A coastal house design that works with the location

"We kept the white walls and terracotta tiles; everything else was to be new," says Barbara. "A lot of places in Noosa are decorated like homes in Melbourne, but we wanted to hire a designer because we knew they could create something that looked like it was at the beach, but homey as well."

"It was a matter of keeping a great view of the beach over all four levels," says designer Helen, from Otilly and Lewis. "They also needed to make the interiors new to reflect the changes in their lifestyle." 

One major need was for a variety of living areas to accommodate their extensive family. "We've got four children and five grandchildren who all stay over Christmas, so we need different areas so we're not all on top of each other," Barbara says.

A family of such proportions needs storage, and Helen's challenge was to build it so that it became a feature of each room. "Built-ins like the ones we did in the living areas and bedrooms create space," Helen says.

She recycled their existing couches by reupholstering them, adding new legs and square-cut cushions. "Between the couches I did a 2 metre ottoman so as not to obscure the view," Helen says.

"We chose a great antique coffee table for the room, that's so sturdy you can sit on it," Barbara says. "The kids love to sit in the middle of the table and draw."

For an outdoors experience, Barbara and Helen looked to the rooftop. "It was surrounded by a cement wall that blocked out the view, so I cut a piece of it out and replaced it with aluminium and glass so they could see the beach," says Helen.

She also installed a weather-sensitive awning for shade that  folds away in strong winds.

In an existing alcove that featured an old sink, the family had a kitchen and barbecue installed. "The new cupboards house a new set of cutlery and crockery so we don't have to carry everything up and down three flights of stairs when we dine," says Barbara. "It's lovely - it's the best area of all, with a superb view."

And in case the family get too rowdy, Helen created a special area just for Barbara and Jim. "When she was doing the bedroom I wanted a bookcase, but she said why not make a retreat?" Barbara says. 

"I put in internal shutters as a bit of a feature, and turned the separated area into a small lounge room," Helen says. 

"It's a lovely place to relax," Barbara adds. "No matter where we go in the house now, no one is on top of anyone else. There are so many beautiful areas to choose from."

Helen Allison

Otilly and Lewis

What did you do in the master bedroom?

I kept it beautifully white, with white bedding - jacquard satin from Portugal - it's magnificent to sleep in! We also make a box valance which is just one strip of fabric with no joins and it fits like a lid. There's a lovely throw over the top, with big pillows. 

What else did you do in there?

Apart from the internal shutters, there's a wall cabinet, and that turned the extra space into a lounge area. There's a little table and sitting area to escape from the family and relax whenever they need.

What lighting did you use in the main living area?

I like using lamp lighting rather than downlights - I tend to go for dim rather than really bright. I put in sconces - these are like half-lights on the walls that throw light upwards - and combined that with lamps. 

What lighting did you use outdoors? 

Upstairs I used outdoor wall lights, which tend to be very soft. I also got some lanterns from Italy that they put on the outside table to use at night.

Did you have to do anything with the floors?

Some of the tiles had rotted, so we actually sourced the original tiles from Mexico. 

Barbara

What was the colour choice for your home?

Well the bedroom is white because the colour comes from the ocean. The rest of the house has white walls with fabulous colours on the couches - which are bright, like Queensland is as well.

What did you want to create in the living room?

We wanted an area that was comfortable - where you could lie on the couch and put your feet up and read a book or watch TV. It's definitely like that now. 

What about upstairs?

It's a superb view, so we wanted an area where you could go for breakfast during the day, for example. Now we put out the awning so it covers the tables when you're eating so it isn't hot; it's just perfect.

What was good about using Helen?

She's got grandchildren of her own, so when it came to designing the living room she knew exactly what we'd need. And I love her ideas and what they have in the shop, so it all went from there.

What is best about your redesign?

I like the combination of living areas, because if you want to spend time with everyone you can go down and join them, or go up and have your own space. It's wonderful, it's a great lifestyle.