Homes

A ‘Modern Mediterranean’ Family Home On The NSW Central Coast

On her first ever trip to Australia, Stephanie Davies (owner of La Boheme Lifestyle) visited the NSW Central Coast with her husband Nikolas Davies (owner of ND Skin) and they decided to stay. 

The Scottish couple purchased their current North Avoca home in 2015, which has recently undergone a massive transformation designed by Fabric Architecture and Studio Highfield, with builder Hudson Lane.

Taking inspiration from villas in Italy and Spain, the updated house incorporates textures, curves, and unique forms, creating a truly one-of-a-kind family home!

Written
by
Lucy Feagins
Supported by Dulux

The dining nook. Floating bench seat made by builder Hudson Lane with Metal Elements and The Recovery Ward Upholstery. Custom table by Metal Elements featuring pink Patagonia quartzite from CDK Stone. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Nikolas Davies, owner of ND Skin and Stephanie Davies, owner of La Boheme Lifestyle, in their North Avoca home. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

The dining nook. Floating bench seat made by builder Hudson Lane with Metal Elements and The Recovery Ward Upholstery. Custom table by Metal Elements featuring pink Patagonia quartzite from CDK Stone. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Wine cellar made by Hudson Lane. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

The custom concrete island bench made by Concrete Bespoke was craned into the home. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Oak veneer sliding doors by Loughlin Furniture. Zellij tiles from Earp Brothers. Concrete Bespoke island bench. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Oak veneer sliding doors by Loughlin Furniture. Zellij tiles from Earp Brothers. DesignByThem stool. Photos – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Aurora fireplace. ‘My favourite space is the booth with the suspended fire on in winter cooking in the kitchen with the kids and them playing on the floor,’ says Stephanie. Photo – Damien Furey

Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Aurora fireplace. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Astra Walker showerhead. Bathroom plastering by Interior One Plastering. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Lights from Lighting Collective. Tapware from Bisque Traders. Middle of Nowhere mirror.  Custom concrete basin designed by Studio Highfield and made by Concrete Bespoke. Vase by Claudia Kent. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

The  downstairs bathroom with curved Venetian plaster and terracotta tiling. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

The renovations had improved the home’s layout and provided a more relaxed, ‘outdoor’ feeling in keeping with its beachside location. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files. Styling – Tess Thyregod

Writer
Lucy Feagins
25th of April 2023

A  career opportunity saw Stephanie Davies, owner of La Boheme Lifestyle, and Nikolas Davies, owner of ND Skin, move to Australia in 2014. It was supposed to be just a two year stint, but nine years later, the couple are still here with their children Marlowe Rose (9) and Zanna Dawson (6).

Stephanie and Nikolas rented in Terrigal, before purchasing their own home in North Avoca in 2015. They’ve made some changes to the property over the years, starting with a makeover of the pool area, before a recent major transformation of the ground floor.

The couple engaged Fabric Architecture and Studio Highfield to reconfigure the layout, and design a complete overhaul of the home’s interiors. 

The brief was ‘modern Mediterranean with a coastal eclectic feel.’ Fabric Architecture and Studio Highfield achieved this through a mix of textured neutral materials including concrete, Moroccan tiles, Venetian plaster, terracotta, indoor crazy paving, and display niches carved directly into the hallway wall. Layered shades of Porter’s Paints French Wash in Savage Silk Toile and Snow White applied in a hand brushed loose pattern achieve the look of limestone walls.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, featuring the newly-created dining nook surrounding a round pink Patagonia quartzite table. ‘Hudson Lane were amazing at bringing it all to life,’ says says Stephanie. ‘Watching them create that booth was something else. It is magnificent.’

Stephanie’s favourite element of the renovation is the concrete kitchen island bench, which was made off site by Concrete Bespoke and craned into the home. Even the drawer fronts are concrete in this entirely bespoke design. ‘I always wanted an all-white Mediterranean style kitchen with curves and concrete, so when Studio Highfield helped us bring it to life, we were blown away.’ says Stephanie. 

The renovations have improved the home’s layout and provided a more relaxed, ‘outdoor’ feeling, in keeping with its beachside location. ‘Everything flows onto each other, but with lots of little niches and areas of interest to get lost in,’ says Stephanie. 

‘Our home is still a work in progress with so much to do, but for now we are enjoying living in the space and soaking in all the new aspects it has brought to our day to day living and giving us joy.’ 

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