Go behind the scenes of the stunning Beach House Project at Werri Beach with interior designer Simone Mathews. Discover how a complete sense of trust, raw materials like natural stone and recycled French oak, and a carefully curated final layer of Few & Far pieces combined to create the ultimate private coastal resort.
There is a quiet shift that happens when a home transitions from a physical structure into a place to escape.
At the edge of Werri Beach on the New South Wales South Coast, Interior Designer Simone Mathews of SOUL Home Australia has brought this exact feeling to life. The Beach House Project is not simply a nod to coastal living—it is a beautiful example in designing a private residential resort. It is a home built specifically to evoke a feeling: calm, expansive, layered, and entirely restorative.
Here, we go behind the design with Simone to uncover the story, the creation, and the curation of a home thoughtfully designed to hold memories for generations to come.
The presence of the ocean.
The story of the Beach House began in a dwelling that was always destined to be demolished. Yet, during that very first site meeting, the landscape spoke before a single blueprint was drawn.
"The property sits right across the road from the beach," Simone reflects. "While you couldn’t see the ocean from the original house, you could hear it. That continuous, rhythmic sound of the waves immediately shaped the feeling of what this project needed to become."
The vision crystallised further when a boundary line dissolved. A property at the rear of the block had been renovated during Covid. By taking the dividing fence down, Simone saw a rare opportunity to connect the two distinct spaces into one grand, cohesive narrative: a private compound where family and friends could move freely, stay a little longer, and be immersed in fully slowing down.
Nostalgia in the soil.
Every great house is built on a foundation of memory. Adding to the soul of the site is an iconic local landmark just steps away, known affectionately by the community as “the climbing tree.”
"It’s a place where neighbourhood kids ride their bikes to climb and play," says Simone. "It brought this beautiful energy of nostalgia, community, and an old-school coastal childhood to the project. I knew then that this home had the potential to become iconic in its own right."
This is a home designed to be used wholeheartedly. It is a space for sandy feet stepping directly off the beach onto timber boardwalks, for weekend lunches that turn into dinners, and for the quiet everyday moments that slowly become the stories that a family remembers.
The evolution of ‘The Beach House’ guided by materials.
The success of the Beach House was grounded in a profound sense of trust. Having worked with these clients on a previous build, Simone was given the creative freedom to let the property evolve organically.
While the initial mood boards leaned toward a muted palette dominated by classic timbers and limestone, the design team paused mid-way through to push the boundary a little further. They wanted more depth, more weight, and a distinct personality that still felt entirely timeless.
"That shift really happened when we were selecting the natural stone for the kitchen, laundry, and bathrooms," Simone explains. "Rather than sticking rigidly to a fixed plan, we allowed the raw materials to guide our hands."
The result is a sensory experience across three levels:
Pink Patagonia Quartzite: A dramatic, texturally rich showstopper that anchors the kitchen island.
Four Seasons Marble: Bringing mood, shadow play, and deep beauty into the ground-floor bathrooms.
Recycled French Oak Flooring: Bringing an instant sense of history, character, and texture underfoot—mimicking the tactile sensation of walking along a weathered beach boardwalk.
The creative pause.
When asked where the vision truly came to life, Simone points to the oversized rear balcony overlooking the landscaped grounds.
"When you stand on that balcony and look out at the round feature pool, the custom-built sauna, and the boardwalk connecting the two properties, the world drops away," she says. "It feels like you’ve been completely transported to a tropical holiday destination. That was always the ultimate goal—to create a home that gave you the physical feeling of an escape."
The final layer.
To finish a home with this much structural personality, the furniture pieces needed to carry an equally distinct frequency. They had to complement the architecture without competing with it.
"I’ve sourced from Few & Far for years," Simone notes. "Knowing how far and wide Tara explores the globe to find her pieces, I knew their collection would hold the unique, storied objects this final layer required."
Among the curated selections were the Henry Leather Chair, Howard Side Table, the Archie Coffee Table, and the glowing warmth of the Beau Table Lamp. Each piece brought its own grain, texture, and weight to the space.
The Henry Leather Chair.
Every interior designer has a piece they wait for—a design object held in reserve for the perfect space. For Simone, that was our Henry Leather Chair.
"I had my eye on the Henry Leather Chair for quite a while, but it never felt completely at home in other projects," Simone shares. "At the Beach House, it finally found its forever home. When we paired it with the Howard Side Table, the composition was instant. It created a moment that felt deeply layered, intentional, and entirely right for the coast."
The Howard Side Table.
A minimalist timber side table requires an intentional balance of form and function. When styling the sitting corners of the Beach House, the Howard Side Table became the ultimate companion piece.
The beauty of the Howard table is its humility. It didn’t try to take away from the commanding presence of the leather; it complemented the setup while effortlessly holding its own. Together, they created a moment that feels layered, considered, and completely right for a luxury coastal retreat.
The Archie Coffee Table.
In a sprawling, open-plan living environment, the center of the room requires an anchor—a low-profile surface that feels grounded rather than intrusive. Enter the Archie Coffee Table.
The Archie Coffee Table acts as a functional sculpture in the living room. Its organic grain patterns and heavy timber construction interact beautifully with the natural light spilling in from the coast. It’s exactly the kind of piece that grounds the entire lounge arrangement, providing a durable surface for real life, conversation, and slow afternoons.
The Beau Table Lamp.
Lighting dictates how a home holds its atmosphere when the sun sets over Werri Beach. To transition the property from a sun-drenched day space to a moody evening, lighting placement was critical.
With a tactile contrast to the heavy timbers and structural stones, The Beau Table Lamp has an organic shape and texture that softens the sharp lines of the architecture. When lit, it casts a warm, ambient glow that highlights the natural patinas surrounding it. It adds that visual touch of texture and quiet stillness that transforms a styled room into an emotional escape.
The Indian Stone Door Stop.
In a property designed around open-plan layouts and coastal breezes, even the most functional utilities require a thoughtful, decorative touch. To hold open the heavy timber frames of the home, character was added using our Indian Stone Vintage Door Stop.
The small details matter just as much as the grand architectural choices. The one-of-a-kind Indian Vintage Door Stop bring an immediate sense of weight, history, and purpose to an area that is so often forgotten. Carved by hand, they don't just serve a practical purpose—they act as miniature sculptures that ground the rooms, adding a rustic patina that grounds the new build and echoes the storied, holiday feeling of the property.
The Beach House Project stands as a beautiful reminder that luxury is not merely visual—it is emotional. By allowing a home the time and space to evolve during construction, Simone Mathews, and the team have created a property that functions exactly as a home should.
It is unique, timeless, and completely grounded in place. It is a home that doesn't just look beautiful on a page; it tells its own story.
Interior Design: Simone Mathews — SOUL Home Australia
Builder: Southern Edge Building
Architect / Building Designer: GUD Studios
Photography: Milly Mead
Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones
Featured Few & Far Pieces: Henry Leather Chair, Howard Side Table, Archie Coffee Table, Beau Table Lamp and Indian Stone Door Stop.
Explore the pieces that completed the look online or visit us in-store to find your own final layer.
Drawing from years of experience in homewares and design, we celebrate conscious buying, artisanal craftsmanship, and are driven by the belief that every space should be a collection of pieces that tell stories from past and present and make ways for the narrative to continue in the future. Our mission is to inspire, guide, and help you weave a unique and meaningful story within your own walls.
