Photography: Louise Roche
Having designed half a dozen homes for her family, each time building, selling and moving on, Ashley has learnt a lot. For their sixth house she combined all the elements she and husband Chad love; to create a place they were content to settle down, with their young daughters Asta and Maya. The couple secured a block with city views not far from Brisbane’s CBD and knocked down the existing house.
“The biggest challenge was the sloping site, which we overcame with significant engineering to elevate the pool and alfresco area four metres above natural ground, so it flowed seamlessly from the kitchen and living area, which is where we spend all our time,” explains Ashley, who worked with ReziCad to document her vision.
Soaring windows, doors and skylights infuse a natural glow, while beautiful joinery ensures the essentials of family life are catered for, but cleverly concealed where possible. “It ticks a lot of boxes,” muses Ashley. “We definitely want to stay here a while.”
The dream journey
Who? Ashley, design and interior consultant; husband Chad who owns Submerge Plumbing & Gas and their children, Asta, 6, and Maya, 3.
Where? Mediterranean inspired, new build set across four levels in inner city Brisbane.
Time frame? Design took approximately six months, the build 12 months and the project was completed November 2024.
The dream? “To create a family home with personalised luxurious touches where every day felt like a holiday,” says Ashley.
Approach? A knock down rebuild which made the most of the 620sqm block and city views.
Must-haves? A statement kitchen, a resort-style pool area, bold styling pieces with hints of colour and city views.
Wishlist? Central indoor outdoor entertaining and living area, an abundance of natural stone, original art and unique light fittings.
Why is this your dream home? “It has a holiday feel, with everything we need and want,” says Ashley
Best advice
“Over the years, I have created a personalised budgeting spreadsheet in Excel that I consistently use which helps me stay organised and on track throughout the entire construction process,” says Ashley. The couple also know where they’ll splurge and where they can save. “We’ve found considerable investment should be directed toward the kitchen and bathrooms. These spaces are central to the home’s functionality and comfort. High-quality fixtures and fittings in these areas not only enhance the overall finish but can also contribute to the property’s value,” says Ashley.
Landscaping is an area they can save. “During the build Chad was hands-on wherever possible, building garden beds, retaining walls, constructing fencing, laying turf and painting,” says Ashley. Engaging a qualified builder, experienced in the type of build you’re embarking on is also essential. “You need to have confidence your builder has the expertise and a network of trades who can achieve the level of finish and architectural details you’re after,” says Ashley, “so look at their past work, ask the questions and ensure you have good communication from the start,” says Ashley.
Realising the dream
“The quality of natural light in a home makes a huge difference to how it feels, so it was really important to capture as much of it as possible and enhance the sense of connectivity to the outdoors,” explains Ashley. This was achieved with custom three-metre-high glass doors, soaring arched windows, a vast double front door and Velux skylights that infuse the home with a natural warm glow.
It was also important to create an outdoor haven. Living in Queensland’s tropical climate, Ashley has found their favourite place to spend time is outside, in the pool and alfresco area. “We live outside, particularly in summer, so the design centred on ensuring the kitchen and living zones overlooked the pool and flowed seamlessly to the alfresco area,” she says. “It feels like you’re on holiday when you eat outside around the pool and can jump in to cool off whenever you want.”
Lessons learnt
Experienced in new builds, Ashley and Chad have accumulated a wealth of knowledge with each step of the building and design process. “One of the biggest things we’ve learnt is patience in the process and the importance of devoting time to the planning,” says Ashley.
“Creating a home that functions well takes time, and working out as many of the details ahead of the build can save headaches down the track. It’s really beneficial in the planning stage to get renders of key spaces like the kitchen, ensuite and outdoor area to ensure it works functionally and aesthetically.”
Kitchen
Beautifully simple with sweeping curves and cloud-like lighting, the kitchen provides wow-factor. The centrepiece is the White Onyx stone island. “It has always been my dream to splurge on stone to create unique, custom-designed vanities and a show-stopping kitchen island,” says Ashley, who designed the sculptural onyx slabs with scalloped edging and went in search of the perfect stone. “We couldn’t find what we were after locally so sourced the White and Wooden Onyx and custom stonemason detailing overseas and had it sent in a container, which arrived six weeks before install.”
