When Amelia and her husband Max bought their Noosa home in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland four years ago, they optimistically thought all it would need was a splash of white paint, albeit a lot of it. Yet after moving in with their son William, who was 18 months at the time, along with their energetic cocker spaniels Rocky and Bear, the scope of the task ahead really set in. Split over three levels, the taupe concrete ’90s home, cloaked in shrubs and bedecked with corrugated steel, tiles, and black wrought iron, was beyond dated. “Even just a cosmetic change was going to be a heroic effort,” reflects Amelia. “It ended up more of a restoration, with our goal to turn it from medieval to Mediterranean.
WHO LIVES HERE? Amelia, who works in marketing, her husband Max, a business owner, their son William, four, and cocker spaniels Rocky and Bear.
DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? Amelia: “Barefoot, carefree, boho, minimalist.”
BEST RENOVATING DECISION? Amelia: “Putting in our beautiful pool. It’s so lovely to take a dip whenever we want.”
ANY LESSONS LEARNT? Amelia: “Move out if you can. It wasn’t ideal to live in the house with a young child and two dogs while renovating… it felt like the renovation took longer because of our living arrangements.”
SUNNY OASIS One of Amelia’s favourite spots is the terrace, adorned with a mix of rattan pendants from Eclectic Style. “To complement the scale of the terrace, we went all out with lighting, which really gives the place a luxe resort-style feel,” she explains. Awash in white, timber furniture from CLO Studios warms up the space. Resourcefulness also served the couple well with Max utilising a fallen tree on the property to make log stools, which feature throughout the house.
What the house lacked in looks, it more than made up for in location. Set on just over one hectare in a quiet cul-de-sac enveloped by rainforest, the family could glimpse the ocean from the soaring top terrace and jump in the car and be at Noosa Main Beach in less than 15 minutes. “It’s such a beautiful spot surrounded by nature and there was something about the trees and ocean outlook, which really reminded me of my time living in Greece – it was so majestic,” recalls Amelia.
ENTRANCE An extension incorporated a breezeway, which gives the home a Mediterranean-style double entrance at the front. The custom timber doors are by WoodworkersXS.
LIVING AREA With its neutral tones, the living area is a calming sanctuary. A trio of James Lane sofas segment the cosy zone where a rustic coffee table from CLO Studios sits atop a rug from Eclectic Style. Cushions from Pony Rider, H&M and Ikea, teamed with a throw from Adairs ensure the palette is layered with warmth.
Conjuring up memories of Santorini’s glimmering white cliff-side cubist architecture, the couple was inspired to take advantage of the home’s solid concrete structure and transform it into a minimalist whitewashed abode, nestled into the lush-forested hillside. Step one was taming the overgrown bushes and extending the front to create a compound-style entrance flanked by pandanus trees, with custom double timber doors opening onto an incredible breezeway, which encompasses a tropical courtyard garden and new pool. “I love the sense of arrival it creates,” says Amelia. “It’s very feng shui to have water near the front of the house and some of the best views are from the pool looking out to Noosa Heads.”
KITCHEN/DINING The last space to be overhauled was the kitchen, which had Ikea cabinetry and ‘Infinity Quartzite’ benchtops from Creative Stone installed. “The oversized dining table makes up for the fact there isn’t an island,” says Amelia of the Coco Republic piece with chairs from Eclectic Style. “It’s a great place for people to sit and chat while you’re working in the kitchen.” A jute rug and mirror, also from Eclectic Style, complete the understated look.
Rather than adhere to a tight renovation schedule, Amelia says the process was “more organic” with the couple taking on a lot of the work over a two-and-a-half-year period while they lived in the house. Across all three levels, spaces were pared back to create a blank canvas and start afresh. Even the four-car garage was overhauled and converted into a self-contained, two-bedroom studio complete with a kitchenette, bathroom and playroom. “In hindsight, pre-planning with an architect and builder would have streamlined our reno journey,” says Amelia.
Dark marble floors “temper the glare when the sun streams in” says Amelia.
