With an interior designer’s master touch at play and a setting that could not be more glorious, this Gold Coast luxury home was bound to turn out stunning.
Here at Queensland Homes interior designers often tell us that the most important aspects of a project are a meeting of minds between owners and designer and the sense of trust which follows from that.
So it’s a big help if your designer comes highly recommended and the clients are familiar with your work. “These clients were an absolute dream to work with – they had great passion and an eye for style and detail,” says Tonie Robertson of Robertsons Design.
The project encompassed a full design and furniture fit out to both interior and exterior spaces – and that means even down to the bedding, linen, art and accessories and even the fruit in the bowls in the kitchen! The homeowners, a professional couple based in Sydney, had acquired the house as a holiday home, so having a designer in whom they had perfect faith was a real bonus when it came to long distance planning and implementation.
Working from a brief “to create a home of high-end luxury using the finest quality furniture from around the world – with a sense of casual elegance” Tonie’s sophistication and attention to detail shine throughout. “I’ve used an eclectic mix of furniture including Candice Olsen sofas, and occasional pieces from the USA that give that classic transitional feel throughout the lounge and sitting areas,” says Tonie.
The use of timber adds warmth to the scheme – in vertical timber slats in the sitting room, in the adjoining kitchen and in the wrap around cabinetry which houses the television. A splash of zesty colour lights up the entryway in the form of specially commissioned abstract artworks, but the feature tones she has used are subtle neutrals which allow the form of the furniture to shine. A glass-topped table in the double height dining area complements the uber comfortable upholstered dining chairs, six in white contrasting with two in charcoal. It’s a masterful combination which permeates the flow of the design from room to room.
Bedrooms upstairs have been treated with the same elegance, luxury and sense of sophistication – with a dash of fun thrown in for good measure. If you have a collection of Hermes Birkin handbags it follows that you would want to be able to see them, so Tonie has created a grand dressing room and display space by knocking through the wall to one of the bedrooms and utilising the area to showcase the owner’s bags, shoes and accessories.
Each bedroom has been carefully styled with upholstered bed heads and carefully selected side tables and end seats, maintaining the overall feel through the careful use of colour and pattern. Wallpaper adds interest and individuality to each room, creating a cohesive effect through the teaming of shades of colour – these rooms are relaxing havens for the lucky guests who will visit.
An outdoor terrace looks over the water, and here, and around the pool, the couple can now relax with outdoor furniture which is not only comfortable and stylish but which will resist the weather to look good for a long time to come.
And what does the client think of their new look home? They rave how much they love it and enjoyed the process – so much that they want to do it all again. So another project in Sydney is coming to fruition soon – and that’s the best recommendation of all.
Photography by John Downs