Home Tour: Barefoot Luxury at The Shore of Gerringong

Who lives here

The Shore of Gerringong is Aimee McKechnie's luxury holiday home.

Location

Gerringong, South Coast of NSW  

Decor style

Soft minimalism with a relaxed barefoot luxury

Favourite space

The banquette seat in the dining area. It's where all the action happens but is also incredibly comfortable so you can sit and read a good book with the sunlight coming through the window. So relaxing!

Favourite pieces

I particularly love the stools in the bedrooms, made in Melbourne by Heimur Design. 

Lush green headlands, sandy shores, and ocean swells, beautiful Gerringong is a little slice of paradise on the South Coast of New South Wales. A blissfully easy-going town with year-round holiday feels – it's a place where time slows down and sunny days linger – the perfect setting for interior designer Aimee McKechnie of Curated and Made's holiday home, The Shore at Gerringong. 

The humble 1980s beach house was a project that Aimee had longed for. A holiday home that she could open up to others that's different from their every day. With sweeping views over the grassy headland and out to the ocean, the soft minimalism renovation was about making the views the hero inside and out. 

"I wanted guests to feel like they were in an oasis of calm by combining the warm, minimal colours you find along the Australian coastline with some Mediterranean influences for added interest," explains Aimee. "It didn't feel right to compete with the rolling green hills and the ocean, so I took a step back and tried to create a little cocoon where you could happily sit and watch the changing landscape."

Upstairs is where the views of the surrounding landscape really take centre-stage. Plush sofas and armchairs sit in front of the fireplace, and the cathedral, shiplap ceilings extend from the living room to the upper deck. The open plan kitchen and dining is designed so you can move from the dining table to the kitchen bench to the lounge area with ease, while the deck is a relaxation zone by day and a space to gather for sundowners. 

"Early on I knew the overarching style was a warm, soft minimalism - a really understated home so the beautiful fixtures and finishes could take centre stage without feeling cold or bare," says Aimee. "My answer was in the use of natural materials - they make a space feel tactile, textural and comfortable while being unique and having their own traits. I looked to linens, leather, wood and natural stone and blended it with really well-made joinery and furniture to elevate the interiors and avoid it looking rustic."

The second living area downstairs has been designed as a family living zone, a kid's retreat in a way, with a television, a kitchenette and a well-stocked games cupboard. The five bedrooms, two upstairs and three downstairs, are all designed as a private oasis, each with a luxurious ensuite of Travertine tiles and beautiful vanities. 

Then there is the home's ever-changing gallery of emerging and established Australian art, a passion that Aimee unabashedly indulges. It's almost all original, hung or placed throughout the home – adding texture and depth in a way that piques the interest of the guest. It's a nod to the thriving community of artisan and small businesses of Gerringong and the South Coast of New South Wales. 

Stepping out through the sheer curtains and sliding glass doors, the natural environment abounds in the most surprising of ways. 

"A lot of time was spent re-designing the outdoor area to allow enough space for ball games on the grass as well as a large deck and pool area. The new fencing affords this area so much privacy and adds to the resort-like feeling I wanted to achieve. Limestone paving from Eco Outdoor softens everything and reinforces the barefoot luxury vibe," explains Aimee.

Just beyond the fence line of The Shore at Gerringong, the parkland flows down to Werri Beach – a surfie hotspot with an ocean pool set within a rocky outcrop at the foot of the headland. 

"The landscape still takes my breath away every time I drive around the Kiama bends and see Werri Beach to the left -the lush green headlands meeting the ocean is just picture-perfect," says Aimee. "Combine this with a thriving community of local caterers, craftspeople, artisans and small businesses as well as proximity to other destinations such as Berry and the Minnamurra - Gerringong just has so much to offer."

For coffee/breakfast

Either the Clay Coffee Collective in town (they serve coffee in handmade ceramic mugs which gets me every time) or The Kiosk because of its proximity to the house and really good coffee and toasties. Out the back gate and a 30-second walk which you can't beat.

For lunch

Crooked River Wines for a beautiful lunch amongst the vines and a few glasses of pinot gris. 

For dinner

We rarely eat out for dinner because, honestly, we have the best spot in town to watch the sunset from our deck! Dandelion and Mallow is a favourite local caterer and is incredible so we sometimes indulge and order catering in advance so we can stay at the house. Karina uses all local produce and creates the most amazing food you'll ever taste.

For drinks

Gather by The Hill does a great cocktail, with incredible views.

Go-to local boutique

Ziba Lifestyle has a great selection of clothing and accessories and is definitely my favourite store in town. 

Best kept secret in the local area

The clay experience by Barefoot Five tribe. Jo is amazing and offers in-home (or holiday property) workshops that are tailored to your group. Another secret that will no doubt start getting noticed soon is Hegi Design Studio. They are a local couple that makes incredible furniture. You'll see more of their designs being showcased in the coming months/years, I'm sure of it.

"I'm a sucker for anything handmade that also supports small businesses. For art and ceramics, you can't beat Greenhouse Interiors, Jumbled, Marloe Marloe and MayClay. For towels, my go-to is Kobn and Loom. And linens are always from The Sheet Society, Bed Threads or Cultiver," says Aimee. 

Interior Design: Aimee McKechnie of Curated and Made Interiors

Photography: The Palm Co.

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