Soul Restored: A Beaumaris Home Renovation Connecting Past and Present

In a quiet pocket of Beaumaris, where native saltbush brushes the breeze and the past lingers just beneath the timber, one of the suburb’s oldest homes has been given new life. Designed by Carlie from Hygge Design Studio, and now home to both her family and her practice, this ca.1890 former servants’ quarters has been gently reworked, not louder, but lighter.

This home renovation has created space for laughter, for food, for flow. It’s a story of calm textures and slow mornings, of Danish restraint softened by Australian warmth, and a designer who understands that good homes don’t just look good. They feel good.

Before it was Pointside, it was the stables and servants’ quarters for a grand mansion across the road, long since demolished. Today, that story lingers in the bones: in the Baltic Pine floorboards, in the original sash windows, in the echoes of a past that Carlie was determined to honour. Meticulous research into the home's history uncovered original floor plans, paint palettes, and even a 1947 Home Beautiful feature. A discovery of hand-pressed wallpaper , perfectly aligned with the new palette , now sits framed, a nod to the home's poetic continuity.

At the centre of the renovation is the kitchen, a space that hums with purpose and pleasure. Carlie opted for just two hero materials: American Walnut timber and Mirage Lake stone. Rich in warmth and soft in mood, they speak quietly but confidently. The curved island, supported by brass legs, feels more like a sculptural table than a bench , and its open form encourages gathering, movement, conversation. A decision to remove overhead cabinetry in favour of tall, concealed storage has transformed the room’s feeling, making it at once more spacious and serene. Function, yes. But also feeling.

Being in Beaumaris means nature is always close. Here, the garden isn’t just a backdrop , it’s part of the experience. A servery window opens out from the kitchen, inviting fresh air, morning sun, and a view that shifts with the seasons. Local flora like saltbush subtly informed the interior palette, and bi-folds open the home to the outdoors in a way that feels both intentional and effortless. It’s a daily ritual: opening the space to the sky.

At the front of the home, on either side of the entry, sits Hygge Design Studio. It’s filled with light, texture, and the tools of Carlie’s trade: samples, swatches, and stacks of design books. But it’s more than a workspace. It’s a space for community, too , hosting events, client conversations, and fireside chats that turn design into dialogue. For Carlie, the studio isn’t separate from the home. It is the home, its ideas embedded in every corner.

"Pointside captures everything I believe a home should be," Carlie reflects. "It’s thoughtfully designed, yes , but more than that, it’s a space that feels easy to live in." That sense of ease is built into every detail. Nothing is overly styled or rushed. Every material is given space to shine. Storage is where it’s needed, and warmth runs throughout. It’s a home that adapts to life’s quiet rhythms, and supports them, too. "Being surrounded by natural materials and a sense of order brings a calmness that carries through our days."

There’s no strict timeline here. Just a confident blend of moments: Victorian bones, mid-century Danish pieces, and contemporary touches that never shout for attention. The high ceilings and tall skirting boards play host to layered textures and colour-blocked walls, while every piece feels chosen, not styled. The result is not trend-led but deeply personal. "It tells our story," Carlie says. And it does. It tells it in walnut, in stone, in softness and soul.

The home, Carlie says, was "an old lady" when they found her , beautiful, but tired. Now? She’s revived, glowing, and full of life again. This is a home that hears laughter in its halls, that welcomes barefoot dinners and quiet mornings. It’s a space designed not just to be admired, but to be lived in. Gently, joyfully, and with intention.

Pointside isn’t just a renovation. It’s a return to something essential: a way of living that values connection, comfort, and calm.

Pointside doesn’t just feel calm by chance, it’s been designed that way, piece by piece. Calm, here, isn’t a trend or aesthetic. It’s a choice. It’s the soft curve of a bench top. The flow between. A palette that soothes, without slipping into sameness. It’s beauty that allows the mind to rest.

That same feeling lives in our Objects of Calm edit. A curation filled with the kinds of pieces that bring ease to your everyday, by clearing the visual noise, softening the edges, and helping you live with a little more intention. Some hide clutter. Some slow you down. Some are just quietly, wonderfully useful.

Explore the collection below.