Gold Coast influencer Skye Wheatley races to finish Spanish villa dream home

Gold Coast’s ex-Big Brother star turned social influencer has been getting her hands dirty to finish the renovation ahead of the birth of her second child. SEE ALL THE PHOTOS

SOCIAL media sensation Skye Wheatley is in a race against time to complete renovations at her dilapidated Tallai mansion ahead of the birth of her second child.

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Speaking to the Gold Coast Bulletin this week, the ex-Big Brother star turned influencer said she and partner Lachlan Waugh were close to finishing upgrades to the upstairs living quarters at their stunning acreage property known as La Casa Grande at Tallai.

The high-profile couple bought the four-bedroom home for $975,000 in August 2019,

embarking on a major restoration project to bring the Spanish-inspired mansion back to its former glory as it had been unoccupied and left to decay by the previous overseas owner.

The house was abandoned and left in a dilapidated state for six years. Photos: Scott Powick

“It is so stunning and the way we got it was like fate. We were very lucky, we got it at a really good price because of how dilapidated it was,” said Ms Wheatley, whose regular Instagram posts draw strong engagement from her 640,000 followers.

“It was owned by a Chinese man who had bought it for his sons to live in while they went to boarding school here, but that didn’t end up happening so the house just sat there for like six years.

Skye Wheatley and her son, Forest, 2.

“We fell in love with it straight away, even though it was in such a state — it honestly looked haunted. Everyone does though; everyone who comes to the house is like, ‘oh my god, this is insane’,” she said.

Ms Wheatley, who is six months pregnant, revealed the couple and their son, Forest, 2, had been sleeping elsewhere in the house while working around the clock to restore the property.

Ms Wheatley bought the dilapidated villa in 2019.

“It’s been a very long process, but we are super close to being finished upstairs,” she said.

“We’ve still got the flooring to put down in the nursery and I really need to get around to decorating ... this pregnancy has gone so fast.”

Drawing on Mr Waugh’s shopfitting experience, they have carried out much of the refurbishments themselves, recently showcasing a luxurious new bathroom and spruced up swimming pool.

You can follow the renovation on Ms Wheatley’s new social media account.

“Because we are making the space so different we have had to knock out heaps of walls and because it is a brick house it’s solid – it’s a lot of work,” Ms Wheatley said.

“I helped Lachy for a couple of weeks, then it was too much because it was literally knocking bricks down with a hammer, then having to carry them across the roof and throw them into a skip. It was hard labour,” she said.

Ms Wheatley’s partner Lachlan Waugh have done most of the work themselves.

Late last year, they engaged interior designer Courtney Talbot of Talbot Design, who has drawn up stunning renders of several spaces, including the luxurious master suite with spacious walk-in robe.

“It’s like the dream interior project,” Ms Talbot said.

“It’s still got all the beautiful Spanish nodes and designs to it which we’re trying to keep. It is going to be a very, very beautiful property.

“It will be a full re-design, keeping the elegant Spanish heritage of the property while really making it a very liveable family home ensuring a floor plan that is suited to them,” she said.

Launching a new Instagram account dedicated to the renovation progress last week, Ms Wheatley shared a snap of her with power tool in hand captioned, “Blood, sweat and tears @tallai.lacasagrande...9 whole months of pure pain and exhaustion”.

The pool area.

“I couldn’t believe how many people are interested in this house,” she told the Bulletin.

“When I started the Instagram page for the renovation I said to Lachy, ‘maybe it’ll get 1k’, but next minute we had 50,000 people following.

“I think it is because it is such a unique and beautiful home and we are trying to stick to the traditional Spanish style as much as possible while still bringing in a mix so it will be modern as well,” she said.