Property Home Tours

Home Tour: Cape Beach House, A Calming Oasis

The Hamptons meet Byron Bay in this stunning makeover over of a Byron Bay beach house.

Writers

Sitchu Team, Margaret Quilter

12 October 2022

Location: Byron Bay

Who lives here: Owned by Byron locals, Katie and Marc Wilson

Interior style: An Australian take on Hamptons with a strong coastal undertone.

Favourite room: When completing the project, I stayed in Bedroom One, the guest suite at the front of the property with its own deck. I just loved this space. It felt like a little oasis waking up each morning, seeing the palms out the front, and enjoying the luxurious Cultiver linen.

Favourite pieces: Ultimately, we love every piece in the home. If we had to choose, it would be all the custom joinery and tile selections throughout, we really love good quality joinery, and it is so important for setting the tone in each space.

Love the most: Honestly, everything! Cape Beach House was a really satisfying project for The Stables, a beautiful property, the loveliest clients, and it resulted in accommodation that as soon as you enter, you feel that everything is right and in its perfect place. Just how you should feel on holiday!

With the luxury feel of a hotel and the comfort of a beach house, this boutique guesthouse is just as dreamy as its location. Perfectly positioned across the road from Byron Bay’s best surf breaks, Cape Beach House embodies everything Katie and Marc Wilson love about this seaside location.

Built during a time when Byron Bay was an oasis for surfers and peace-loving folk, this 1960s Victorian-style weatherboard sits opposite Clarke’s Beach – steps away from the famed surf break of The Pass and a short walk into town. Since the 90s, Katie and Marc have held on tight to this little slice of paradise, turning it into a guesthouse with four luxury suites.

THE BRIEF

Having lived in a tiny studio below the guesthouse, Katie and Marc knew exactly what they wanted from the renovation to maximise the most of the home and its location. The person to realise their vision was Sydney-based interior designer Catherine Heraghty from The Stables.

The brief was to overhaul the entire guesthouse, including a beautiful apartment for themselves on the top level, while updating all the interiors to create a special boutique experience for their guests. As part of the makeover, it was important to create additional spaces such as a downstairs office, storage and a communal powder room for arriving guests, plus update all furniture and styling to refresh every space.

“As soon as we arrived at Cape Beach House, you could feel the calm, relaxed coastal vibe,” says Catherine. “The vision was to create an Australian Hamptons Coastal aesthetic full of natural texture, calming neutral tones and timeless pieces. This aesthetic was reflected in every single selection – from joinery, tapware and tiles to furniture, artwork, bed linen and accessories.”

The home’s exterior cladding, white colour palette and swaying palm trees has a Hamptons meets Byron Bay vibe. Step inside, and the theme continues with light, bright and airy interiors, natural timber floors, whitewashed walls and wide, high raked ceilings.

OPEN PLAN LIVING

“The communal kitchen and dining area are the hub of the boutique accommodation, and it’s the ideal place to sit in the window nook and watch the pool glisten while enjoying one of Katie’s famous homemade muffins and a cup of tea,” explains Catherine.

In the morning’s guests gravitate towards the stunning oversized 10-seater Hudson dining table from MCM House, taking full advantage of the kitchenette – with its custom joinery, open shelving and beautiful Di Lorenzo tiled splashback. Off to the side of the dining area, the Aqua Bumps artwork sets the tone for the living room – furniture made from natural textures and timbers, while the artwork inspires the colours in the cushions, throws and accessories.

“Katie and Marc wanted to keep things as local and authentic to Byron Bay as possible, and with so many beautiful boutiques and homewares stores nearby, we had plenty to choose from,” says Catherine.

THE GUESTROOMS

Completing the communal flow of the living area are the bi-fold doors that open onto an oasis of complete relaxation — a sundeck and lap pool framed by palm trees. Then there is the private sanctuary of the four guest suites. Individually designed to combine a calming coastal palette with natural textures, the suites offer a laid-back luxury that’s fitting of its surroundings. Natural timber flooring, high raked ceilings, bed linen from Cultiver and ensuites with Di Lorenzo tiles, while plantation shutters lead onto sunny verandas that overlook palm trees and the garden.

“The combination of all the design elements coming together creates the Australia meets Hamptons feel, and honestly, we love everything about it,” says Catherine. “Cape Beach House was a really satisfying project for The Stables, a beautiful property, the loveliest clients, and it results in accommodation that as soon as you enter, you feel that everything is just right. And that’s how you should feel when you’re on holiday.”

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

This insta-famous destination is one of Australia’s most talked-about (and visited) beachside towns, and rightfully so. Byron’s lush subtropical climate is an outdoor lover’s dream. Rolling hills and rainforests give way to a spectacular coastline and a town that’s bursting at the seams with eateries, shopfronts, markets and festivals that promote the easy-going boho lifestyle that this region is renowned for.