“Creatively, I was able to do a lot of things I’d always wanted to. It was a dream to custom-design the onyx surfaces, which give the kitchen and bathrooms a unique look.”
Ashley, homeowner.
The same White Onyx that is on the island in the kitchen runs up the back wall. Gentle curves abound, from the shape of the joinery to the carefully selected ‘Caroline Double’ pendants from About Space Lighting, to the stool from Bohteak. In keeping with the warm tones throughout the house, Brushed Copper tapware from ABI Interiors was chosen for all the wet areas.
“With a new build there’s often ample room for creativity when incorporating unique features into the home”
Ashley, homeowner.
A dry bar complete with a Vintec wine fridge, adds a sense of luxury. Shelves within the nook also provide a place for display. Natural tones inspired the scheme with Dulux Natural White on the walls, joinery in Polytec Boston Oak, and oak flooring, from Awesome Timber Floors.
Dining
When dining inside, the family take a seat in Bohteak chairs and gather around a table from Life Interiors. Ashley designed the ruffle pendant and chose the ‘Pare’ artwork by Bec Talbot to complement the home’s tones.
Living
Decadently spacious, there’s plenty of room for the family to relax on a Future Classics Furniture curved sofa which wraps around a striking marble coffee table from Bova Gallery, which anchors a Miss Amara rug. A ‘Luna’ floor lamp from Byron Hanging Chairs adds to the home’s sculptural, gallery-like appeal. Side table from Vorsen.
Bedroom
A panel in Polytec Boston Oak in the main bedroom frames the bedhead from RJ Living. Another custom addition are the onyx bedside tables. The palette evokes a warm glow, from the bedlinen and cushions from Pillow Talk and Weave Home and RJ Living ottoman, to the walls where a Coco Flip ‘Pinch’ wall sconce and an artwork, ‘Down to Earth’ by Emily Wood from Gioia Wall Art, pair perfectly.
Bathrooms
Floor-to-ceiling tiles from Amber Tiles envelop the ensuite, with the eyes drawn to the feature custom Polytec Boston Oak vanity topped in Wooden Onyx bordered with hand-scalloped edging. Rachel Donath mirrors accent the wall, punctuated with Brushed Brass tapware from ABI Interiors. A bath from Caroma sits alongside a tactile wall adorned in zellige tiles from Amber Tiles.
A vanity in Taj Mahal quartzite makes a statement below an RJ Living mirror that sits on wall tiles from Amber Tiles.
Laundry
“The laundry design was intentionally kept simple and elegant to create a clean and aesthetically pleasing environment,” explains Ashley. “The laundry chute was non-negotiable and a must-have in all multi level homes. We also felt full-height cabinets opposite the bench were important to maximise storage,” she adds.
The dreamy palette includes custom Polytec Boston Oak joinery, a Caesarstone Marbannova benchtop, complemented with travertine finger tiles from Amber Tiles and an ABI Interiors Brushed Brass tap.
“Be confident in your selections and don’t let someone tell you it can’t be done. Often with a little perseverance there will be a way.”
Ashley, home owner.
Outdoors
We wanted to create a warm and sun-filled home for our young family and called the house Solara which means ‘Of the Sun’,” says Ashley. For an added resort-style feel, tiles spell out Solara at the base of the pool bordered by a tropical garden bed. The pool side chairs are from Zaneti, with a matching custom umbrella by Original Parasol Co.
“I love the elevated outlook over the beautiful pool and gardens and connection between the indoor and outdoor living zones,” reflects Ashley. Opting for a green scheme, an Early Settler outdoor dining setting runs alongside the outdoor kitchen, while the outdoor living area is furnished with sofas from MCM House and a P & R Styling coffee table. An artwork titled ‘Frutti Di Mare & Aperol Spritz’ by Ekaterina Zagorska, from Gioia Wall Art, completes the scene.
Design & interior consultant Sage & Cove Interiors, 0422 832 171, @sage.and.cove
Drafting ReziCad, (07) 3363 8188, rezicad.com. Builder CHS Building, 0417 629 396, @chsbuilding
Joinery KVW Cabinets, 0422 744 788, kvwcabinets.com.auHanging garden, CCL Cacti @ccl_cacti
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