For this stay we discover the journey of Lumiere House, as Kelly shares the intricate details of re-imagining a ’70s brown brick bungalow while wholeheartedly preserving its cherished connection to the past. Set in the tranquil town of Suffolk Park, Lumiere House has created a space where you can do as little or as much as you please. Indulge in local coffee and coastal walks that beckon just a stones throw away, or surrender to the embrace of the house itself, bathed in natural light and warm interiors. Whether you seek simplicity or exploration, this home offers the ideal escape.
SHOP THE LOOK
1/ Lola #2366 Rug 2/ Monte Throw|Sand 3/ Monte #3 Cushion|Rust 4/ Frida, Her Photos Book 5/ Luz Made-to-Order Rug|Camel & Butter 6/ Monte #19 XL Lumbar Cushion|Sand 7/ Mini Andes|Sol 8/ Selva Made-to-Order Runner|Burgundy & Natural
Talk us through the design process and how you went about re-imaging the space.
Lumiere House was a ’70s brown brick bungalow typical of the era so I wanted to give it a modern upgrade without losing its connection to the past.
The original house already had a great layout so apart from relocating the existing laundry I kept to the original floorplan. The light in the house was already good, but it was that aspect that I wanted to amplify so it shaped the decisions to replace the existing windows, open the roof space to expose the beams, dig up and remove the dark brown floor tiles that ran the entirety of the house and select a lighter colour palette both internally and externally.
Light now floods into the space in each and every room, hence the name, ‘Lumiere’ House which is French for light.
Describe the perfect day spent at Aureum Abodes stay.
Wake up early and have a morning walk along the beach (2 minutes from the property) up to Broken Head whilst the sun rises taking in a freshly baked treat from Suffolk Park Bakery and a touch of caffeine from Jimmy’s coffee cart.
Midday swim, surf or bike ride into Byron before relaxing back in Lumiere House and enjoying a soak in the huge tiled bath tub, fire-up the pizza oven and sit alfresco with a glass of vino under the stars listening to the ocean roaring before snuggling up in fine linen bed sheets. During the cooler months enjoy the log burning stove. It’s a space where you can do as much or as little as you prefer.
The house has beautiful exposed, original beams, tell us about the moment you found them and the feeling of knowing that this would be such a strong feature.
Having exposed ceiling beams on a previous renovation I knew instantly that I wanted to do the same with Lumiere House but there are no guarantees that the original beams are in a fit state to be on show and it can potentially open a whole bag of worms! It was a nervous moment whilst waiting for an internal roof inspection. It felt like winning the lottery to be told the beams were in fabulous condition as not only is it a strong design feature but makes such a huge difference to the ambience and feel of the house.
All of the rooms feature beautiful French doors to the outdoors which adds to the sense of spaciousness. Was this an intentional design choice?
Absolutely. We worked with Effie Cooke a landscape architect who created a beautiful vision for the outdoor space and we wanted each of the rooms on the North side of the property to be fully accessible to that outdoor area. The ability to open up the house so widely and bring the outside in adds to the continual theme and feeling of space and light.
Tell us a little about what drew you to the Pampa Pieces you chose for your space.
It was an obvious choice to select Pampa rugs, both for the quality and the wide choice of colours and design. The team at Pampa were absolutely fabulous and let me try a few rugs in the space to get that perfect match. The peachy colours in the Monte rug are so grounding in the space and bring the whole room together. The natural runner in the master bedroom frames the end of the bed bench perfectly and acts as an extra layer of texture and depth to the space.
What’s your favourite season to spend in Byron?
I love Byron Bay in all its glorious seasons but especially in the Winter. Going for leisurely lighthouse walks, watching the humpback whales migrate, enjoying the local coffee and gastronomy offerings and basking in the Winter sun without the humidity. It feels like waking up in paradise on repeat.
Photos by Andi Plowman
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