Nestled into the hillsides of Wategos, two vacation homes balance crisp modernity with organic texture and elevated, watery hues. The Starfall and Moonrise residences – crafted by Harley Graham Architecture, S28 Construction and New York-based designer Piper Skillman – showcase contemporary beachside living with an innate nod to their coastal site. Inside, natural stone, timber and locally sourced art give personality to the pair, which act as short-term holiday rentals.
For Skillman, the project was a second chance to collaborate with owners Emma and James Cotton. “I had worked on Emma’s house in London several years prior,” she says. By January 2020, the couple hired her to infuse character into the adjacent new builds. Yet, like many pandemic-era projects, the design process ultimately unfolded remotely.
“The first time I saw this space was for the installation,” she says. However, through excellent communication with the on-site teams and reliance on Australian brands for lighting and furniture, she feels she “managed to capture the essence of Byron Bay.” Furthermore, she notes that the challenge of working remotely sharpened her attention to detail: “I had to make more deliberate choices in finishes and layout.”
The homes feature four bedrooms and three bathrooms – together totalling 820 square metres – and have a cohesive material language. “I wanted them to feel connected, very Australian and natural, but slightly different – almost like siblings,” says the designer.
Starfall has a youthful, airy quality with honey oak and a rooftop pool and lounge, while Moonrise is sited higher with panoramic bay views and has a moodier aesthetic. “I love the primary bedroom in [Moonrise]. It has microcement walls and this rich green Phillip Jeffries grasscloth.”
Throughout both houses, bespoke furnishings spotlight Australian artisans. In Moonrise, the Cog Dining Table from Mark Tuckey anchors family gatherings, while Skillman opted for a U-shaped conversation pit featuring the King Living Plaza sofa and Oliver Tub Chairs for casual seating in Starfall. Underfoot, Tsar Carpets add softness, while custom joinery in both homes highlights the beauty of natural timber. The bathrooms are finished with finger tiles in differing shades.
Outside, pieces from Globe West, including the Ossa Lunar Dining Table, Reef Chair, and Sonoma Sun Lounger, provide plenty of spots to relax and gather, whether sitting poolside or enjoying a drink on the patio.
Art brings another layer of local connection. Works by Rikki Kasso – loose black-and-white “almost watercolor washes that bring a vintage beach vibe” – set a relaxed tone, while pieces by environmental artist Janet Laurence, painter Michael Whiteread, and works from Melbourne-based photographer Rebeckah Stuart and Sydney-based Zoe Sernack enrich the dialogue between landscape and interior. “We worked with smaller Byron Bay galleries but also looked into Saatchi Art for both high-end and more affordable pieces,” she says.
The homes, which were completed in October 2023, are now an idyllic retreat for vacationers as well as Emma’s UK family whenever they visit. With a spectrum of blues and greens, curving forms and an artistic language that mimics the dense foliage outside, Skillman and team have created spaces that celebrate place with a seamless indoor-outdoor connection.
