A Bali Villa in Brisbane Complete with a Tropical Garden Oasis

For Brisbane couple Ashley and Chad, Bali has been their go-to travel destination to escape the day to day, soak up some sun and unwind. Year after year, they’d return to their favourite villas nestled among sprawling pools flanked in dense tropical greenery. Yet the arrival of their daughters, Asta, 5, and Maya, 2, coupled with the pandemic put a halt to regular trips.

A Bali-style villa with a white facade and hanging garden. — “The genesis of the design was the timber arched double front doors and the hanging garden, which established the look and feel for the house,” says Ashley of the exterior. The Victorian Ash door with Deco Battens in Curly Birch complement the entrance in travertine crazy pavers from Stone & Rock. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

“With travel off the cards for a while, I wanted to create a home with many of the features we loved about Bali villas to give us that holiday feel year-round,” recalls Ashley, whose background in fashion and real estate proved a great skill set to conceptualise the design. The couple were inspired by the island’s modern, minimalist villas infused with natural light, organic materials and a seamless indoor-outdoor connection, focused around a spectacular pool and alfresco area.

The mudroom is at one end of the laundry. Cushions from Bonnie and Neil. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Who lives here?

Ashley, a property developer; husband Chad who runs his own plumbing business and their children, Asta, 5, and Maya, 2.
How would you describe your style? Ashley: “A mix of coastal and tropical. I love incorporating natural materials like stone and timber designs, while also keeping the look minimalist.”
Favourite spot in the house? “The outdoor entertaining area, where we love to host family and friends. The surrounding greenery and view out to the hills make it a lovely ‘escape’.”
Biggest splurge? “Definitely the custom kitchen. We wanted to make sure that it was both beautiful and functional, and we spared no expense in making that happen.”

A family portrait in the garden beside the pool. — Whether it’s taking a dip in the pool, alfresco barbecues on balmy evenings, or siestas under an umbrella, for Brisbane couple Ashley and Chad (pictured with daughter Asta), there’s a lot to love about the home they designed for themselves and their two young daughters. A textural stone wall by De Brun Masonry creates a focal backdrop to the tiled pool. The ‘Boho’ beach chairs were sourced from Adairs. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Looking for a site they could envelop with gardens, the couple snapped up a house on a suburban block, suited to a knock down rebuild, in 2021. “We rented out the existing house for six months while I drew up the design and floor plans and went back and forth with the draftsman to get the layout and details just right,” says Ashley.

The entrance with double timber doors and timber steps. — Ibiza Sands VI print by Olive Et Oriel at the entrance evokes summer. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Set across two floors, an expansive lower level with a soaring entry void and high ceilings created the desired sense of splendour, matched in scale by impressive custom arched windows that stream an abundance of natural light and frame the lush, landscaped backyard and pool. “As the backdrop to the lower level, we knew the garden was just as important as the interiors so a lot of time and budget went into creating that secluded tropical feel,” reflects Ashley.

Living area

There’s more than enough space for the entire family to spread out on a sectional sofa from Nick Scali. Like many of the interior spaces in the house requiring soft furnishings, Ashley firstly chose artwork, which formed the colour cues for the palette. Here, pops of sage green, blush and ochre in a Jen Sievers piece titled A Life So Bright are echoed in cushions from H&M Home, L&M Home and Life Interiors. Kas vases atop an Oz Design coffee table round out the scheme anchored by a Miss Amara rug.

Kitchen

The kitchen is layered with textural elements such as the Arabian Trapeze tiles from Perini across the splashback. “The island I designed works really well for us as a family as the kids can be down one end and I’ve discovered the Caesarstone benchtops [in Cloudburst] are incredibly forgiving, even with pen marks,” says Ashley.

The rangehood adds an elegant and unique touch to the overall design. It’s like a beautiful piece of art.”
– Ashley

The couple’s joiner, KVW Cabinets, cleverly crafted the bespoke rangehood cover and island pillar wrapped in finger tiles from Perini. Hints of warmth were added with ‘Kibuyu’ pendants from Uniqwa, Inartisan ‘Nalani’ stools and ‘Chicama Wave’ handles by Touch Handles on the integrated fridge/freezer.

A white resort-style kitchen with woven hanging pendants and a fluted kitchen island. — The ‘Mila’ braided bowl on the bench was sourced from Serrata Living. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

White gloss kitchen tiles and timber cutting boards on a benchtop. — Bowls from McMullin & Co and a vase from The Vignette Room in the kitchen. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Dining area

Built during 2021, when timber was in short supply, the couple had to be incredibly organised and pre-ordered the framing six months ahead of the slab being laid. There were still a few delays, but overall the build went quite smoothly, with Chad – a plumber and all-round handyman – often on site to do all sorts of jobs. “I selected all the interior finishes in advance and as soon as the build began, I started sourcing and ordering artwork and furniture, which was stored in the double garage of the house we were renting,” says Ashley.

