Gold coast, QLD
A waterfront residence shaped by light, flow, and considered detail.
Set along the canal in Mermaid Waters, The Sanctuary was designed as a private retreat — a home that captures the ease of coastal living while maintaining a sense of refinement and restraint.
From the outset, the focus was clear: create a space that feels calm, open, and deeply connected to its surroundings. Natural light, water views, and soft materiality work together to shape a home that is both elevated and effortless to live in.
Designed with a modern family in mind, the home balances generous entertaining zones with quieter, more private spaces — allowing it to move seamlessly between social and everyday living.
29 McIlwain Drive, Mermaid Waters
Completed 2024
681sqm
5 Bedrooms | 4 Bathrooms | 3 Car
Design Approach
The design centres around connection, both visual and physical, to the canal frontage.
Living areas, kitchen, and entertaining spaces were carefully positioned to maximise aspect, light, and flow, with large cavity stacker doors opening the home entirely to the outdoors.
Key considerations included:
- Open-plan living designed for entertaining
- Seamless indoor–outdoor integration
- A central kitchen as the heart of the home
- Multiple living zones for flexibility
- Private bedroom retreats positioned upstairs
- Integrated outdoor blinds for privacy and comfort
Balancing openness with privacy was a key challenge. Window placement and orientation were considered in detail to maintain both, without compromising the home’s connection to the water.
What sets the home apart is its scale and cohesion, where architectural simplicity meets high-end finishes, resulting in a home that feels both sophisticated and highly liveable.
Material & Finish Direction
The material palette was designed to feel timeless, warm, and quietly luxurious.
A base of soft whites and neutral tones is layered with oak timber, quartzite stone, and brushed brass detailing — creating depth without overpowering the space.
Key elements include:
- Shaker profile cabinetry
- Axon™ cladding for subtle texture
- Warm oak timber accents and floating shelving
- Large format tiles and marble feature surfaces
- Brushed brass fixtures throughout
- Engineered timber flooring and pure wool carpet
Feature stone and detailed joinery elevate each space, while large glazing and architectural voids enhance light and volume throughout the home.
Standout Spaces
At the centre of the home, the kitchen, living, and outdoor entertaining zone come together as one continuous space.
Oversized sliding doors disappear entirely, opening onto the alfresco, pool, and canal — creating a seamless transition between inside and out.
A defining feature within the home is the curved speakeasy bar, finished with a custom oak top and fluted marble detailing. Both functional and expressive, it brings a sense of personality and occasion to the space.
Designed for Living
While visually refined, the home is grounded in functionality.
Storage has been carefully integrated throughout, alongside practical inclusions such as a walk-in butler’s pantry, generous his-and-her wardrobes, and multiple living zones to support family life.
The layout allows the home to feel expansive without losing intimacy, with upstairs spaces offering quiet retreat, and the ground floor centred around connection and shared living.
The laundry that broke the internet
The Sanctuary has been featured across Home & Garden, Design Magazine, the Gold Coast Bulletin, and realestate.com.au.
A single reel showcasing the laundry reached over 11.8 million views, becoming one of the most recognised spaces within the home.
Build Highlights
Grand curved staircase at the entry
Infinity edge pool overlooking the canal
Large cavity stacker doors concealed within wall pockets
Raked ceilings enhancing volume upstairs
Integrated appliance cabinetry with concealed pocket doors
Achieving large spans of glazing while maintaining structural simplicity
The Feeling of Home
The Sanctuary delivers on its intention — a home that feels calm, open, and connected.
The balance between scale and softness, detail and restraint, creates a space that is both impressive and easy to live in, a true reflection of the HOVEN approach.
Collaborators
The Sanctuary was brought to life in collaboration with a select group of partners and brands.
The home featured exclusively with ABI Interiors in their Behind the Design series and formed part of the Channel 9 program A House to Call Home, documenting the build journey.
Additional collaborators included Luxaflex® (Magnatrak outdoor blinds) and Embelton flooring, with the home featured across national campaigns, publications, and marketing initiatives.
Interested in the details?
We often receive questions about materials, finishes, and selections used throughout our homes. A full breakdown of The Sanctuary’s design and finishes will be available soon.