Tag: noosa

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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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Architecture Bathrooms Expert Tips Interviews

Bathroom ideas: Top 8 lessons from award-winning house

The home has a magnificent outdoor bathroom. Image: Jake Magnus
The home has a magnificent outdoor bathroom. Image: Jake Magnus

We’ve featured this fabulous Noosa home before but today we’re taking a more in-depth tour of its resort-style, award-winning bathrooms. “They have the vibe of a luxury hotel – I wanted each bathroom to be a place to unwind after a busy day,” says the home’s architect Sarah Waller.

The chic, monochrome spaces complement the home’s minimalist design while connecting seamlessly with the outdoors – the most notable is the master bathroom which is a covetable indoor/outdoor space.

The home has a magnificent outdoor bathroom. Image: Jake Magnus
The home’s dreamy outdoor bathroom. Image: Jake Magnus

We caught up with the architect recently to get the inside skinny on how to create a sanctuary style bathroom – here are Sarah’s top eight design tips.

Planning
As with anything related to designing and building a home, planning is key for wet areas. “Be thorough when planning your bathroom layout. It’s a small space so carefully consider lighting, ventilation, windows, the placement of fittings and the colour palette,” says Sarah.

Simple palette
“Keep the colour palette simple. Bathrooms are usually quite small, intense spaces and busy colours are too overwhelming on the eye and can create an unwelcoming space. Look to black and white to provide clean lines,” says Sarah.

With a whopping five bathrooms in this home, Sarah made them different but complementary. All of them boast black and white colour schemes that have a unifying effect overall.

Glasshouse

Storage
“Storage, storage and more storage. Everything should be hidden away in concealed storage for a clean line of vision,” says Sarah and we couldn’t agree more. From mirrored medicine cupboards to vanity drawers designed around plumbing, you can never have enough space to store toiletries and make-up.

Image: Photopia Studio
Image: Photopia Studio

Timeless (but not boring!) fixtures and fittings
“Choose classic styles for longevity. Select fittings that are classic in style and high in quality,” says Sarah who is wary of trends in the bathroom – especially when it comes to tiling. “When selecting bathroom tiles remember you have to live with them for the next ten years so be wary of trends. It’s not easy to retile a whole bathroom,” says Sarah.

Glasshouse
This shower features the Methven Aurajet Aio rail shower in matte black. Image: Michelle Clark

Create space
“The more floor space you have, the larger a bathroom will feel. Anything you can keep off the floor is a design win. Look to floating vanities, wall-hung toilets and concealed cupboards. Adding storage behind mirrored cabinets is ideal,” says Sarah echoing our sentiments above.

A wall hung vanity increases the feeling of space. Image: Paul Smith
A wall hung vanity increases the feeling of space in this bathroom. Image: Paul Smith

Heating
While our warm weather is envied across the globe, it can also get rather cold in Australia which is why you may like to consider bathroom heating. “Underfloor heating is amazing in bathrooms and takes the edge off walking on cold tiles,” says Sarah. Overhead heat lamps and heated towel rails are some other great options too.

Lighting
From task to mood and natural lighting, Sarah argues that lighting is key when it comes to creating a practical yet luxe bathroom sanctuary. “Lighting is important as we tend to use bathrooms at night. Make sure your space has mood lighting for enjoying a relaxing bath, as well as task lighting for doing things like your make-up. Windows are energy efficient and provide natural lighting throughout the day,” says Sarah.

Pendants provide mood lighting in the bathroom. Image: Jake Magnus
Pendants provide mood lighting in this bathroom. Image: Jake Magnus

 Accessories
“Matching accessories complete the look. Choose items such as towels, soap dispensers and decorative pieces that complement your colour palette. They will tie the whole look together.”

Glasshouse
The incredible home. Image: Paul Smith

For more on Methven | Australian bathroom trends: September 2019 edition

Categories
Art Interviews

Artist profile: The ethereal paintings of Michael Bond

Michael in front of his works
Michael in front of his works

“My work has been described by observers as dream-like and ethereal,” says self-taught abstract artist Michael Bond who paints in rich, signature style out of his studio in Noosa. Opulent in colour and with plenty of dramatic, dark hues, Michael is adept at building abstract textures and layers and his latest collection Eden is a celebration of flowers.

'Laila night born'
‘Laila night born’ by Michael Bond

“It’s sometimes hard to describe my own work, it’s abstract and gestural by nature, but more and more and particularly with the more recent work, there are elements that suggest something familiar like a bloom,” says Michael.

Michael in front of his works
Michael in front of his work

Michael’s signature painting style uses layered acrylic, oil, pastel and graphite and he works on both large and small scale pieces. “I work mostly with acrylic as the faster drying times suit the way I work – different mediums allow different effects to be achieved such as wiping back and building texture,” says Michael.

'Charlotte'
‘Charlotte’

Michael Bond
Michael Bond

A hairdresser by trade, Michael has never received any formal art training. “I trained as a hairdresser from the time I left school and that career spanned 30 or so years, though art was always there in the background. It was only a few years back that I was able to focus fully on my artwork and call myself a ‘full time’ artist,” says Michael whose works now feature in private collections throughout Australia and overseas. His work also featured on The Block recently, in Bianca and Carla’s living room.

Michael's work featured on The Block
Michael’s work featured on The Block

“Inspiration comes to me in so many forms, I can be inspired purely by a colour or something I see on a morning walk with the dogs. I have to say living where we do at the moment has given me the most inspiration – we’re fortunate enough to live by the ocean and I’m always amazed by how the surrounding landscape is always changing,” says Michael of his Noosa home.