Chevron pattern American Oak floors are a foil to the walls and ceiling. “The space really needed a strong statement and the timber flooring really does that. Because they have a dynamic look, which draws the eye, they enhance the sense of space and help ground all the timber furnishings.” Awesome Timber Floors, awesometimberfloors.com.au.
We love… bold timber flooring

A timber dining table with Moroccan bowls. — Moroccan bowls from Provincial Home Living and a ‘Mila’ braided tray from Serrata Living in the dining zone. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

A timber side table with ceramic vases. — Atop a console from Impreshens near the dining area is a bowl from Serrata Living and pale green vase from Kas. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Main bedroom and ensuite

The Dharma Door pendants and a Marcia Priestley artwork titled Beachcomber were the first elements Ashley chose for the main bedroom. The artwork’s tones were picked up in Adairs bedlinen, cushions and an Urban Road boucle ball, set off by a Brosa bed frame.

The main bedroom in a neutral palette with a wicker hanging lampshade. — Adairs bedlinen, cushions and an Urban Road boucle ball. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

“It’s like having our own little sanctuary to gather our thoughts and embrace the day with a positive mindset.”
– Ashley

An ensuite with a fluted timber vanity and stone subway tiles. — The neutral palette in the couple’s ensuite is in Ashley’s favourite combination of materials used in the wet areas, such as the ‘Stone Fingers’ subway tiles in Larache from Design Tiles, which span the vanity wall. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

An ensuite with a walk-in shower and fluted timber vanity. — Curves are introduced with ‘Pond’ mirrors by Ferm Living. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Asta’s bedroom

Little five-year old Asta’s bedroom has bedlinen from Sheet Society, a Miss Amara rug and artwork from James Lane. Bedhead from Poppy’s Little Treasures.

“A big part of designing the house the way we did, was so we didn’t feel the need to go anywhere on weekends,” shares Ashley. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Bathroom and powder room

A minimalist bathroom with blue finger tiles and a freestanding bathtub. — A Reece bath in the main bathroom is combined with Abi Interiors tapware. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

The upstairs powder room features Missano Ming tiles from Perini and an ‘Inara’ mirror from Future Glass. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Outdoor dining and pool

The couple love to entertain, which invariably happens in and around the outdoor dining and alfresco area. The roof was high set to create a spacious, airy feel and help block the western sun, while the arched wall elevates the ‘outdoor room’ feel. Vero travertine by Groove Tiles + Stone forms the foundation to the space, divided into a dining and lounge zone.

An outdoor dining and alfresco area with a white open archway. — The casual lounge area, overlooking the pool, reflects Ashley’s eye for great design pieces from the ‘Priscilla’ concrete coffee table from P&R Styling to the Barefoot Gypsy urn. For similar sofas, try Barefoot Gypsy. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

A resort-style pool with a palm tree and deck chairs. — The family enjoy hanging out by the pool where the space beside it is furnished with ‘Siesta’ sunloungers by Living Styles and a P&R Styling stool under a Basil Bangs umbrella. From here, they can take in views of the garden. “We have a great climate in Brisbane for tropical plant varieties, which were key in creating the resort-style setting, but we also had to take into account the hot western afternoon sun which hits the backyard in the afternoon,” explains Ashley. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

A resort-style pool and white pool loungers. — “We wanted to create the feeling that you’re by the pool in Bali, rather than suburban Brisbane and I think we’ve really captured that relaxed feel,” says Ashley. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Moving in towards the end of 2022, the pool and alfresco area have been put to good use. “We’re all happy to hang out in and around the outdoor entertaining area. In summer the kids live in the pool, shower outside before putting on their pyjamas and we’ll eat outdoors most nights. To us it feels like we’re at a tropical resort.” What could be better!

Chad with Asta sitting beside the pool. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

An outdoor shower beside a natural stone wall. — The Abi Interiors outdoor shower provides a spot to rinse off. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

A modern laundry with a blue finger tile splashback. — In the laundry, Ashley paired sage finger tiles from Perini with simple cabinets. *(Photography: Louise Roche / Styling: Kylie Jackes)*

Drafting: ReziCAD, (07) 3363 8188, rezicad.com.
Builder: CHS building, 0417 629 396, chsbuilding.com.au.
Joinery: KVW cabinets, 0422 744 788, kvwcabinets.com.au.
Landscape installation: Complete Landscape Services, 0477 432 075.
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Writer Kylie Jackes

Ever since writer and stylist Kylie Jackes got a Holly Hobby quilt cover at age 6 she’s been obsessed with interiors. For the past 10 years she’s enjoyed writing about beautiful spaces and the people who call them home. When she’s not styling other people’s places, she loves acquiring plants to fill every corner of her beach house.