Finding Freedom AT BEACH BABY PHILLIP ISLAND
Nestled along the southern coastline of Victoria, Beach Baby Phillip Island is a beachside haven just a short stroll from the surf at Cape Woolamai. The home captures the rhythm of coastal life, with an interior palette drawn from the Island’s spectacular sunsets and the natural bushland setting.
For Wayne and Steph, the couple behind this very special retreat, Beach Baby is more than a holiday home designed to offer their guests a getaway. It’s a creative expression of how they want to live: relaxed, connected, and surrounded by beauty.
Home for Wayne and Steph is in the Dandenong Ranges, where they live with their two daughters. Steph began her career behind the camera as a property photographer, a path that naturally evolved into landscape design, while Wayne has spent nearly two decades helping clients bring their dream homes to life at Premier Traditional Homes.
“Design has always been part of our lives,” Wayne reflects. “We love creating spaces that feel personal and meaningful. Building and renovating are second nature to us - it’s just what we do.”
That shared sensibility set the foundation for Beach Baby Phillip Island — a home designed with heart.
For Wayne, Phillip Island has always been woven into the fabric of his life. “I’ve been going to the Island for most of my life and always dreamt of owning a home there,” he says. “When we found this property, we loved the location and the proximity to Cape Woolamai - just up the street from my favourite beach.”
The original house was unassuming: a standard coastal home that had seen better days. But Wayne and Steph recognised its potential - the generous light, the sense of openness created by the property’s rare position backing onto a quiet airfield, and its laid-back character.
From the outset, the vision was clear. “We wanted to transform something ordinary into something that felt special,” Wayne explains. “A place that instantly makes you feel like you’re on holiday the moment you walk in the door.”
Working within the home’s existing footprint, the couple focused on maximising what they had - retaining the timber floors and windows that added warmth, while channelling their budget into high-impact areas that would elevate the experience.
“We didn’t want to erase the home’s story,” Wayne says. “We wanted to build on it,and add layers of comfort and personality.”
“Those colours remind us of the beach down the end of the street,” Wayne says. “They make the home feel alive, fun, but still calm. Steph pushed me out of my comfort zone with some of the choices, but they all came together beautifully.”
A major creative turning point came at National Tiles’ Dandenong showroom, where Wayne and Steph finalised their tile selections. “We wanted the materials to feel bold but harmonious,” Wayne explains. “The team at National Tiles were fantastic - knowledgeable, helpful and genuinely invested in what we were creating.”
The kitchen now features a new island bench and built-in dining banquette, giving the heart of the home both purpose and personality. The bathrooms were completely reimagined, each one a bold yet balanced statement in colour, form and mood.
“The goal was to add a sense of luxury without being pretentious,” Wayne explains. “We wanted the home to feel grounded, humble even – with a blend of comfort, style and soul.”
When defining the home’s aesthetic, Wayne and Steph looked beyond typical residential references. “We actually took cues from hospitality design,” Wayne says. “Great cafés and restaurants know how to create atmosphere. That’s what we wanted - a feeling that was our own.”
Steph’s instinct for colour and proportion brought that feeling to life. The couple drew inspiration from Phillip Island’s sunsets, translating the oranges, pinks and blues of dusk into a palette that feels both daring and deeply natural.
Wayne even timed the purchases with one of National Tiles’ Spend & Save events. “The advice we got, especially around the use of epoxy grout, was spot on, and everything arrived exactly when we needed it.”
The results speak for themselves: rich textural contrasts that elevate each space without overwhelming it. The orange bathroom, with its sunset-inspired tiles and expansive window overlooking the reserve, feels radiant and serene. The blue ensuite, wrapped in Bali Stone tiles, channels a relaxed luxury more often found in tropical villas.
“We also installed underfloor heating,” Wayne adds. “It’s a small detail that completely changes the experience, especially on those chilly island mornings.”
While Beach Baby is full of beautiful moments - curved joinery, tactile finishes, joyful bursts of colour - it’s the feeling of the place that lingers. “We wanted people to be transported away from their everyday lives,” Wayne says. “It’s about unwinding,
spending time with family, chatting, eating, strumming a guitar - just feeling that ‘awayness’ that comes with being by the sea.”
