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The South Coast of New South Wales holds a special place in the hearts of Laura Byrne and Matty Johnson.
Not only have the couple — who fell in love on The Bachelor Australia in 2017 — spent countless holidays here with family, it’s also where they got married a few years ago.
This sentimentality is one of the reasons Matty and Laura felt an instant connection when they stumbled across a very rundown home in Ulladulla while scrolling coastal real estate listings one evening.
With its pink walls, tiered floor plan, and uninterrupted ocean views of Racecourse Beach, the dated 1980s house piqued their interest.
The following weekend, they followed their instincts and drove three-and-a-half hours from Sydney to see it in real life.
‘When we first went to the inspection, the house was deemed uninhabitable: it had everything from black mould, a collapsed balcony and ceiling, and rotting timber frames,’ says Matty, content creator and podcast host of Two Doting Dads.
‘You could see that the owners who built it had poured so much love into the details of the home. It was so sad to see how it had wasted away with time.
‘They say you shouldn’t make an emotional purchase when it comes to property, but we were so invested in this old gal from the very first moment we stepped foot inside.’
Despite its dilapidated state, Matty and Laura bought the house in July 2024, determined to breathe new life into the old building. Their resolve strengthened further after hearing stories about the home’s former custodian, Valerie Barnes, a translator for the United Nations, who gave the property the name ‘Chante Mer’.
‘She is somewhat a legend of Ulladulla,’ says Laura, founder and designer of ToniMay jewellery and podcast host of Life Uncut.
Upon starting the renovation, Laura and Matty found a number of books Valerie had authored, alongside a photo album documenting the home’s construction, including the original architectural drawings, which the couple have kept as part of the home’s history.
They also salvaged as many of the home’s original ‘quirks’ as possible, including the beautiful stained-glass front doors that were an ‘absolute no-brainer’ to keep. ‘They’re such a standout, and one of the first things you notice about the house,’ Laura says.
The bathrooms, flooring, windows, kitchen, and the laundry were all completely stripped back due to extensive damage. But, structural changes were kept to a minimum, limited mainly to a curved wall in the foyer — for added charm — and the removal of a kitchen servery to maximise the incredible ocean views.
Aside from help from their builder, Bespoke Living Constructions, and a bit of advice from their friends at design studio We Are Triibe, the couple handled most of the project themselves. ‘We went into this as complete novices,’ Matty says. ‘The only “build” we’d done was putting together a bed frame.’
Matty drew on his former career as a project director to manage the timeline and budget, while Laura oversaw the interiors.
Juggling work, life with two young kids, and the long seven-hour round trip from Sydney to Ulladulla (sometimes twice in one week) meant the renovation wasn’t without its challenges. One of the hardest parts was finding the right material palette that would both honour and elevate the home’s retro feel.
In the end, Matty and Laura decided to just have fun with it. Checkerboard tiles, blush pink marble accents, and timber joinery add character to the kitchen and bathroom, while textural rattan furniture and vintage wall scones tie perfectly into its beachy aesthetic.
Along the way, the couple documented the project to their Instagram followers at @chante.mer.house. But asking for feedback online is always ‘a double-edged sword’, with some of their bolder design choices, like the tiled fireplace, sparking some controversy in the comments.
‘The truth is, as much as we have shared the process and we have had a lot of giggles at the comments (both positive and negative), it has never swayed our decision making,’ Laura says. ‘We didn’t want a pretty whitewashed coastal house. We wanted an eclectic, character-filled home, and we stayed true to that.’
Almost every part of the home has its own moment. Coupled with sparkling views across the ocean, there is no denying the unique appeal of this joyful beachside home.
‘It is truly magical being able to sit at the dining room table with the kids and spot pods of dolphins go by, or lay in bed and see the tail of a giant whale flick out of the ocean,’ Matty says. ‘There is nothing like it.’
An edited version of this story originally appeared in The Design Files Magazine Issue 03. Subscribe to the biannual print magazine here.
