Before + After: Lucy’s Beach Shack Living Room Transformation

It’s time for another One Room Wonders room transformation, but this one is extra special… because this makeover takes place at my new beach shack!

Like so many Melbournians, I spent the better part of 2020 and 2021 craving an escape from the city, and poring over coastal real estate listings. It wasn’t until just a few months ago that all the stars aligned, and we managed to secure this basic, super cute little beach shack on the Mornington Peninsula. It definitely feels like a dream come true!

Mind you – even the beach shack of our dreams certainly needed (and still needs!) a lot of love! SO, what better way to kick things off than with a One Room Wonders makeover blitz?

The original living room was small and quite simple, and though the house generally does have a nostalgic 60’s charm about it – this particular room is a recent add-on that really lacked any sort of character. We were really keen to inject some life into this room!

We started off the Surround by Laminex Batten 300 profile which is an extra-wide wall panelling, with a deep square groove. We love the exaggerated width of these panels, and the square groove makes them feel a little more modern than a traditional V-groove panelling. We decided to install the panels horizontally, which helps to elongate the room and make the space feel bigger.

Leaning in to the relaxed, coastal vibe, we selected a warm white for the walls. Surround by Laminex wall panelling comes pre-primed and ready to paint – we started off applying paint to all the deep grooves with a paintbrush, before applying two coats of paint with a roller – rolling horizontally in line with the panels.

Then, we went a bit crazy and made our own couch (!) – with a little help from our friends at Zenn Design. Gordy built the couch base with drawers underneath to maximise storage, and Zenn Design created the custom upholstery using using Warwick Fabrics’ Cheshire Paprika fabric.

We styled the couch with scatter cushions from Weave, which add a nice graphic touch, contrasting with the sheer linen curtains, again made by Zenn Design, using Warwick Fabrics’ Burano Eggshell linen weave

Once the furniture and curtains were in, it was time to think about lighting. This room had pre-existing downlights, but we were keen to add a couple more (dimmable!) light sources to inject a little more atmosphere. We went with a wall mounted reading lamp above the couch (its the Lamp de Marseille by Le Corbusier, which you can get at Cult, although this one is vintage). Above the dining table, we went with the really well-priced Dampier Lantern 70 pendant lamp by The Society inc, installed nice and low.

A careful edit of occasional furniture, artwork and handcrafted objects are the finishing touches that complete this look. I’m so happy with how this room turned out! And now… to tackle the rest of the house!

Surround by Laminex is a range of modern, pre-primed MDF wall linings, available in a great range of both classic and contemporary profiles – ready to paint. View the full range here, and start reimagining your space!