Summer! Arguably, the best time of year and not only because it promises time spent in the sun, by the water.
If a summer getaway is on the cards this year, we’ve rounded up 10 of our favourite design-led coastal stays to help inspire your holiday plans. Check them out below!
6286 Dining Table by Fredericia from Cult Design. Custom made banquette seat. Akari Pendant Light from Finnish Design Shop. Ceiling stained with Porter’s Paints Watermark. Photo – Nikole Ramsay for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli
Skantherm Shaker Fireplace from Oblica. Korbo Classic 24 Galvanised Wire Basket and Akari Pendant Light from Finnish Design Shop. Artek Day Bed from Anibou. Duvet by Marimekko. Photo – Nikole Ramsay for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli
6286 Dining Table by Fredericia from Cult Design. Oyster paintings by Lewis Miller. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Editorial styling – Annie Portelli
If uninterrupted sea views are on your wishlist for a summer getaway, look no further than this impossibly chic stay in Eastern View, Victoria.
Interior designer Leigh Ellwood has transformed the 70s shack into a dreamy beach house, with minimal timber interiors inspired by Cabanon (1951) on the Côte d’Azur in France—the holiday house of Le Corbusier.
It’s the definition of relaxation.
Il Delfino, a former seaside inn, is now an Italian-inspired stay. Photo – Anna Pihan.
Right on the water in Yamba, NSW. Photo – Anna Pihan.
The entire villa is available for rent, or just the individual suites. Photo – Anna Pihan.
Photo – Anna Pihan.
The interiors are inspired by Italy’s coastal towns. Photo – Anna Pihan.
Photo – Anna Pihan.
Whilst a trip to Italy’s charming seaside villages is forever on the wishlist — but perhaps off the cards for now — this accommodation in Yamba, New South Wales does a great job of bringing the Riviera towns down under.
Il Defino is a restored 1948 Seaside Inn overlooking the sparkling Northern NSW waters.
The entire villa is available to be rented, or you can simply book one of the five suites; Cinque Terre, Portofino, Ravello, Ischia, or Scopello.
Camillo House in Blairgowrie. Photo – Kate Shanasy
The expansive kitchen on the ground floor. Photo – Kate Shanasy
The serene main bedroom has an impressive ensuite, complete with peachy-toned tiles and a double shower! Photo – Kate Shanasy
Every room has uninterrupted views. Photo – Kate Shanasy
You can’t get much closer to the ‘wild beauty’ of Blairgowrie’s back beach than Camillo House, located on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
The serene three-level property offers uninterrupted views of the coastal surrounds at every turn, while the getaway’s beautifully renovated interiors help turn the magic of the once-faded 1980s holiday home into a serene escape from ‘the grind of modern life’.
It’s a full sensory experience, complete with a signature ‘house scent’, and a Negroni on arrival!
Swansong is the off-grid holiday house of Lisa Hatfield and landscape designer Sam Cox, and it’s available to book! Photo – Natasha Mulhall
The bathroom view. Photo – Natasha Mulhall
Swansong is both inspired by the landscape and a platform for taking in its calming water and bushland views. Photo – Natasha Mulhall
To experience Swansong is to experience nature in the town of St Helens, Tasmania, — its weather, wildlife, sparkling turquoise waters and famous orange lichen-covered landscape.
Lisa Hatfield and landscape designer Sam Cox purchased this bush block on the state’s north-east coast in 2014, with plans to immerse a sustainable holiday house in the remarkable Bay of Fires region.
The clever home is both inspired by the landscape, and a platform for taking in its calming water and bushland views.
A deliberately small 60 square metre footprint spans two pavilions, designed to recreate the feeling of camping, as guests move between the spaces.
The home is fitted out in mid-century style furniture to match its original architecture. Styling- Sophie McCabe. Photo – Rhiannon Taylor.
The property is perched right on the water at Cameron’s Bight! Styling- Sophie McCabe. Photo – Rhiannon Taylor.
