NAUTILUS

Luke and Jess Camilleri’s revitalised holiday home on Moreton Island is the yin to the yang of their residence on the mainland.

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 (Mulgumpin), 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.”

OPEN-PLAN LIVING Nicola says the open-plan living, dining and kitchen upstairs is her favourite space. Sofa from Freedom; rug from Miss Amara; coffee table from En Gold; plants from CCL Cacti; ceiling fans from Beacon.

This freshly renovated holiday home, ‘Nautilus’, is perched high up on Tangalooma Resort hill on Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) with breathtaking views over Moreton Bay.

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