Girl… stays in an artist’s studio in Byron Bay, Australia

Where: Beach Studio @ Artist House, Byron Bay, Australia

Why: During my second long, hot summer at university, when I was into hippy skirts and peasant blouses (still am, sort of), my best friend and I packed a rucksack each, bought a load of vegan snacks and hit the road, hitchhiking (really!) all the way from Canberra to the mecca of Aussie alternative living, Byron Bay. Known for gorgeous beaches, healthy living and a super-chill vibe, I decided to return to see if I still loved the place as much as I did back then and dragged my friend Tom along with me.

After touching down in Brisbane, we picked up a hire car and drove the one and a half hours to Byron. It was a scorcher of a day with blazing sunshine streaming through the windows as we cruised our way down the coast, the music turned up and the windows down. When we finally arrived in Byron, it was just as I remembered it – The Railway pub to the right, beach to the left and hippy stores decorated with breeze-swaying dream-catchers as far as the eye could see.

We’d rented an artist’s studio from AirBnB right in the heart of town and drove straight there, eager to dump our bags and get to the beach. Pulling up in front of an unassuming Federation-style house with a brushy hedge and rickety gate, it looked like any other bungalow, but walk through that gate and you step into a kind of sculpture garden, populated with giant wire elephants, an old car, two studio shacks, a barbeque area, a Queen of Sheba-style wooden daybed and a shiny silver Airstream. It felt like we’d entered another world and when we were shown our studio, we were thrilled – it was even nicer than in the pictures and much bigger than we expected.

 

 

When I said earlier we’d rented an artist’s studio, it’s actually an ex-artist’s studio – the house used to belong to renowned Australian painter and sculptor David Bromley, and his influence is on every structure in the place: there are hand-painted flowers on the side of the main house as you walk in and inside our studio, original artworks were propped lazily on the floor and sketches lined the walls.

The new owners have done a brilliant job of not zshuzing up the place too much (think random paint spatters, a slightly raw looking polished concrete floor and whitewashed wooden-board walls) while adding hip interiors touches like a zebra rug, wall antlers, white ceramics, taxidermy owls and Mexican trinkets, which makes the studio feel welcoming and cosy but stylish in a shabby chic, found-object kind of way.

The biggest surprise, however, was the bathroom. Newly built with an enormous egg-shaped tub, the trick here is that it’s not fully enclosed, so you get a cool breeze (and rain!) flowing under the walls, which makes everything feel fresh. The slatted-wood walls are actually backed with clear PVC, so you get that outside feeling and lots of light, although if you’re on the prudish side, you might feel a little exposed while under the waterfall shower (although no one can really see you unless they’re peeping around!). The pebble flooring is like a massage for the feet and the original artist’s sink is a bohemian touch that keeps the bathroom refurb from feeling too ‘hotel’.

Here’s where I mention that after walking into town in flip-flops and a breezy sundress and eating lunch at the Balcony Bar in 35-degree heat… the sun exited, never to be seen again. As we took our last mouthful, the skies opened up and torrential rain bucketed down as tropical Cyclone Marcia Byron hit hard. Yes. An actual cyclone.

For the next four days, we barely left the studio as gale-force winds and heavy rain wracked the region – my bikinis stayed packed, my surf hopes were dashed and my feet never touched sand. Not quite the holiday we were expecting… So what do you do when freak weather hits? When not bunkering down at home watching DVDs (seriously – Byron still has DVD stores), you take cover in cafes/drown your sorrows in bars/go shopping (bought some lovely locally made shorts I didn’t get to wear from Spell Store) and try to make the best of it.

So we didn’t get to the Lighthouse or Cape Byron, Wategos Beach was a wash out and so was Tallow Beach and The Pass remained on our to-see list… which all just means I’ll have to return, hopefully not during a cyclone.

What’s hot? Everything. The location is perfect, as you’re in the heart of Byron but not in the thick of it, so you get all the benefits of being in town without any of the noise or rabble. The house itself is the perfect mix of Instagrammable chic and Pin-worthy interiors that combine high-low  The bathroom is gorgeous in a rustic way with a massive egg-shaped tub and semi-open walls so you’re inside but kind of outside, too.

What’s not? Nothing. This is my perfect kind of place to stay – private, close to everything, hip and comfortable, not too swish and not too expensive and with an open-to-the-world bathroom you want to find a way to install in your first-floor flat in London.

Number of rooms: 1 – it’s a studio, but it’s massive.

Who goes: Anyone who is a fan of David Bromley’s work or who just wants a hipster pad close to the beach. If you’re looking for luxury, this is not for you, although I loved the eclectic interiors and bohemian vibe.

Swimming pool: No.

Eating & drinking: The house is on the main street of Byron, so it’s a two-minute walk to all the cool bars, restaurants and cafes in the centre of town – just take a walk and try whatever looks good to you (there’s everything from fancy sushi bars to dirty chicken and kebabs, so all bases are covered). That said, my favourite place to eat in Byron was The Roadhouse, a super hip café/bar/restaurant that was a 10-minute drive from the studio – a car is needed, or you could take a taxi. Either way, the food is exceptional and totally worth travelling a little bit out of town for.

Free wifi: Yes.

Getting there: We flew to Brisbane, hired a car and drove the one and a half hours to Byron Bay, but you can fly to Ballina Airport, too, which is only half an hour away by car or bus.

Price: £91 per night.

Website: The Beach Studio

Love Byron? Want to see the other David Bromley studio space? Check out my Pinterest board here.