That philosophy guided every decision. Instead of chasing perfection, Wayne and Steph designed for connection. “It’s easy to get caught up in trends,” Wayne says. “But for us, it was about doing something that felt authentic, not what everyone else was doing. Beach Baby isn’t white and bohemian (which is super cool in its own right) rather, it’s colourful, character-filled and unapologetically us.”
Even for seasoned professionals, a project of this scale brings its challenges, from budget considerations to managing trades and timelines. For Wayne, collaboration was key. “Having a great project manager like Jeremy from Frizbi Group made a huge difference,” he says. “And listening to your trades - that’s huge. They often have great ideas that can elevate the end result.”
Budget discipline, too, played a defining role. “It’s about spending where it counts,” Wayne explains. “We focused on areas that would make people feel something. You can’t splurge everywhere, so you’ve got to be strategic.”
That pragmatism didn’t mean compromise, rather, it allowed for creativity within clear boundaries. “We kept what worked, like the timber floors, and channelled resources into the elements that really changed the space,” Wayne says. “You only live once, so you might as well have fun with it.”
Every renovation reveals surprises, some frustrating, some delightful. For Wayne and Steph, the most rewarding moments came when their ideas exceeded expectation.
“The bathrooms are my favourite,” Wayne says. “The orange one has this incredible window that opens to the reserve. You can
take a bath as the sun sets - it’s magic. And the blue ensuite feels really luxe but still relaxed. Those spaces turned out even better than I imagined.”
Beyond the design itself, the process of bringing the vision to life, with friends, trades and family pitching in, created a sense of community that lingers in the walls. “The trades actually stayed at the home during the renovation,” Wayne recalls. “There was this shared energy, everyone wanted to make it special.”
Now complete, Beach Baby Phillip Island radiates a sense of freedom that’s both emotional and physical. Light spills through generous windows, colours shift gently with the time of day, and every space invites lingering.
Guests describe feeling instantly at ease, exactly as Wayne and Steph hoped. “We designed it for us, but we love that others feel that same sense of calm,” Wayne says. “It’s a place to switch off, to reconnect, to slow down.”
And while the couple plan to rent the home to holiday guests, their connection to the Island remains deeply personal. “This summer, we’re looking forward to just kicking off our shoes and enjoying it as a family,” Wayne smiles. “No tools, no paint brushes - just beach time.”
Creative to their core, Wayne and Steph are already working on a series of small cottages in Drouin through Premier Traditional Homes, with future projects quietly taking shape in their minds. But for now, Beach Baby stands as a joyful reminder of what can happen when design is led by heart, curiosity and courage.
“At the end of the day,” Wayne reflects, “it’s about creating spaces that make people feel good. That’s what Beach Baby is all about.” www.instagram.com/beachbaby.phillipisland/
GET THE LOOK
FEATURED TILES
1. Arch Mirror, $129 from Tradelink 2. Shower Head in Tumbled Aged Brass, $234.90 from ABI Interiors 3. Murphy Earth Stripe Towels, from $24.99 from Adairs 4. Ivy Basin Sink, $439.90 from ABI Interiors 5. Door Pull in Bronze, $616 from Castella 6. Round Wall Mixer in Lustre Bronze, $219 from Meir 7. Oyster Sconce Light Stone, $725 from Robert Gordon Interiors 8. 'Australian Native' Laminate from Polytec 9. Dulux Terracotta 10. Valentina Gold from Stone Ambassador 11. Alpha Curved Bath, $1679 from Tradelink 12. Olive Wood Soap Dish, $39 from Framing To A T 13. Bath and Shower Gel, $14 from Warbotanicals
Costa Nova Terra Matt Tile, 50 x 200mm
Concept Oak Herringbone Glenbrook Engineered Timber Flooring
Bali Stone Blue Matt Tile, 200 x 200mm
Marrakech Tan White, Matt Tile 150 x 150mm
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