My Space: Liz and Mark Ahearn, owners of Meelup Farmhouse, are selling stunning home, including furniture

Just a few weeks after completing their renovation, Liz and Mark Ahearn decided to put their Sorrento home on the market to move down south for a change of scenery. “It’s what we do — we like to do projects and move on to the next one. I’m already envisaging what we’re going to do in our next home,” Liz laughs. “We have a property down there and wanted our daughter Winter to have more space, and we’ll be closer to our restaurant Meelup Farmhouse.” The couple not only own restaurants The Little Bay and Meelup Farmhouse, but also, We Wabi, and APCG Polished Concrete. Over the last few years, they have been juggling renovating their Sorrento home, and building a New Zealand holiday home (which featured on Grand Designs New Zealand), with Mark as owner/builder. “We’ve been here five years and decided to renovate the house in 2020 when I had just fallen pregnant with our daughter Winter,” Liz says. “We’ve been renovating on and off since then and lived here while we were renovating. I remember being heavily pregnant and having a shower in the makeshift shower in the garage.” The original home was a rabbit warren with cramped rooms and closed spaces. Their first task was to rip out the internal walls and open the main living areas. “Mark did everything, he’s a carpenter, but also has his building registration, so I know there are no boundaries with design, the sky’s the limit. If it’s challenging or too expensive, we’ll brainstorm together and work out a solution,” she explains. The home’s entrance sets the scene for what’s to come inside — a chic Palm Springs inspired space with a mid-century modern style. “The original front door was hidden down the side of the house, so we extended the front so there was a proper entrance,” she explains. Inside is a clutter-free space, that harmoniously blends warm textures and concrete features. Mark’s craftsmanship is showcased in the off-form concrete design of the 4m kitchen island, living room plinths, and staircase, along with the hand-applied concrete flooring. “Our goal is to always use natural materials that are of a neutral tone. We like spaces that are open and airy … allowing for a more calming space without being overwhelmed by bright colours or dark areas,” she says. The restrained colour palette extends to the selection of artwork and incorporation of natural materials, such as palm fronds, seagrass and palm off-cuts. “Many of the pieces in our home are from our furniture and homewares brand We Wabi,” she says. “We have one particular piece of wall art that is our favourite, from Woven Husk in Noosa. It’s made from palm husk and spans across 1.5m. It ties in so beautifully with the home, so much so that it’s for sale with the house, along with all our furniture pieces.”