Villa Pearl
Set alongside one of the Gold Coast’s glistening canals, Villa Pearl is as quietly elegant as its name suggests.
Words Casey Hutton / Photography Coastpark Creative / Builder Queensland Coast Constructions
Building designer Vanguard Building Design / Furniture selections Studio Beck / Material selections SMUB
When first-time builders Emily and Jamie Macdonald bought a prime block of land at Broadbeach Waters in 2022, they knew it was their chance to build a dream home for their young family.
They also knew it was important to assemble the right people to deliver on their vision. Their team included Ben Wade from Vanguard Building Design and builder Jackson Emblem from Queensland Coast Constructions. Beck Smith from Studio Beck advised on furniture, while Katie Soineva of SMUB handled material selections and specifications.
“Creating a resort oasis was the ultimate design goal for this home,” says Katie, for whom the waterfront location offered an exciting opportunity to showcase the home from both the street side and the rear, which opens out to the canal.
“The street presence of Villa Pearl instantly captures your attention,” says Emily. “Four dwarf palms beside the gate house give it that tropical, Mediterranean feel.”
At the home’s entrance – beneath an arched window and greenery draped from an elevated garden bed – a 6-metre-high void creates a real moment. “From upstairs, the void overlooks the Broadbeach high-rises. It’s so stunning at night when all the buildings are lit up,” says Emily.
Katie chose to use a uniform floor tile from the front door through the living space to the alfresco area and pool coping. “My design focus is to enter a home and know that every room marries to the next,” she explains. “This achieves a seamless flow and a true sense of home.”
A grand staircase is visible from the entryway, its soft curves repeated elsewhere, including the kitchen’s distinctive tiled rangehood and the lounge fireplace, which features floor-to-ceiling oversized curves in microcement. In the kitchen, a stone island bench is wrapped in inverted travertine flutes. “The travertine is just amazing to look at – a work of art,” says Emily.
Maximising water views was a key priority. The floorplan allocated an expansive 18 metres of width for the kitchen, living and dining zone, with 3-metre ceilings that flood the lower floor with natural light. A generous glass sliding door opens the space onto the outdoor entertaining area and pool overlooking the waterway.
Of course, the canal-side site also demanded that privacy and the durability of outdoor materials be considered. Emily and Jamie opted for high fences lined with palms along the sides of the home, while sheers and blockout blinds shield all of the rooms. Two mature Canary Island palms, planted alongside the pool, offer shade from the afternoon heat. “Our outdoor furniture was also chosen to be able to handle the waterfront exposure and sun,” Emily explains.
Inside, the atmosphere is serene. A curated combination of neutral tones, organic textures and undulating lines achieve a feeling of refinement and harmony. Emily describes how their tastes gravitated towards “minimalism, natural light, travertine, a touch of Mediterranean vibes, and brushed brass finishes”.
This autumn will see Emily and Jamie getting to know their new baby girl –– their second child – at Villa Pearl. “We have rented our whole lives, so to have our first family home to make memories with our kids is just so special,” says Emily. “We poured our heart and soul into this build and it’s like a dream come true that we get to wake up here every morning.”
