Wanting to create a lifestyle inspired by the beauty and excitement of amazing holiday locations and properties around the globe, Aaron, his wife Sarah and their three kids set about renovating two incredible 60’s era beach houses. Bilinga Beach Abodes and the Villas – Bilinga Beach Abode are properties that merge a Palm Springs aesthetic with those gorgeous elements of Mediterranean style. The results are warm, character-filled, and wonderfully beautiful. These are calming spaces filled with natural light, sky-high ceilings, earthy tones, textures, and considered materials with a strong connection to nature and an outdoor lifestyle. Read on for plenty of excellent reno advice and to find out all about Aaron and his family’s Jatana choices.

What motivated you to renovate?

The passion came from seeing these beautiful holiday places and locations and thinking, why can’t we create this at home and have that beauty and excitement every day?! The satisfaction from doing this and the enjoyment it brought to our family was not just an investment in our properties but an investment in our lifestyle.

What was your goal for your renovations?

Our goal is never to renovate and sell; we are keeper-type people. We love to renovate, and hopefully, we have a style that ages gracefully so our children can enjoy these properties and the lifestyle they offer for a long time to come! 

How would you describe your style?

If you could ever have Palm Springs and the Mediterranean meet, this would sum up our style. To us, Palm Springs’ colours and the Mediterranean’s softness are the perfect mixes of aesthetics. 

Talk us through the process you took in the planning stages of the renovation.

We are big on natural light and privacy and look at these elements first. Be familiar with the surroundings, know what you like to view, and in which direction you will obtain the best lighting. This includes your bathrooms. Once you have designed and laid out these essential elements, pick a style you love and stick with it. It is important to look at and treat each space (interior or exterior) as its own while being mindful of the overall flow of the home. Think about where you love to spend most of your spare time and focus on making it everything you ever wanted and more while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic. 

Did you visit the Jatana showroom to look around at tiles? How many samples did you leave with,

or did you decide on your tiles there and then?

Well, we met Sonya 9 years ago now, and that was in her showroom. For every project, getting that feel of textures and looking at tone has been essential to making that tile selection. We would take away 5 samples after spending quality time and collaborating on what works best for the project. 

What were you looking for in a tile?

As much naturalness as we could while ticking boxes on texture and colour tones. From organic and natural to colourfully vibrant! 

Which spaces did you tile?

All our wet areas, pools, stairs, and patios.

Why did you choose Jatana and What did you enjoy best about the Jatana experience?

Being so authentic and different, Sonya and the team made us feel so comfortable, and sometimes that can be the key to coming back. The combination of Jatana and what we do is fitting, as we like to step out of the box and be different. 

Any advice for first-time renovators?

Be bold and brave. Don’t settle with taking the safe options. Back yourself and believe in what you can do. Collect as much inspo as possible and focus on everything, including the little details.

Where can we find you? 

@bilinga_beach_abodes & @thevillas_bilinga_beach_abode