At Home With Rebecca Harding

Model, creative and founder of body care brand LUI, Rebecca Harding opens the doors to her light-filled holiday home, a coastal retreat where slow mornings and screen-free days are the whole point.

For Rebecca, the beach house is less a second address and more a state of mind. “This is our beach house or holiday house,” she says. “It’s kind of our little escape from the real world.”

Timber-lined ceilings, a stone feature wall and walls of glass frame views of the surrounding bush with the ocean peeking out over the treeline, so the outside is never far away. The result is warm, welcoming and quietly relaxing, a place designed for unwinding. Here, Rebecca shows us how she lives in, styles and rests in her favourite spaces.

The loungeroom is the heart of the house, and it takes every cue from the landscape outside. Floor-to-ceiling windows pour in natural light, a built-in window seat looks out to the trees, and timber shelves stacked with books and keepsakes are set into the stone wall.

“When making design choices in this space, we really wanted to bring in the nature,” Rebecca says. “We were hugely influenced by our surroundings.”

That influence shows in the palette. A deep sofa in soft cream is layered with cushions in shades of blue, along with mustard, caramel and a warm check. “We’ve got this beautiful navy, faded blue which brings in the sky, the outside of the house,” she explains.

Rather than reaching for bold colour, Rebecca lets texture do the talking: chunky knit throws, tactile weaves and linens. “Even though we weren’t using any sort of bright, vibrant colours, we used a lot of texture to add interest and a bit of variety.” The feeling is calm and inviting, the kind of room that asks you to sink in and stay a while.

Just off the living area, a long timber dining table sits beside sliding glass doors that open onto the deck. Sun streams across the table, and navy dining chairs echo the blues of the loungeroom, tying the two spaces together.

For Rebecca, the table is where the house comes alive. A space where she often hosts friends and family, it’s easy to imagine the table lined with guests over a group weekend away or Christmas lunch. “There’s something about setting a table that sort of creates a sense of occasion, which I really love,” she says. Even a casual grazing lunch of cherries, cheese, olives and fresh tomatoes gets the full treatment, with striped placemats, folded napkins and a bouquet of seasonal blooms. 

Her styling philosophy is simple. “I like maximalist in textures and patterns, but minimalist in colour palettes.” Here, that means soft stripes, gently tousled linen and a tight palette of warm tones. “We’ve got yellow, we’ve got cream with this little beautiful orange embroidery trim.”

It’s the linens that make the moment. “There’s something about these beautiful linens and their quality that is so timeless,” Rebecca says. The space feels warm, welcoming and relaxed, made for long lunches that drift into the afternoon.

Up a sculptural spiral staircase, the main bedroom is a true retreat. A raked timber ceiling, sheer floor-length curtains and wide windows with views to the water fill the room with soft, golden light. Light, panelled walls and built-in joinery keep everything calm and uncluttered.

“Welcome to the main bedroom,” Rebecca smiles. “We get some of the best sleep up here, using these beautiful pieces from Sheridan.”

The bed is the hero of the room, dressed in crisp white with fine navy embroidery and deep navy cushions for contrast. Rebecca leans naturally towards hotel-style bedding, bringing an extra touch of luxury to the space. “I love a white, crisp, pristine bed,” she says, “but the little detail on this, the navy, the little fine green line in the sheets and pillows just takes it to the next level.”