When we sprung into action to turn a family home into a holiday home, there were some must-haves to create the ultimate coastal holiday pad. And a good night’s sleep was top of the list…

COZY BEDS FOR SLEEPY HEADS

Comfy beds are must for guest happiness and simple luxuries like great mattresses and gorgeous fresh linen are the key to achieving this.

In the main bedroom at Rolling Seas, we chose fresh white Adairs Vintage Washed linen bedding as the base, and then added accents of earthy, rusty tones through the cushions and throw. We opted for a plush doona (what we Aussies call a duvet/quilt) rather than a flimsy hotel blanket for a cosy night’s sleep.

Top tip - a sheet draped across the bed is an easy way to add layers and colour, like we’ve done here with this earth coloured stonewash cotton sheet. And easy for guests, should they want to remake the bed throughout their stay too!

We steered clear of pull out beds at Rolling Seas, favouring bigger beds that don’t require any extra effort from the guests to assemble. We had our builder make three new built-in beds in the Multipurpose room and we chose Eva Mattresses for their dreamy comfort of plush memory foam with the premium support of pocket springs that will have guests sleeping soundly night after night.

LUXE LOUNGING

Beachside holidays are all about relaxing and soaking up the sun, surf and sand, so plenty of places for guests to kick back and lounge around with lots of seating is an absolute must-have.

On the main deck Rolling Seas, there’s a poolside lounging area, styled with four of the most gorgeous luxurious sun-loungers we’ve ever seen, from Abide Interiors. It was important that they’re tough and weatherproof to withstand the seafront conditions and these bad boys (made from kiln-dried teak) are ready for that challenge. As is this beautiful umbrella, from Ferm Living, that gives UV30+ protection from those hot Queensland rays.

On the other side of the deck, closer to the kitchen, we’ve created another lounge area with a sofa, armchairs and plenty of side tables for snacks and drinks. And we found the perfect pot from The Balcony Garden to add some greenery to this area which gets bonus points for not obstructing the view - it’s the shorter cousin of the ones we’ve used before.

FEELS LIKE HOME

One of the things we love about a holiday rental property versus a hotel is the unique and personalised experience they can provide, with all the comforts of home (or maybe even more!)

For a personalised touch at Rolling Seas, we used one of Mick’s surfboards as a piece of art in the games room as a nod to the home’s owner. In both the main and cottage kitchen we added top-notch De’Longhi coffee machines for barista quality coffee on demand. #holidayessential

BEACH FRIENDLY FLOORS & RUGS

Lucky for us, the white timber floors were already the perfectly imperfect look we love for a beach house. There are plenty of knots which are very forgiving to mess and they’re easy to sweep or vacuum.

Natural fibre rugs, made from materials like jute or in the case of these ones from The Dharma Door, banana fibre, are essentials for coastal homes. We used them inside and out on the ground floor at Rolling Seas because they’re so easy to shake for a quick clean and won’t show up sandy footprints.

WHIMSY WINDOW COVERINGS

Curtains are one of the most effective ways to soften a space and we couldn’t style a holiday home without using white whimsy curtains wherever possible.

At Rolling Seas we used the same Luxaflex sheer linen curtains throughout the living areas and bedrooms and they’re quite mesmerising to watch blowing in the breeze.

SIGNATURE SCENT

If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain… then you’ll love the signature scent we chose for Rolling Seas. ECOYA’s Coconut & Elderflower scent has notes of Indonesian coconut and pineapple and is just divine.

Candles are always top of the list when we’re choosing styling props. They look gorgeous and are so versatile that they can be used in every room of the house - and we often do!

In a holiday property, smell is a fabulous way to ensure guests have long-lasting memories, evocative of their special holiday. Same goes for 2022’s hottest styling item, liquid hand soap (thanks COVID) and hand cream - don’t skimp on this and make it memorable.