Modern coastal look made easy in this pink bungalow

Are you wanting to feel like you're on holidays each time you walk through the door? The modern coastal look is for you.

Interior designer Nicola Rose says it's easy to achieve on any budget and in any location.

She created The Pink Bungalow at Woody Point, with her mother Liz, when they transformed a basic beach house into a cost holiday home with a lux coastal and tropical feel. They spent around four months on the project, starting in early 2018, doing most of it themselves, but calling on the professionals for the big jobs. The house is now a holiday rental.

“We did it on a budget. We repainted it and found a lot of stuff at op shops,” Nicola says.

“We both love the tropical feel and we love the colour pink as a point of difference. We thought we’d have some fun with it.

“I think it kind of makes you happy and makes you feel like you’re on a holiday.”

Nicola has been working in interior design for about six years and currently works for a large furniture and homewares retailer part-time and has her own business.

She says the modern coastal tropical look features plenty of white and usually another colour or two, textiles in the form of light shades, throws and wall hangings, cushions, plants and rattan or cane furniture.

Nicola also included large artworks in the main bedroom and living area for impact.

She repainted furniture they found at op shops or online, saving a stack of money.

But when faced with the bargains at your local op shop, it is important to be strong.

“Don’t buy things because they’re cheap. Only buy things because they are pulling on your heartstrings. Buy whatever you fall in love with,” Nicola says.

“A good space is not just about how it looks, it’s about how it makes you feel.”

It obviously made fitness guru Ashy Bines feel pretty good when she stayed there at the end of last year. She loved it so much, she asked Nicola to redecorate her home office.

Nicola’s tips for success

● Don’t underestimate the value of repainting. It changes everything

● Look for inspiration from Pinterest/magazines

● Develop a mood board to collate your ideas

● Source everything from images to fabrics to get a feel of what you should be doing in the space or house

● Prepare furniture well before painting it, if you want the new look to last

● Play with textiles to add colour and personality

To contact Nicola, visit shecreatesco.com or search shecreatesco.com on Instagram