The Design Files: A Sorrento beach house renovation with a pop of colour

Who: Kate Heppell (co-founder of Kip & Co) and husband Mal (DMS Landscapes) with their children Zig (7), Fern (3), and Viv (1)

What: A 1970s beach shack

Where: Sorrento, Victoria

Kate Heppell, of beloved Australian bedding and homewares brand Kip & Co, has built a career out of her eye for colour, texture, and a playful chic aesthetic, so it should come as little surprise that her family beach shack is exactly as charming as you would imagine.

After looking for a new home in Point Lonsdale or Barwon Heads to accommodate their growing family, she and husband Mal realised that upgrading their home in that area was not financially viable.

Through some unlikely real estate manoeuvring and financial planning, the family decided to stay put, and get themselves a beach shack instead.

The 1970s shack in Sorrento was built and owned by a group of “best-friend families” who kept hold of the shared weekender until they sold it to the Heppells three years ago.

There was no need for major structural changes, but small interventions and updates have made a significant impact on its feel and liveability.

Kate says they replaced all of the windows to bring more light into the home, added a back door, shingled the exterior, painted everything, and retiled the kitchen, pantry, and bathroom. The garden also had a massive overhaul.

The idea behind that shack was “no WiFi, no TV”, and, while a television has made its way into the home for family movie nights, the overall feel here is casual and no fuss. “We keep it pretty simple in Sorrento – comfy and relaxed,” she says.

The home is filled with beloved vintage treasures, collected on travels and from vintage markets. Framed images taken by Mal’s parents in Borneo in the ’70s are peppered through the house, and hold a special family significance.

Kate’s design decisions here have been loose and intuitive. She describes her decorative approach as informed by “Nordic beach house vibes, with a decent dose of colour”.

While she isn’t sure that the end result quite reflects this initial vision, she is confident they have created something special here, for her young family to cherish for years.