Umina Beach Full Home Renovation

For Belle and her partner Louis, juggling a renovation while parenting — and with another baby on the way — felt almost as drama-filled as taking part in a reality show. The couple had just bought a family home in Umina Beach, New South Wales, after failing to find somewhere suitable in Sydney and went full steam ahead in renovating  the property. 

“We spent nearly three years trying to buy a home in Sydney, bidding on multiple properties, only to have them passed in at auction. After a while, we realised the city just wasn’t going to work for us, so we drew a circle about an hour outside of Sydney—close enough for work, friends, and family, but far enough to give us the space to grow and create something of our own,” Belle explains.

“That’s when we found Umina Beach, a coastal town brimming with character, history, and a real sense of community. We were drawn to a little fibro shack, perfectly situated between the water, the bush, and all the amenities we needed. It was a place that felt like it had potential to be something special — something uniquely ours — where we could break free from other people’s styles and really make it our own.”

As Belle and Louis dived into working on their new home’s transformation, they quickly learned to lean into the hectic nature of the renovation. “The most challenging part of the renovation? Hands down, surrendering to the chaos. Living smack in the middle of a building site while pregnant with our second child was like starring in our own reality show — Survivor: Renovation Edition,” Belle says. “Dust became a permanent house guest, and navigating the maze of tools, tiles, and half-finished walls felt like a daily obstacle course. There were moments when it all felt overwhelming including when we had a pretty impactful death in our family, but we learned to ebb and flow with it (read: laugh so we didn’t cry) and use these moments to drive us to the finish line.”

When so much is going on simultaneously, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, but Belle says being flexible helped them get through, as did support from their tradies.

“The trades became like family, giving us flexibility, space or even just a friendly face when we needed it. Together with the trades, flexibility became all of our superpower — when one plan went out the window, we’d pivot together and find another way,” she explains.  “It wasn’t always pretty — or budget friendly, but we adapted, embraced the madness, and reminded ourselves it was all part of building our dream home. And we now know, if we can survive that, we can survive anything!”

Throughout the renovation, Belle and Louis had a clear idea of what they wanted to achieve in their space when it came to their ideal design.

“We wanted the renovation to focus on quiet luxury — something understated but full of quality and craftsmanship. Every detail mattered to us, from the sleek Zetr seamless powerpoints to using real timber oak flooring or the steel powder-coated staircase that adds a modern edge,” she says. To achieve this, they incorporated designer lighting products from designers such as Hay, Entler Studio or Swedish Ninja, created custom spaces like built-in, custom-coloured cabinetry to house their record collection and prioritised natural light with large panels of glass and skylights.

“We didn’t forget about fun, though,” Belle insists. “There are pops of colour throughout that speak to the children (both big and small) in the home and reflect the natural surroundings, like the vibrant greens of the bushland, making sure the space feels both lively and in harmony with nature.”

The idea of quiet luxury also extended to the choice of tiles and tapware, with Belle and Louis opting for TileCloud for their tile choice and Yabby for their home’s tapware.

“We chose TileCloud because they made the whole process so easy and enjoyable. From the beautifully curated selection to the convenience of ordering samples online, it felt like they’d thought of everything,” Belle explains. “What we loved most was how accessible and stress-free it all was — as people who use social media as part of our day to day job, we found the extensive content TileCloud have on their channels so helpful and inspiring. The order arrived quickly, letting us see the tiles and how it was going to come together in our own space quickly.”

After researching the range of tiles and ordering samples, the couple ultimately went with Umina White Gloss Small Square tiles and Paddington Terracotta Terrazzo Look tiles for their home renovation.

Belle adds, “The team were brilliant — super helpful and genuinely invested in helping us bring our vision to life. It felt like a seamless blend of style, convenience, and support, which made the whole experience a pleasure.”

In terms of tapware, the couple decided that Yabby’s Warm Brushed Nickel range would work with the aesthetic they were aiming for in their home. Among the fixtures they “added to cart” were the Ceiling Shower Arm and Head, the Shower Hose Sprayer and the Round Progressive Mixer — all in Warm Brushed Nickel. 

Now that Belle and Louis have survived their own Survivor: Renovation Edition, the couple is sharing tips for those also wanting to pick up the tools and dust off their reno Pinterest boards. “For first-time renovators, my biggest advice is to plan like a pro but prepare for a bit of chaos — it’s all part of the ride! Start with a clear vision of how you want to live in the space, not just how you want it to look. Think about flow, functionality, and the things that make life easier (and more enjoyable) day-to-day,” Belle says. While Belle admits research is paramount when embarking on your own renovation journey, she advises not to get too caught up in the idea of perfection.

She concludes, “The biggest tip though? No renovation is perfect, there is always going to be things you wish you did or could change once it’s come to life but I think it's important to acknowledge what you did achieve and the incredible spaces you did create.”