'Sia'
‘Sia’

Photography: Emma Bourne

For more | Another Australian abstract artist

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Before & Afters Design Interviews Real Renos RENO ADDICT Styling

Before & after: From tired 1980’s to monochrome magic

AFTER kitchen
AFTER kitchen

Backing onto national park and located at Peregian beach, just south of Noosa, this home was originally built in 1982 and, while well-maintained, was in dire need of a refresh when renovation specialist Maria Baron from Black and White Projects bought it recently.

BEFORE front of the home
BEFORE front of the home

AFTER front of the home
AFTER front of the home

AFTER letter box
AFTER letter box

“When we purchased Parakeet Cottage, it was well loved and well looked after with incredible potential. The aspect means that the home has 180 degree western elevated views of Noosa national park. This is a view that will never be built out and location is everything,” says Maria of the home that is enviably located just a short stroll from the beach also.

BEFORE kitchen
BEFORE kitchen

AFTER kitchen
AFTER kitchen

AFTER kitchen
AFTER kitchen

AFTER breakfast bar
AFTER breakfast servery

AFTER deck
AFTER deck

Specialising in fast-paced renovations, this one took just five weeks to complete from demolition to styling and Maria describes the end aesthetic as having a modern coastal tribal vibe. “The vision was to refresh this property as a holiday home and give it a real personality. We wanted something bold and timeless so the modern coastal tribal vibe was the perfect direction. It reflects the beach location and has that relaxed feel that people seek when holidaying,” says Maria.

BEFORE lounge
BEFORE lounge

AFTER lounge
AFTER lounge

The home is fairly monochromatic with colour pops throughout. “Monochrome is our signature. It is timeless and versatile and can be easily updated from Modern French to Hamptons in the future,” says Maria. The black and white kitchen is one of the home’s standout spaces. “The 40mm Carrara marble look stone really sets the kitchen apart. We selected some lower matte black cabinetry to ground the kitchen and white upper cabinets. To smooth the transition between upper and lower cabinets we chose a classic white subway splashback with black grout. This kitchen is timeless and also really easy to update with coloured accessories,” says Maria.

BEFORE bathroom
BEFORE main bathroom

AFTER main bathroom
AFTER The main bathroom features an antique wooden vanity

The bedrooms feature bird prints and one feature wall each – a nod to the local wildlife that includes kookaburras, black cockatoos, lorikeets and parakeets. “The master bedroom features a black cockatoo next to painted panelling (Taubmans Matt Black) for a high end feel, bedroom two features a parakeet and Taubmans Malted Mint teal-coloured paint. Finally the dusty pink paint (Taubmans Kangaroo Paw) enhances the galah print,” says Maria.

BEFORE bedroom
BEFORE master bedroom

AFTER main bedroom
AFTER master bedroom

AFTER master bedroom
AFTER master bedroom

Fond of upcycling, Maria incorporated some old pieces into this project too. “Hunting pre-owned items and upcycling old furniture is something we love doing. We used an antique console for the main bathroom in this project. It was a great find and this was the key statement piece for our main bathroom,” says Maria.

AFTER bedroom two
AFTER bedroom two

AFTER bedroom three
AFTER bedroom three

The wood accent continues in the master bedroom ensuite – a custom floating timber bench is the hero of the space. “We love adding custom made items as they give uniqueness and warmth. For this project we added a custom floating timber bench in the ensuite. It’s solid Australian hardwood and fits in with the monochromatic bathroom theme. It was a raw rough timber slab which we prepped, cut and finished ourselves,” says Maria. Both bathrooms feature matte black tapware from Reece.

AFTER ensuite
AFTER ensuite

AFTER ensuite
AFTER ensuite

Photography: Rikki Lancaster

For more | More before & afters

Categories
Designers House Tours

Minimalist & monochrome: An extraordinary real home in Noosa

Mid-century inspired and with glazing for days, this incredible Noosa property is the work of its owner Sarah Waller, an English designer and licensed builder, who spent 20 years conceptualising her dream home before seeing it come to life. “A move from the UK to Australia offered me the opportunity to design and build something unique for my family and I – our own iconic home,” says Sarah of the home that is referred to as the Glass House.

Kitchen & dining

Nestled in the Noosa Valley, the home features clean lines, and sublime minimalist details such as a flat roof and large expanses of full-height glass. The abundance of glass was designed to take in the home’s gorgeous natural environment that features soaring coconut palm trees and frangipanis.

The lines between the inside and outside are blurred

Sarah worked across the entire process from the design and build to the home’s styling and final decorative touches. “To manage the entire process and bring it all together is incredibly satisfying and now we’re living and experiencing the home, you get a true appreciation that beyond its aesthetic qualities it has a wonderful feel. Sometimes I pinch myself that it’s ours,” says Sarah who heads up her own Noosa-based residential design studio, Sarah Waller Design.

Bedroom

The home’s award-winning kitchen is a standout space and features large swathes of black timber joinery and a generous island bench in fine matte black laminate and marble-look porcelain. Fibonacci Stone Arctic Ice terrazzo tiles extend from the interior floors to the outdoor patio for a seamless connection between outside and in and the kitchen also features a fully concealed butler’s pantry that houses open shelves, additional bench space and a second sink.

The bedrooms were also designed to capitalise on the expansive views. “I love that you have all the comforts of indoors, yet you really feel part of the landscape. We wake up with the sun and experience the subtle changes in weather throughout the day,” says Sarah.

Pool

The pool evokes 1950’s Palm Springs and features a cabana perfect for lazing around in the warmer months – the effect is utterly resort-like. We love!

Photography: Anastasia Kariofyllidis

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