Texture abounds in the living room with a timber table and linen-covered sofas.
A plumber by trade, Max fitted out the refurbished bathrooms and did most of the painting, which was a mammoth job inside and out. The entire exterior was repainted including the generous concrete terraces on the top and second floor, which were slathered in coats of Dulux Vivid White and decked out in timber furniture, which adds to the home’s island holiday vibe.
MAIN BEDROOM The lower levels are given over to bedrooms and bathrooms, with the main bedroom enjoying a prime location with its own private terrace and leafy outlook. Against a neutral grey and white scheme, the solid timber bed and matching side tables, sourced online, are enlivened with a Pendleton ‘Crescent Bay’ blanket, linen from Adairs and a Heirloom Naga ‘Pungro II’ cushion (at the front) from St Barts. To calm the morning sun, custom blockout floor-to-ceiling curtains expand across French doors. A cosy charcoal carpet was chosen for the bedrooms. The natural linen pendant from Byron Bay Hanging Chairs complements the home’s textural palette.
LOWER TERRACE The main bedroom opens onto the lower terrace where a hanging chair from Eclectic Style, layered with cushions from H&M Home and Pony Rider, provides a tranquil spot to while away an afternoon with a good book. To soften the concrete floor, a jute rug from Temple & Webster anchors a chair from CLO Studios. A giant faux clam shell from Ocean Luxe filled with foliage is a nod to the home’s coastal location.
As the bathrooms were vast, Amelia was concerned white tiles might make them feel cold and stark, so instead opted for cocooning dark finishes. Custom mirrors spanning the width of the room also reflect the greenery outside. “I just love looking out across the untouched forest,” says Amelia. “The sea of green is incredibly serene.”
BATHROOM Floor-to-ceiling ‘Pietra Grey’ marble tiles from Phil’s Tile Warehouse set the scene for a freestanding bath, bought online, that’s paired with Reece tapware and positioned to take in rainforest views. A log stool, made by Max, provides the perfect perch for soaps, while Adairs towels add a touch of colour to the monochrome scheme.
While the stunningly renovated home now embodies Amelia and Max’s Mediterranean vision, it’s the quintessential Australian location and wildlife that brings them the most joy. “Here we wake up to the sound of kookaburras at sunrise, cockatoos flock to the terrace to be fed and there’s a creek running through the bottom of the property that attracts wallabies,” says Amelia. “We wanted to bring up William surrounded by nature and here you feel you’re in a special part of the world.”
OUTDOOR DINING With a balmy climate most of the year, the family enjoys dining on the terrace. Awash with white walls and floors and organic curves, they barbecue most nights and dine around a table from Eclectic Style. The director’s chairs were found at Bunnings and dressed in linen covers bought online. A Pony Rider cushion and throw in deep teal reflects a modern take on the Mediterranean look, while a swing from CLO Studios is a playful addition for four-year-old son William.
POOL AREA Sweeping around one side of the entrance, opposite
a lush tropical garden, the arc-shaped pool is completely private and benefits from the home’s easterly outlook, stretching to the ocean. “In summer, it’s the perfect place to cool off with William in the water and enjoy the view,” says Amelia. In keeping with the home’s white exterior, ‘Yucatan’ marble tiles from Phil’s Tile Warehouse skirt the pool perimeter and span the adjoining breezeway, where a daybed from Eclectic Style is nestled among greenery.
A daybed from Eclectic Style is a place to relax in the entrance breezeway.
White on White
The key ingredient to transform the home inside and out was white paint, which gives a dazzling effect. The couple opted to use Dulux Vivid White with Dulux Weathershield Semi Gloss chosen for the exterior. “I love the pureness of the white we used as it makes the surrounding greenery really pop,” explains Amelia.
A round timber table from CLO Studios exudes rustic appeal.
A spare bed is dressed in linen from Magic Linen with cushions from St Barts.
Pandanus trees frame the custom timber entrance doors by WoodworkersXS.
SOURCE BOOK
POOL: Concept Pools, (07) 5493 4666, conceptpools.com.au.