Styling- Sophie McCabe. Photo – Rhiannon Taylor.
All of the bedrooms have stunning views of the ocean! Styling- Sophie McCabe. Photo – Rhiannon Taylor.
Perched over Cameron’s Bight in Sorrento, Victoria, this classic mid-century home has a long history as a place for entertaining, gathering and relaxation.
It was first built in the 1970s as a weekender for the original owners, who named it after their favourite holiday destination in Hawaii — Kona Kahlua.
When Siobhan Blewitt and Chris Hanson came across the property a couple of years ago, they were drawn to its pristine mid-century features like the original wood panelling, light fittings, and bright textured wallpaper.
So, they snapped Kona Kahlua up, restored it back to its former glory and re-opened it as a dreamy short-stay accommodation under the same name!
Freya sleeps up to two people. Photo – Arlow Studios
These elegant cabins are nestled just off the beach on the north coast of Kangaroo Island.
Freya, Nora and Tove have everything you need for a relaxing retreat including hot tubs, barbecues and a deck net for basking in the sun.
Of course, the uninterrupted sea views are a given.
Vintage Barsony lady sculptures. Leather Strapping Dining Chair from Fenton & Fenton. Leather Strapping Bar Stool from Fenton & Fenton. Checkerboard Dhurrie from Fenton & Fenton. Vintage poster from @vintagepostersonly. Vintage floor lamp. Photo – Eve Wilson
Artwork by Daniel Bean. Vintage sofa from Curated Spaces. Moroccan carpet Lucy sourced in Marrakesh. Moon Throw from Fenton & Fenton. Photo – Eve Wilson
A quiet corner featuring a built-in bunk bed. Bed linen from Ikea. Photo – Eve Wilson
This relaxed 80s beach house in Anglesea, Victoria, is filled with good vibes and nostalgia.
Its relaxed retro feel is undeniable. Set against the bush and stunning coastline of cliffs, this four-bedroom holiday home promises endless summer fun.
The kitchenette inside the Jan Juc stay. Photo – Nikole Ramsay.
The cosy sleeping quarters features a double bed. Photo – Nikole Ramsay.
The accommodation extends to a sunny deck. Photo – Nikole Ramsay.
Photo – Nikole Ramsay.
Sunset is a newly built accommodation designed by Shelby Ann Studio and ceramicist Chela Edmunds of Takeawei.
Mid-century design, combined with a love of Japanese ceramics and the beauty of Victoria’s coast all inspired the look and feel of this little beach retreat.
Located in the laid-back coastal enclave of Jan Juc, the getaway spans just 28 square metres, but anything it lacks in size it makes up for with its clever design.
Bar stools and lamp from House of Orange. Plates, serving bowls and Kokeshi dolls from Made In Japan. Photo – Victor Vieaux
Lamp base and shade by HKliving from House of Orange. Pampa rug. Photo – Victor Vieaux
Water skis from former house owner, Lena. Built in benches by Victor Vieaux. Hardwood door by Aspect Windows. Photo – Victor Vieaux
As its name suggests, Le Cabanon is coastal accommodation with a hint of French design that also pays homage to Le Corbusier’s World Heritage-listed 1951 beach shack on the French Riviera.
Like the original Le Cabanon, the modernist-inspired architecture of this charming 1960s beach house is clean, functional, and features a selective use of colour to evoke an emotional response.
The interior is inspired by French hotels, including Paris’ Château Voltaire. Photo – Lulu Cavanagh
Handmade zellige tiles were chosen for their movement and irregularity. Photo – Claire McFerran
The property contains two bedrooms to sleep up to four guests. Photo – Claire McFerran
New boutique stay Ric’s Cottesloe was created by interior design studio White Studio & Co and their client following a buying trip in Paris.
This time in France inspired the look of the ‘pied-à-terre’, designed to capture the essence of a European holiday, but in a Perth context.
The result is homely and decadent — a charming seaside stay that feels both familiar and elevated.
