Sunshine Beach Retreat: Pool, Backyard

In a part of the coast known for its effortless symmetry with the natural world, this alluring Sunshine Beach home stands out for an artful design that thoughtfully melds the indoors and out in tribute to its coastal landscape. Tucked away in a quiet street bordered by lush national park, the five-bedroom home is a masterclass in blending fashion and function. Signature elements capture the eye, turning everyday features such as lighting into bold statements. Yet the focus on family, friends and fun claims centre stage, right down to a colourful backyard fort for younger guests.

Stretching across four levels, the home makes chic comfort a priority throughout its floorplan. In the bedrooms, warm sunlight floods in through expanses of glass while striking artworks and objets d’art create a stylish ambience that is less sleeping zone, more private haven. The effect is particularly striking in the luxurious master bedroom, where a spacious in-room soaking tub and slanted windows speak to the glamour of a private resort.

Throughout the living spaces, a palette heavy in soothing hues enhances the feeling of warmth and invitation, blending neutral, rustic and chocolate tones with touches of monochrome and splashes of blue that draw obvious inspiration from the nearby ocean. The design creates a feeling of effortless flow.

With multiple spaces for leisure and pleasure, the home’s chief lifestyle hub stretches across an open-plan zone that’s anchored by a fully equipped kitchen with everything eager cooks need to tap into the area’s rich bounty of fresh local produce. Meals can be eaten casually at the bench, enjoyed in the comfortable conversation corner or served at a sit-up dining space that brings guests together around the table. Stylish timber stacker doors open through to one of the home’s multiple undercover terraces, ideally set up for alfresco entertaining with a 10-seater table and barbecue.

With a formal lounge and rumpus/children’s lounge positioned on different levels, the home allows varied age groups to find joy in their separate interests, be it television shows, games or simple conversations around the issues of the day. Outside, the communal pool zone is the ideal space to come together, whether you’re splashing in the deep end, trying out the spa or claiming moments of rest on the sunloungers.

When it’s time to go exploring, the amenities and attractions of Sunshine Beach are all within close reach on foot or by car, from the beach that gives the suburb its name, complete with patrolled zone and surfing, to appealing retail and eating options, a surf club and the start of a walking track through Noosa National Park that leads around to Hastings Street and Main Beach. Here, in a high-profile tourist hub that’s also only a short drive away, a picturesque panorama of sand and surf fringes a cosmopolitan precinct featuring some of the coast’s best shopping and dining. Combine the best of both worlds by sitting down to enjoy your fill of culinary creativity at a table overlooking the beach, revelling in the buzz of the crowds and company. Then, when you’re done, head home to the soothing serenity of your holiday base, where everyday stresses fall away and the smallest of moments with family and friends can enjoy special meaning. It’s a true world away from the everyday, so make the most of it.