiful historic buildings without the, for want of a better term, ‘old lady’ interiors,” says David. Polished concrete/aggregate flooring, slabs of honed Nero Marquina marble, matte charcoal tiles and ribbed glass are just some of the home’s sumptuous parts that come together to create a rather irresistible whole.

Kitchen
Kitchen and dining room
Kitchen and dining room

“The house has a really masculine feel to it but there’s a real mix of light and dark,” says David. While the moody bathrooms have very little natural light, the upstairs bedrooms and the backyard are flooded with it. “The rooms in particular have big windows that let a lot of light in. You get a sense of different zones – there’s light and shade to the house, rather than everything being super white like many modern interiors,” says David.

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Bedroom
Ensuite

And while the front of the home is steeped in history, the back extension is as modern as they come. A large kitchen and dining area, with bifold doors, overlooks a unique pool house; the structure was once home to a local blacksmith. “I love looking out to the pool house and all the shades of blue,” says David who explains that, when he purchased the home, one of the windows was intact while the other one had to be remade. “The amazing thing is that you can’t tell the old one from the new!”

Pool house
The pool house was once a Blacksmith shop
Pool house
Custom made benches sit next to the pool. “I wanted the seating to be quite art-like,” says David.

While currently closed due to Melbourne’s strict lockdown measures, the home is set to open as soon as they lift.

Front elevation
The front of the home

Book your stay

Photography: Myles Formby

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Architecture Design

Hotel interiors: A sneak peek of stunning new QT Perth

Impeccably dressed for those who appreciate the finer things, QT Perth is set to open its doors to guests this August and we can’t stop swooning over the sneak peeks of the interiors!

Merging industrial glamour with a contemporary, urban-cool aesthetic – to say the hotel has been meticulously designed is an understatement.

Longstanding QT guest room designer, Shelley Indyk has created wildly individual and thoughtfully designed guest rooms where you will find handmade ceramics by local craftspeople including Dale Frances.

The lavish suites offer a mix of rich tones and hues, rich jarrah timber, polished brass and striking sculptures by artist Patsy Payne. With dark stone bathrooms, signature QT gel beds and an opulent mini bar, QT’s guest rooms and publics spaces channel the history of excess from 1980s Perth with a wink to fashion and vintage.

Designer Nic Graham, part of QT’s core creative team, has reimagined what a hotel should be like – creating thoughtfully designed areas for locals and visitors to come together. The rooftop bar has spectacular views across the Swan River, Perth Hills and the Stadium, while the café on the ground level will be a perfect spot to grab a cup of coffee and a quick pow wow.

Showcasing the best of QT’s signature service and design, the bold 18-storey hotel boasts 184 guest rooms, a signature bar & grill restaurant concept, rooftop bar, café and seven conference rooms.

Luxuriously perched in the emerging trendy part of town, QT Perth is located on the doorstep of the Murray Street Mall and the city’s shopping hub, and only moments from the spectacular Bell Tower, Elizabeth Quay and the stunning Swan River.

QT Perth is now taking reservations from 1 August 2018.

For more hotel inspiration: Gourmet Traveller reveals 2018’s best Australian hotels

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Covet my coffee table House Tours Styling

Covet my coffee table: with stylist Lynda Gardener

“I actually salvaged my coffee table from an old day bed (yes, it was covered in old fabric and a mattress which I pulled off totally to reveal a low frame with hessian as the base)! It’s the perfect large coffee table and this is just half of it! Most of the things on it were sourced from my shop, Empire Vintage.

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I have two large wooden trays that I sourced via my shop (in Melbourne’s Albert Park) quite a few years ago and have a collection of old books piled on top (which I can source any time). On top of one of the piles of books is a collection of old vintage postcards just randomly placed.

On the other pile of books I have a yellow ruler that was found at a flea market. Next to the books is a tarnished silver tray and old goblets that I have collected over the years. The two metal peacocks were sourced from a flea market in Amsterdam.

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You are only seeing half the coffee table, as it’s a big one. On the other side there are interior magazines and coffee table books piled very high with a collection of butterflies in boxes I sourced at a market in Berlin.”

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Lynda Gardener and her dog Jack

Thank you lovely Lyn, for sharing this glimpse into your gorgeous home with us!

Coming soon on Interiors Addict: A look inside Lynda’s new Fitzroy boutique accommodation, The White Room, the little sister to her well known Daylesford accommodation The White House.

Check out all our other featured coffee tables.

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Travel

Interiors Addict on tour: Bells at Killcare

A couple of months ago, as life started to get a bit sleepless and stressful in the lead-up to our wedding, Damian and I headed to Bells at Killcare for an overnight getaway.

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It wasn’t our first visit so we knew to expect something gorgeous but it had gone up a few notches since our last stay and has now reached the very rare level of faultless (I’m one of those people who will always find something to whinge about, especially when something is pricey, and I’m a Pom after all).

Bells is couples-only and as weekend retreats from Sydney go, you can’t beat it. It’s less than an hour and half drive north of the CBD on the NSW central coast, which makes it absolutely possible to be there in time for dinner on Friday night, which we were. Because on top of everything that’s amazing about the accommodation, service and location, there’s also Manfredi at Bells, the on-site restaurant, which has retained its One Hat status since opening in 2008.

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There are no rooms at Bells, there are suites, cottage and villas. They’re all decorated in the same comfortable, classic, Hamptons style. Everything is top notch and good quality. No corners are cut. Instant coffee sachets? You must be joking. Their own blend bath salts with essential oils? Of course! I’m a big bath fan and let me tell you, this was the best bath I’ve ever been in!

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Interiors Addict Travel

1888 Hotel: Sydney’s newest boutique accommodation, designed for Instagram lovers

Sydney’s latest boutique hotel in the heart of Pyrmont, will be giving a particularly warm welcome to Instagram users in a smart marketing move.

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1888 was the year Kodak launched with a patent for its first box and roll cameras and the hotel will honour the evolution of photography by offering Instagram-friendly walking maps for the area, a revolving series of Instagram images in the Mac space at reception featuring photos taken by guests and a ‘selfie space’ for guests to pap themselves.

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Interiors Addict

A sense of nostalgia at boutique Melbourne hotel The Hatton

Although I love a fancy pants 5-star chain hotel as much as the next person, I’m also a sucker for good quality, unique, boutique accommodation, and The Hatton, in Melbourne’s South Yarra, is just that. I had the pleasure of staying in this historic Italianate mansion when I visited for Life Instyle last week.

exterior the hatton

First impressions were fantastic with this grand exterior, tucked away in a quiet residential street full of beautiful old houses. There’s a cosy welcome at the front desk/breakfast/lounge room, where coffee and continental breakfast is served each morning and included in the room price. It doesn’t feel like a hotel, more a grand, but not intimidating, and very charming, old home.