We're forever saving inspo from beautifully styled homes on Instagram, and @styledbyluee's stunning Gold Coast home is no exception. What started as an investment project, in which Lisa worked alongside her husband, a local builder, to develop a stunning duplex, soon turned into their dream family home. Find out how she designed this breathtaking seaside abode, and how the plans changed along the way…

Hey Lisa! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us. We came across your beautiful home on Instagram and instantly fell in love. Can you tell us about you and where you live?

I’m so glad you love our home as much as we do. I am a stay at home mum to my three gorgeous boys who are 4, 2 and 7 months old. I also help out my husband with the office work for our building company ‘Custombuilt Builders’ and I am starting to get into the interior styling side of things as well.

I have grown up on the Gold Coast, and my husband I moved to Currumbin when I was pregnant with our first son and instantly fell in love with the area. We love that it has everything - the beach, the creek and the valley. Even though it is quite a busy area now, it still has such a relaxing coastal, family friendly vibe that we love. Living across the road from the creek in a home my husband has built, really is a dream come true.

Was your home a renovation or new build? Can you tell us a little about the process?

For us the process started out as looking to do our first ever development with some of our friends, which my husband’s company would build.

It just so happened that we found a little old beach shack on one of the most beautiful streets in Currumbin and we knew we had to have it. The block was big enough to have two titles on it, so we knew it had great development potential.

Winning at the auction was such a surreal moment! Little did we know we would then be stuck in council for over a year and a half trying to get a design we were all happy with, that met the strict flooding requirements. Then throw in COVID to the mix and you could say it was a very emotional ride!

For me it was an amazing journey. My husband has been building for years, but this was the first time I got to be involved in a new build and it really opened my eyes up to just how much detail and planning goes into it all. Our friend we did the project with really took me under her wing and taught me so much in the interior world and has really ignited my passion for wanting to explore the industry more, which I am so grateful for.

Our intention throughout the entire project was to always sell both of the units, but the more they started to come together and the more beautiful they started to look, I started dropping subtle hints to my husband to try and persuade him, and here we are!

Why did you decide to build a duplex and how did you ensure that the style of each property was unique, but also cohesive?

When we found the block and knew it could have two titles on it, it was a no brainer for us to build the two units as opposed to a stand alone home, as we were always looking at it from a development perspective.

The idea of doing two different looks was to appeal to a broader market come auction day. However, both of the units actually mirror each other in design which made it more cost effective for the build.

We gave them their own unique flares by choosing different finishes, such as brushed nickel vs brushed brass, a feature stone with dark browns and greys vs cream and sandy colours, a beautiful timber lined ceiling vs a raked VJ ceiling for the front deck, a square vs a round feature window, and oval vs arch mirrors. It was a lot of fun coming up with ways to give them their own unique personalities but still tie in nicely together.

Describe the overall style of your home…

I think our home definitely falls into the 'modern coastal' vibe. It is light and bright, and really plays to the amazing views of the Currumbin creek.

I have always been a lover of all things neutral, which is definitely reflected in how our home has been styled. I think the touches of blackbutt timber and brushed brass throughout, as well as the use of texture in our features, such as the stone wall and Venetian plaster in the bathrooms, really tie in beautifully together, bringing that modern element to the classic coastal look.

Where did you find inspiration when designing and styling your home?

Deciding to move into our home was such a last minute decision, so I didn’t have the Pinterest board and my whole style planned out. But I would say at least 99% of my inspiration comes from Instagram! I am always finding beautiful, inspiring accounts and I love seeing what they all do… it’s a great community for the interior space!

What’s your favourite thing about where you live?

Definitely waking up to the view of the creek every morning. There is something so peaceful about sitting out on the front deck and sipping my morning coffee (and just pretending I can’t hear my boys going crazy in the background). For me the location is what makes it feel so special… but my favourite thing about our home would have to be having our own master retreat upstairs. It’s nice at the end of the day to be able to seperate yourself from the chaos that has been and truly unwind in such a beautiful space. The open plan ensuite and our own private balcony give off a tranquil, resort feeling - so even though covid has cancelled our travel plans, we honestly feel like every day is a holiday in our beautiful home. Not a day goes by that I am not forever grateful for where we live!

What’s your next project or purchase for your home?

I am on the hunt for some plants this week to finish off the styling of some areas and then we actually just announced some very big news about our next project on Instagram…

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