Leigh Boswell, Rhiannon Matthews and Ashlee Consoli from Highgate House are the interior designers responsible for taking this beachside house and turning it into the colourful, charming coastal abode it is today.
The home does double duty as a retreat for the owners and a holiday rental, and with an idyllic location near the shores of one of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular stretches of sand, presented a welcome task for Leigh and her team.
“The homeowners are long-time clients of Highgate House, and came to us as soon as they had settled on the purchase of the property, ready to have us come on board to decorate it,” says Leigh. “They know our signature Highgate House style well, having worked with us on another decorating project before, and were fully trusting of our vision, open to using a vibrant colour palette that was family-friendly, interesting and allowed us to maximise the home’s inherently relaxed feel.”
The multi-level, dual-use home offered vast scale and scope for the designers to work with, boasting five bedrooms, two living rooms, two dining rooms, two kitchens, four bathrooms, and alfresco and pool areas. And with that picture-perfect position in Sunshine Beach, naturally, the locale and outlook of the home dictated the look and feel of the pieces selected. “We wanted to incorporate as much of that laidback coastal style with a playful touch into the overall design,” says Leigh. “And the furniture and furnishings selected by Highgate House needed to be suitable for a rental application, as the clients planned to rent the home out for short-term holiday letting and enjoy family holidays themselves.”
Encountering longer lead times than anticipated on furniture and lighting presented a challenge, given the quick turnaround for furnishing the home they were working towards. Luckily, the design team could draw from their own exquisite signature range of products, already in stock and ready to go at Highgate House’s retail store in Albion, Brisbane.
“We started by selecting beautiful, colourful, unique rugs as a foundation, then added custom-made furniture and soft furnishings using bespoke fabrics and trims,” explains Leigh of the design process. “Where applicable, we used outdoor fabrics to prevent fading and increase longevity. One of our favourites of which is the tangerine-striped loose cover lounge, an outdoor fabric, being practical and luxurious.”
Features such as the hung boat oars, vintage framed anchor, and embroidered red lobster cushion with fringed detail in the main guest bedroom are some of the team’s favourite pieces in the newly decorated home. “Inspired by the sun, sand and sea, they add the final touches of personality and a mood of barefoot luxury that is made for relaxed holidays by the beach.”
Words: Natalie Bannister // Photography: Louise Roche
