The relaxed Mediterranean vibes from Corlette house

You know those homes you see on Instagram which immediately stop you in your tracks to go, “Oooooh!!” Yeah, this is definitely one of them. We fell for the latest project from Liv Frater, the talented stylist and interior designer behind She is Liv. Think relaxed Mediterranean vibes, effortless style and a soft, beautiful colour palette.

With some unique textural design techniques, come and take a look around with us as we explore this dreamy coastal home.

Related article: A coastal oasis: The endless curves and textures of Tawarri house
Related article: The coastal ensuite makeover — a stunning before and after

Situated in Corlette, north of Sydney, Liv saw potential in this home from the moment she stepped inside.

“This home is pretty special,” smiles Liv.

“It’s a project designed for my parents who flip houses in the Port Stephens area. With no option but to hand it over to me, the trust was there from the start. The collaboration between my parents and I made the overall outcome something we’re all truly proud of.

“From the initial planning to the design, styling and end photography, I knew the property had potential. As soon as design started, we took some walls out, which opened up and connected the spaces for an open plan design.

“We kept the home as a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom property. The reason for the renovation work was to enhance the internal sense of space, while generously opening it up to the natural surroundings.”

With a beautiful ocean outlook, Liv wanted this property to feel like a holiday with those relaxed, Mediterranean vibes.

“This home was made to feel like a holiday within. We used a neutral, textually diverse palette and the spaces become bound by their tonality and shared arrangement with natural features,” says Liv.

“I’m a real lover of the Mediterranean aesthetic. I also adore the textural and organic lines found in Tuscan towns, so I really wanted to include these elements in the home.

“The home was designed to evoke a sense of escapism. The elements we used, while softened through layers of textiles, have a robust and lasting quality.

“I love the use of refined timber and metal elements, such as the brushed brass hardware and custom arched doorway. They really help add character and give the space its own purpose and identity.

I would describe this home’s style as Mediterranean, relaxed and coastal. I just love everything about it!

This home proves how a luxe, holiday look can be achieved with minimal renovations and mostly cosmetic updates.

“I really took inspiration from a softened, slow approach to life. I chose certain elements within the home to ensure it felt like this as soon as you walked through the front door,” explains Liv.

“The major renovation was adding a 3m extension to the front of the property and flipping the gable of the house. Doing this meant it pitched at the front, giving the home more volume. Other than that, a few walls were taken out to open up spaces and the rest were purely cosmetic changes.

“The interior and exterior were both painted in Taubmans Cotton Sheets — a soft, slightly warmer white. The bricks on the exterior were painted to save costs. We used warm timber and brass elements on the outside to break up all the white along with planned landscaping (credit to my mum for this bit!).

“At the rear, I decided to do something a little left of centre and do a crazy pave with a Mediterranean rendered built-in bench seat. Again, this was a budget decision as it was more cost effective than putting in a plunge pool. After all, the home is super close to Corlette beach!

“When it came to this home project, we saved on costs by spraying the roof, painting the external bricks and keeping a majority of the layout the same. This meant we could splurge on more of the cosmetic features which I think is always more fun!”

The undeniable hero of Corlette house is texture. Liv brings different styles, materials and textures together in perfect harmony.

“For the interior, we went with an all-white colour scheme. In order to add an element of depth and softness, we added arches to the master bedroom and bathroom.

“My favourite textural feature has got to be Otsumigaki. Otsumigaki is a Japanese thin lime/clay plaster, that we added to the built-in bedhead in the master bedroom. We used a Japanese trowel to polish above the bedhead for that soft, natural luminosity. The bottom half was left unfinished, making a statement of the trowel lines through it.

We introduced limestone and travertine in certain areas which added to the earthy beachside ambiance. In the main bathroom, real terrazzo tiles and negative raw grout lines created something really special.

“Then of course, we added plenty of soft furnishings to compliment the aesthetic that was created inside and out. We used a colour palette of soft greens, terracotta and beige to finish it off and make it feel homely and cohesive.”

Photography, design and styling — She is Liv
Trades — Lloyd Frater
Landscaping — Debbie Frater

We loved taking a look through this stunning home. To check out more projects from She is Liv, be sure to give her a follow on Instagram. In the meantime, keep scrolling for more interiors inspo.

More home tours here