Caringbah South -

Australian Coastal x Modern Glow Up

This project in Caringbah South, located in the Sutherland Shire, focused on transforming an underutilised dining area into a functional and inviting space. Through thoughtful interior design and styling, the space was enhanced with coastal-inspired elements, layered textures and a custom book nook to maximise usability.

Top tip: The ‘book nook’ has limited natural light, so we used a snake plant as this plant needs very limited/no natural light to survive!

Coastal inspired reading nook with rattan bench seat
Coastal inspired oak book shelf styling
Coastal inspired interiors by Arlen Interiors
Coastal inspired reading nook, rattan bench seat and bookshelf styling in Sydney home.
Australian coastal inspired artwork with rattan bench seat, styled by Arlen Interiors
Coastal inspired brass/gold bar cart with whisky decanter and agate coasters.
Coastal inspired brass/gold bar cart with cocktail books and rattan decor.
Coastal inspired brass/gold bar cart with plants, styled by Arlen Interiors
Australian coastal inspired interior styling by Arlen Interiors in Sutherland Shire, Sydney
Australian coastal inspired artwork on buffet/sideboard, by Arlen Interiors
Island hammock Australian coastal artwork on buffet/sideboard, interior styled by Arlen Interiors.

Where it all began…

The location: Caringbah South in the Sutherland Shire. 

The client: A young couple that wanted to utilise some dead space in their dining room. They also wanted to inject some coastal feels into their bar cart and buffet.

The brief: Artwork, artwork, artwork + a reading nook. Then the rest was left up to us!

Here are some before photos of the Caringbah South transformation prior to Arlen Interiors re-decorating.

A teal-colored bicycle with a brown seat and a front basket parked indoors, a blue surfboard leaning against the wall, a small beige dog standing on a gray carpeted floor, and a window in the background.
Empty off-white wall with five art prints on the left side and a power outlet near the bottom right.
A wooden sideboard with decorative items including a framed 'love' sign, and a small plant, against a white wall. Above, a multi-panel painting of a large ocean wave at sunset.
A gold-colored bar cart with two shelves, holding bottles of alcohol, glasses, and decorations, positioned against a plain beige wall.

Testimonial

“Steph styled an empty, awkward space in our home and turned it into a beautiful reading nook.

Every piece that she picked I absolutely love! I couldn’t believe the transformation when I walked in.

She also styled our bar cart and buffet to create an overall more modern/coastal feel throughout.

Our house finally feels complete!”

Every project is tailored to the space and the people who live or work within it. Our approach focuses on creating interiors that feel both elevated and effortless, balancing functionality with a refined aesthetic.

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