Gold Coast couple reveal what it’s like to be a part of Grand Designs Australia

They are the reluctant new stars of a major home lifestyle TV show, but what this Coast couple got out of the program is better than gold.

BUILDING a house with your best mate might just expose you to a side of them you’ve never seen before.

For Tamborine Mountain couple David and Sarah Hobart, whose new house will appear on tonight’s episode of Grand Designs Australia, David quickly learned his architect friend James Russell was a smooth talker.

“He’s got an amazing capacity to actually listen and then to get you to do what he wants anyway,” Mr Hobart said.

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Grand Designs Australia host Peter Maddison with Tamborine Mountain couple Sarah and David Hobart. Picture: Foxtel/Rhiannon Slatter

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“He has you eating out of his hand, he makes it feel like it was your idea. He’s very good with clients. I’m a bit of an observer of things, I just found it all just very interesting.”

It was through Mr Russell that the family’s eclectic hinterland house build ended up being documented by the reality lifestyle show.

David and Sarah Hobart built their dream home at Tamborine Mountain, documented by Foxtel Lifestyle show Grand Designs Australia. Picture: Foxtel/Rhiannon Slatter

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“Grand Designs contacted our architect James. We didn’t particularly want to be on the show, but we were happy to support James,” Mr Hobart said.

“And we thought it would be good for Tamborine and the Gold Coast.

“It was down to the wire towards the end, which made it seem like more of an episode of The Block than Grand Designs.”

Mr Hobart said the couple had two criteria — to build a small but spacious house, and an outdoor bathtub for soaking up the serenity.

The couple left much of the designing up to architect and friend James Russell. Picture: Foxtel/Rhiannon Slatter

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“It’s a beautiful block of land, we wanted to capture the aspect, make the vista and the block of land the highlight,” Mr Hobart said.

“And I just wanted a bath that I could enjoy, have an outdoor experience with the bath.”

While the original 32-week construction plan went out the window, the family are now happily enjoying their mountain retreat.

“It took about a year. I really enjoyed the whole experience, I’ve never done it before and I’m unlikely to again,” Mr Hobart said.

Sarah and David Hobart wanted a small but spacious home that captured the tranquillity of the surrounds. Picture: Foxtel/Rhiannon Slatter

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“I managed to have a flexibility at the time and could do some of labouring kind of work, be around for it.”

This episode of Grand Designs Australia screens Wednesday, September 11 at 8:30pm on Foxtel’s Lifestyle.