GREAT escape
Belle Magazine Australia|November 2023
For an expat media executive, her Barwon Heads bolthole lets her return to her roots and share long, sun-soaked summers with friends and family.
- CHRIS PEARSON
GREAT escape

This Barwon Heads hideaway embodies breezy beachside living and lingering family get-togethers for Hello Sunshine CEO Sarah Harden. Based in LA, the high-flying media executive moves in a star-studded firmament, but when the expat returns home she kicks off her shoes as she walks in the door. This warm, textural retreat, which readily welcomes down-under sunshine, is worlds away from her glamorous Californian lifestyle, but all the more special for that.

With extended family literally over the back fence and up the road, these light and lofty spaces enable Sarah and husband Dave, with their three teenagers, to return to their roots and feel grounded. “I grew up in Barwon Heads, with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We all spent our summers here, so it has always been home,” says Sarah. “While I’ve lived in the US since 1997, I constantly return.”

She had often asked the property’s previous owner if he wanted to sell. The long-awaited “Yes” came in 2018, but while Sarah and Dave originally planned to remodel the humble fibro on the site asbestos in its ceilings sealed its fate. So they asked Tecture architect Ben Robertson and head of interior design Lauren Foy to design them a new home from the ground up.

Generous entertaining spaces topped the wishlist. “We wanted it to accommodate large family groups – over Christmas more than 60 will show up for a barbecue – with a smooth flow from kitchen to living to outside to keep everyone connected,” says Sarah. “Dave and I love to cook, but we also want to be in the conversation, so we needed a big central island to gather around.”

Denne historien er fra November 2023-utgaven av Belle Magazine Australia.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prÞveperiode pÄ Magzter GOLD for Ä fÄ tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra November 2023-utgaven av Belle Magazine Australia.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prÞveperiode pÄ Magzter GOLD for Ä fÄ tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BELLE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIASe alt
Double handling
Belle Magazine Australia

Double handling

Leading architectural hardware designer Bankston has collaborated with New York's Civilian on a new range of door handles and levers.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
Coastal COOL
Belle Magazine Australia

Coastal COOL

A Hamptons-inspired weekender on the Mornington Peninsula is remodelled for three generations of one family.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
CLOUD STREET
Belle Magazine Australia

CLOUD STREET

A sophisticated design with exquisite detailing elevates a top-floor penthouse into a world-class home for a returning local family.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
Future proof
Belle Magazine Australia

Future proof

Crafting a beach house that could eventually become a permanent residence meant walking a fine line between relaxed and sophisticated.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
Going with the ith flow
Belle Magazine Australia

Going with the ith flow

Two melds enticingly into one when an inner-city terrace tones up for contemporary living.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
CHEF'S kiss
Belle Magazine Australia

CHEF'S kiss

Entertaining by a smart renovation for a family of foodies on a grand scale was made possible

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
MAISON D'ART
Belle Magazine Australia

MAISON D'ART

Step into the captivating world of French gallerist Amélie du Chalard, for whom life, art and history are in perfect harmony.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
ERA DEFYING
Belle Magazine Australia

ERA DEFYING

An interwar bungalow moves boldly into the 21st century while also celebrating its fabulous past.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
PALM CANDY
Belle Magazine Australia

PALM CANDY

Pink tones cap off a romantic mix of Spanish and Moroccan styles at a designer's weekend retreat.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025
HOUSE ROYAL
Belle Magazine Australia

HOUSE ROYAL

A pair of scented leather gloves sent to King George III marks the birth of one of the world's most enduring fragrance houses.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024 - January 2025