Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Boho-Beach Style Finds a Dreamy Home on the Coast
This two-storey home on the east coast of Sydney features bright, beachy interiors perfect for its location
In the eastern suburbs of Sydney, this revamped two-storey house is home to Kylie Hinds, the creator of online jewellery boutique Not Heidi, her husband and their three children. The couple moved from a busy and noisy semi-detached home to this older house along the coast 10 years ago. After living in the house for seven years, they had a pretty good idea of what they wanted from their space and how to alter it to suit their family, and so started on what was essentially a knockdown-rebuild.
The initial challenge was how to mix the traditional architecture of the area with a modern twist, in keeping with surrounding developments. The homeowners decided on a sleek modern frontage, but blended this into a softer and more traditional timber cottage look at the rear of the house, creating an aesthetic that is bright, fresh and beachy, just like its location.
The initial challenge was how to mix the traditional architecture of the area with a modern twist, in keeping with surrounding developments. The homeowners decided on a sleek modern frontage, but blended this into a softer and more traditional timber cottage look at the rear of the house, creating an aesthetic that is bright, fresh and beachy, just like its location.
When they first moved in, the house had been stripped of its former glory with a number of alterations in the ’70s. Needless to say, it wasn’t love at first sight. However, the property was quiet and had beautiful views of the reserve and waterfront, and this was enough to convince them to buy it.
When planning how to reconstruct the house, Hinds decided the best way forward was to take their time, to live in the space while getting to know the light and how to best use the layout.
When planning how to reconstruct the house, Hinds decided the best way forward was to take their time, to live in the space while getting to know the light and how to best use the layout.
Hinds and her family have now been living in their newly built home for three-and-a-half years, but she feels the house is still developing its character.
This light-filled living area is an ideal entertainment area for friends and family. Hinds and her family have one television in the house, in the sitting room off the kitchen, but enjoy spending time together in this living area playing board games.
This light-filled living area is an ideal entertainment area for friends and family. Hinds and her family have one television in the house, in the sitting room off the kitchen, but enjoy spending time together in this living area playing board games.
Hinds says she has never stuck to one decorating style; the home is a mix of beach house and tropical-island style, with boho, Indian, Moroccan, and Turkish influences thrown in.
A 1950s Acapulco chair sits well next to the tribal pieces in this second living area, which sits off to the side of the entrance. The tribal headpiece above the fireplace was an eBay find and made its way from Africa to France, before ending up in Australia. Hinds is always on the lookout for new pieces in local stores and online.
A 1950s Acapulco chair sits well next to the tribal pieces in this second living area, which sits off to the side of the entrance. The tribal headpiece above the fireplace was an eBay find and made its way from Africa to France, before ending up in Australia. Hinds is always on the lookout for new pieces in local stores and online.
After one of Hinds’ first trips to India, when she was prevented from bringing home some timber items and had to leave them at the airport, she started sourcing the majority of her timber furniture from shops within Australia. The house is now full of natural materials and mostly neutral spaces; a look that suits the coastal feel Hinds was going for to a T.
From the front of the house, the main living areas flow through to the back and receives abundant daylight from the north-facing facade.
The simplicity of the light fittings above the kitchen bench add interest while allowing a feeling of openness between the kitchen and dining area.
Hinds’ favourite area in the house is the dining room. After having to squeeze around a small table for many years in her old house, the enjoyment of spreading out for family meals in this dedicated space is something that she never wants to give up.
The custom-made dining table was sourced from MCM house, and the Acapulco dining chairs were a find from Byron Bay. Large sliding windows above the bench seat blur the lines between indoor and out, and allow the family to get the feel of dining al fresco whenever the weather allows.
A transition area between the kitchen and living area leaves room for a comfortable and sunlit home office, with enough space for a simple timber shelf that serves as a desk, as well as a computer and plenty of greenery.
Hinds’ office area is simple yet practical. The large rattan chair adds an element of laid-back comfort in which to work, making the tasks of running her online store and managing household administration tasks that much more enjoyable.
Hinds, a lover of all things coastal, couldn’t live without her shells and collects them from the local beach regularly. Her husband once joked that if there were any more shells in the house, he would have to walk around with a snorkel.
The kilim rug from Kaya Kilim is another of Hinds’ favourite items, and brightens up this small living area. She admits that her brain gets fired up by the colours when she walks around her predominately white house.
Growing up in a family of garden lovers, Hinds knew that being able to see the garden from the back of the house was crucial to the home’s re-working. This thatched cabana and the small garden surrounding it actually sit level with the top floor of the house. It serves as a relaxed space for the family, with plenty of shade even at the height of summer.
The back of the house retains the feel of the original timber cottage, with big doors that lead from this upstairs bedroom to a small garden, allowing the couple’s eldest daughter Jasmine to enjoy fresh air and natural light in a private retreat.
Inside, Jasmine’s bedroom carries on the beach vibe with laid-back decor. A mix of Moroccan-style pieces, timber furniture and tropical plants gives the predominately white, modern room an injection of character.
Both Jasmine and Holly’s bedrooms reflect their mother’s influence in their decor. Oversized plants and beautiful natural textures and tones carry through into their sleep spaces.
This bathroom sits between the kids’ bedrooms, and serves as the guest bathroom when visitors are in the house. The difficulty of the terrain around the building site meant that the stone bath in this bathroom needed to be craned in. Unfortunately the builder cracked it on the way up, but this now just adds to its character (and makes for a good story).
The main bedroom, also upstairs but at the front of the house, is a mix of all elements that are dear to Hinds – plants, tribal touches and beach accessories. Her best design advice is to buy things that you love. “It should all work in the end,” she says.
The couple’s ensuite bathroom is all about lifting the clean white palette with exotic pieces – all in keeping with the main bedroom and the rest of the house.
Outside the master suite, in an open bathing space, a second freestanding tub overlooks the ocean, but even here there is the presence of tropical plants. A butterfly chair and sheepskin add warmth to the interior space, which Hinds says remains a work-in-progress.
Tell us
What do you like about this beachy house? Let us know in the Comments below.
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and New Zealand, and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
Tell us
What do you like about this beachy house? Let us know in the Comments below.
My Houzz is an ongoing series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes in Australia and New Zealand, and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more inspiring projects.
Who lives here: Kylie Hinds, her husband Paul, daughters Jasmine and Holly, son Pablo, and Diego the dog
Where: Sydney, NSW
Size: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms