Darren Palmer’s latest holiday home styling project

Located in a fabulous, central part of Byron Bay, this holiday home was given the makeover treatment recently courtesy of The Block judge Darren Palmer. A long-time holidaymaker in the area, Darren leant his formidable styling talents to the gorgeous home that is now available to book on Airbnb.

“This was literally a styling project on a rented holiday home that we thought we would like to have so we can take special trips away that aren’t overseas,” says Darren who was drawn to the home’s central Byron Bay location. Just 10 minutes’ walk to most things and only 10 minutes’ drive to everything else, the home is on a generous 1000 square metre block and is a fabulous spot from which to explore the area.

With eyes on Byron Bay since 2004, Darren always thought it was a fabulous property market but concedes that even he didn’t realise just how popular it would become. “It’s got great energy, dining at all levels and prices, and there is a holiday or beach experience for anyone whether you stay in a campervan or a multi-million-dollar ocean view home,” says Darren.

And when it came to furnishing and styling the home, Darren relied on a simple palette, earthy, woven fabrics and a variety of thrifty finds. “The inclusions were cobbled together from warehouse sales, Gumtree and stuff we had in our Hyams Beach holiday rental,” says Darren who recommends this budget-friendly approach when styling a holiday home.

Darren also suggests approaching a holiday rental styling project with a clear vision and fairly strict budget. A big fan of upcycling and repurposing, Darren regularly scours Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree to scratch that itch. “You just need to style to the mood you want to create. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be right and it doesn’t have to be the best to be good,” says Darren.

As for his favourite part of the home, he can’t go past the lush outdoor area and its heated pool. “The plants are so established, it’s crazy. The frangipani tree must be at least 100 years old and there’s heaps of grass for kids and dogs. The outdoor area is definitely the heart of this home.”

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