BYRON BAY RENOVATION TRANSFORMS COASTAL HOME INTO MULTI-GENERATIONAL RETREAT
A thoughtful timber-led renovation in Byron Bay has reimagined an existing house as a warm, resort-style family sanctuary grounded in natural materials.
3 min
A coastal Byron Bay home has undergone a carefully considered transformation, emerging as a relaxed, multi-generational retreat designed for connection, privacy and year-round liveability.
Rather than demolishing and rebuilding, the Dylan Lane project focused on renewal, enhancing the existing structure through natural timber finishes, refined planning and seamless indoor-outdoor integration.
Designed by Oceanarc Architects and delivered by Well Grounded Building, the renovation reflects a growing shift among prestige homeowners towards adapting and future-proofing existing properties.
The result is a contemporary coastal residence that balances architectural restraint with warmth, durability and a deep connection to its subtropical surroundings.
Timber defines warmth and longevity
Central to the project is a carefully curated timber palette that brings both performance and visual cohesion. Vertical Accoya timber cladding defines the exterior, chosen for its durability in coastal conditions and its ability to weather gracefully over time.
“Using timber cladding for the exterior and decking gave us confidence from a performance point of view, especially so close to the coast,” said Guy de Vos, Construction Manager at Well Grounded Building.
“But it also delivers aesthetically, it will weather off to a beautiful soft grey that really suits the Byron Bay environment.”
Inside, Tasmanian Oak flooring runs throughout the main living spaces, complemented by matching doors and mouldings. The natural material introduces softness and warmth while reinforcing continuity across the home’s interior zones.
“Timber was key to getting the feel right,” de Vos said. “The Tasmanian Oak floors, doors and mouldings introduce a softness that makes the spaces feel welcoming and lived-in, rather than overly polished.”
Tropical pool becomes the heart of the home
At the centre of the redesigned layout is a tropical swimming pool oasis, anchoring the home and creating a resort-like focal point without overwhelming the site.
Surrounded by lush planting and layered privacy elements, the pool connects seamlessly with both indoor and outdoor living areas.
“The pool and garden area really became the heart of the project,” de Vos said. “It’s where the family naturally gravitates, whether that’s kids in the water, long lunches outdoors or just quiet moments in the shade.”
The landscaping and spatial planning allow the home to maintain privacy while remaining open to its subtropical environment, reinforcing Byron Bay’s signature indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
Designed for modern family living
The renovation was guided by the need to accommodate extended family while preserving a sense of retreat and independence for individual occupants. Existing spaces were refreshed and subtly expanded, ensuring the home retained its original character while improving functionality.
“The vision was always about creating a place where extended family could come together without feeling on top of each other,” de Vos said. “We wanted the home to feel open and relaxed, but still give everyone their own sense of space and privacy.”
This flexible approach reflects broader trends across Australia’s prestige property market, where homeowners are increasingly prioritising adaptability, longevity and connection to place.
A blueprint for coastal renewal
More than a cosmetic update, the Dylan Lane project demonstrates how thoughtful material selection and restrained design can elevate an existing home into a contemporary coastal sanctuary. By combining high-performance timber, resort-style outdoor spaces and flexible living zones, the renovation delivers both immediate lifestyle benefits and long-term resilience.
Set within Byron Bay’s lush landscape, it offers a blueprint for coastal renovation that prioritises warmth, durability and enduring liveability.
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After half a century in the same hands, The Palladium blends Art Deco heritage, cinematic history and beachfront living in one extraordinary offering.
3 min
In Sydney’s Northern Beaches, there are plenty of homes with a multimillion-dollar view and an enviable position close to the sand.
This unique listing has all that, but it has also earned its page in the local history books.
After 50 years in the same hands, The Palladium in Palm Beach—once a famed dance hall, then a restaurant, a private residence, and an artists’ studio—is now back on the market with a price hopes of $13.5 million through BJ Edwards and David Edwards of LJ Hooker Palm Beach.
Positioned in a rare corner spot where Ocean Rd meets Palm Beach Rd, The Palladium has been front and centre observing the famous sandy stretch for almost a century.
Built in the early 1930s, the Art Deco building was originally conceived as a vibrant community dance hall; the “it” place to be for young folk during Sydney’s thriving interwar period.
Often the dances were held to raise money for the Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club, and newspaper reports of the time told of rowdy parties lasting until the early hours, bootleg liquor arrests, and where shorts and sandals—or even pyjamas—were scandalously worn by “both sexes”.
Over the decades, The Palladium has worn many hats.
By 1943, the original owner, Joseph Henry Graham, had defaulted on his loan, and a mortgagee sale reportedly sold the building for £1550, which translates to about $137,000 today. It later became a dining space and a general store run by the Milton family. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the property was also home to the Blue Pacific Restaurant.
The current owners acquired the keys in 1976 when it began its next chapter as a creative hub. One of today’s vendors, filmmaker David Elfick, who has been a filmmaker and producer on such films as Newsfront and Rabbit-Proof Fence, has told stories of a free-spirited creative hub that has been used for film sets, to store numerous movie props, as editing rooms, to hold countless parties and has even hosted visiting members of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
From its famed beachside soirees to its grassroots film club nights, the venue has become woven into the cultural fabric of Palm Beach.
Today, that rich history has been reimagined into a coastal home that honours its past while embracing contemporary beachside living.
Built in a unique architectural style known as streamline moderne, the aeroplane hangar-like building reflects the era’s fascination with air travel, mass transport, and modernity. The facade is defined by a sweeping curved roofline and subtle nautical cues.
The main residence features a vast central living space framed by a number of bedrooms and sunrooms, as well as a front dining room and kitchen. In total, there are four to five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a powder room adjoining an upstairs loft space.
Big, broad windows draw in loads of natural light and provide iconic views, plus the sounds of the beach just across the road.
Many of the original elements remain, most fittingly the polished floors of the former dance hall. In the additional building at the back of the block, there is a separate, self-contained studio with its own bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and laundry. From its elevated deck, the outlook stretches across the full sweep of Palm Beach.
Outside, the expansive 1151sq m land parcel also features established gardens with veggie patches and standalone decks for quiet contemplation.
Sitting just across the road from the beach, the property is also within walking distance of local cafes and the surf club. Palm Beach Rock Pool is at one end of the beach, with the Palm Beach Golf Club and the water airport at the other end of the peninsula.
The Palladium and Palm Beach Studio at 16 Ocean Rd, Palm Beach are listed with BJ Edwards and David Edwards of LJ Hooker Palm Beach via a private treaty campaign with a price guide of $13.5 million.
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