The Nautilus
Luke and Jess Camilleri’s revitalised holiday home on Moreton Island is the yin to the yang of their residence on the mainland.
Design + styling She Creates.Co / Design + Reno Build Michael Yabsley / Words Nichola Davies
The Camilleri family’s primary home in the Brisbane suburb of Bridgeman Downs has a dark, bold feel, incorporating materials including concrete, sandstone and wood. It’s quite a contrast to their newly renovated holiday home on Moreton Island, brought to life by designer Nicola Murray of She Creates.co in collaboration with builder Michael Yabsley.
“We wanted to take the clients’ style but put a spin on it where it became the opposite partner of their main home,” explains Nicola. “We carried across the natural materials such as sandstone, wood and cacti, and made a lighter tropical version.”
The Camilleris had completed some renovations to their island property some time prior to Nicola and Michael taking over the project. It had a Balinese feel, with darker wood tones and a thatched roof.
“Jess and Luke have a love for the coastal lifestyle; they have many beautiful memories in Byron Bay and in Noosa, where they got married,” says Nicola. “This was one of the sources for inspiration. We wanted the home to feel as though you are on a holiday but still have that feeling of home.”
After presenting a thorough creative direction for the renovation – everything from style and mood to finishes and a 3D model – Nicola and Michael worked with the Camilleris to select many of the finishes in person to ensure they sourced the perfect materials.
Michael then organised trades and materials for the project and lived on the island while the build was completed over six months. Meanwhile, Nicola was on the mainland ordering furniture items and organising custom trades for window furnishings, upholstery, interior landscaping, house signage, and more.
“It was definitely our most challenging project yet in terms of logistics,” says Nicola. “We had to get all stock delivered and stored on the mainland, and then have it picked up by a truck and sent to the island by boat. We didn’t have the privilege that we do on other jobs to duck out and grab something that we might have needed, so we had to be well organised.”
The ethos of the renovation involved breathing life into the wonderful features the home already offered. Its existing cane-thatched roof, for example, was beautiful but dark, making the home feel closed in. “We decided to paint it all white, which made a world of difference, but still kept the beautiful character of the original home,” Nicola points out.
The interior is now full of soft curves, stunning natural materials and breezy linens, which combine to achieve the home’s relaxed coastal feel. It’s hard to pick a single favourite aspect of the house, says Nicola. “But I must say, when you walk up the stairs into the kitchen and living area and see the ceilings and the beautiful view from all angles, it feels like you’re stepping into heaven on earth.”
Nicola says Luke and Jess were speechless when they saw the finished product. “They couldn’t believe what they were seeing,” she recalls. “It was a beautiful moment that gave me goosebumps.”
