How do you represent the beach and the bushland in one home? This was the challenge faced by Melissa Bonney, Director at multi-disciplinary design studio, the Designory, in creating a holiday-home-come-luxury-hotel.

“This project pushed my aesthetic to new plains,” says Bonney of the five bed, five bath Barefoot Bay Villa, set between Byron Bay’s beaches and the Arakwal national park. “I knew that there were key elements I would need to capture the surrounding look and feel,” she adds.

Connecting to the local environment is key to Melissa’s personal approach for ‘designing from the inside out’ and is evident as you enter.  

Dark tones are seen throughout the home, from cabinet handles and chairs, to the Venette Cinder finish of the Galleria wardrobes in one of the bedrooms. “Our dark wardrobes tie to the surrounding volcanic rock, but on a larger scale. The Natural Oak Ravine finish of some robes relates to our door choices, while a simple white in other robes and walk-ins ties to the homes palette.  From there, we were able to mix and match handles and accessories from the three Galleria ranges to add more personality.”

“The robes also had to meet the needs of everyone from groups of friends, to families and couples. We worked with Stegbar to create bespoke configurations, with full length and shorter hanging rails, hampers, baskets, drawers, shoe racks and other options to provide individual experiences in every room,” adds Melissa.

One accessory that is set to delight guests is the Bluetooth enabled The Galleria LED Lighting system, which is hidden within the joinery and illuminates clothing in smaller and darker spaces.

Additionally, Stegbar joinery in the laundry has added stylish functionality to washing, drying and storing towels and beachwear. Hampers on soft close extendable arms offer easy access, while metal baskets provide storage for larger linen items and maintain visual access.

While the strong lines and monochromatic hues of the wardrobes and doors fit with Melissa’s modern Australian Lux aesthetic, she realised the look needed softening with subtle curves, to reflect the breezy Byron experience. Working with Stegbar, Melissa created bespoke mirrors in arch and circular designs, which relaxed the style while adding functionality.

“Every suite has a number of tall, full-length mirrors, so guests can view their outfits as they get ready for nights out, weddings and parties. They’re very useful and have been positioned to bounce light and create the illusion of space,” she adds.

The use of curves on frameless shower screens continues to smooth the aesthetic adds Melissa. “Rounded shapes were a necessity. The subtlety of the glass screens allows the lines to work subconsciously evoke the shoreline. This is balanced with the green eucalyptus and terracotta rock of the bushland.”

“My daughter pushed me into using such large expanses of colour in the bathrooms. I’m glad she did as it’s now one of my favourite aspects of the home."

By combining elements of the two, seemingly incongruous, Byron Bay landscapes, Melissa has stretched her modern, Australian Coastal Lux style to create a property that offers everything to the discerning traveller, that couldn’t have been made anywhere else, or by anyone else.