Married at First Sight’s Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant’s stunning holiday home, mortgage battle
Married at First Sight stars Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant’s dream home buy for their young family was soon followed by a ‘gulp moment’.
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Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant have both fallen in love with another – their holiday house.
Best known for their fairytale romance on season six of MAFS (Married At First Sight), the ‘It’ couple have since celebrated the birth of their gorgeous son Ollie and bought three properties – a home, an investment and a luxury holiday house.
But while the purchase of the $3.65 million Gold Coast house last year was an exciting leap for the young family, it was soon followed by what could only be described as a “gulp moment”.
“WHAT HAVE WE DONE?”
Not long after the pair purchased the seven-bedroom house and put it up as a holiday rental, the Reserve Bank embarked on its onslaught of interest rate hikes, bringing the cash rate up 375 basis points in just 12 months.
As Australians tightened their belts and thought twice about holidaying, the couple considered their options, Robinson admitting she thought seriously about selling up.
“We were like, ‘Oh my god, we’ve bitten off more than we can chew getting this property’,” Robinson says.
“We were definitely stressing and thinking, ‘What have we done? We’ve now got three mortgages’.”
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But the cool and collected Merchant says he doesn’t regret it one single bit.
“Yes, interest rates are going up but the actual value of the property, with the equity involved, has increased,” he says.
“In Queensland and the Gold Coast, prices are still going up – that was always my thought in buying high-end property here.”
Not only did they lock in interest rates a few months after purchase, dodging the last seven hikes entirely, the property is now valued into the $4 millions, which means the couple has made a gain in the past year.
ELITE APPEAL
While the return of international travel has meant less Aussies are holidaying at home, the short stay market on the Gold Coast has stayed strong for large, high-end properties such as theirs.
Leasing agents Belle Sheppard and Matt Pyle, from Elite Holiday Homes, say there has been an influx of travellers from New Zealand since borders reopened.
Large properties on the Gold Coast are also popular for multiple family bookings and for companies holding conferences nearby.
“The demand is still there,” says Pyle.
“If it’s priced right, you’ll get bookings.”
Since the time of purchase, the uber chic home has had no trouble attracting a stream of guests.
Julia Morris is rumoured to have stayed in the house while hosting the Logies, the comedian posting a few telltale shots on Instagram.
There have also been a few inquiries from Hollywood producers looking for a home away from home while filming.
And Robinson herself has put a typically glamorous spin on the whole ‘working from home’ concept.
“The house has been great for photo shoots for my inclusive fashion label Moira Muse,” she says.
But it’s the size and amount of luxury on offer that makes the Broadbeach Waters house so popular – a foresight that led to Robinson buying it while she was up north to check it out without Merchant even seeing it first.
“When Jules came back and said, ‘I think this is it,’ I just said, ‘Go for it’,” Cam says. “It’s not every day you buy something of this magnitude. I trust my wife, she’s got pretty good taste.”
MY HAPPY PLACE
In fact, he also trusted Robinson with the job of decking out the house for the holiday let – a task she completed in just one week.
“I chose certain things I wanted to remain in the house and that was a real help,” she says.
Not only did the property come with a resort-style pool and outdoor kitchen, it also had a giant chess set and a cinema room – as well as several pieces of furniture and decor Robinson purchased as part of the property transaction.
When asked how their tastes differ, Merchant says “I just agree” – three words that bring laughter from Robinson.
While she spent thousands of dollars on new decor, Robinson also purchased some items from her “happy place” Kmart.
She also made sure she decked out the designer kitchen and butler’s pantry with every possible gadget and machine she would like in a holiday house.
In fact, the kitchen and well thought out laundry have proven to be her favourite spaces in the home.
“I really enjoy cooking here and using the kitchen and space,” she says.
While Merchant can often be found reading a book in the outdoor entertainment area, little Ollie relishes being able to run around the garden and play in the pool.
The family recently redid the garden together; Robinson has always loved gardening but has had little opportunity in Sydney.
Her pride and joy back at home is her “Oliver tree” – an olive tree she planted above her placenta to celebrate his birth.
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Perhaps the best thing about the holiday house is its combination of luxury and homeliness - ideal for Robinson’s photoshoots and as the practice ground for catwalks.
“When I had my ‘wrap yourself in self-love’ campaign, we had 15 FIGUR ambassadors in the house,” she says. “Not once did I feel overwhelmed with too many people in our home - it’s built for hosting large groups.”
It has also hosted friends and family, and now holds a special place in all their hearts.
“We had Christmas here last year,” Jules says. “My parents were playing pool with us in the pool room. They were being very competitive, it was very funny - it was just one of those lifelong memories you look back and have a bit of a giggle with.”
FAVOURITE THINGS
LARGE SHELL PLATE WITH NECKLACE
OF TINY SHELLS INSIDE
“The shell plate was a wedding gift from Pete Brennan, Channel 9 head of publicity. We got the beads in Fiji with Ollie when we went there for my 40th.”
DESIGNER BOYS ART WALL
“We chose to keep these when we purchased the house. It’s really artistic but has a great home feel to it at the same time.”
COLLECTION OF KMART VASES/CERAMICS
“Kmart is my happy place. I love mixing designer with cheaper items – you don’t need to spend heaps of money to make things look fabulous.”
BATHTUB
“We don’t have a bath in Sydney – who doesn’t love a really deep bath?”
COCKTAIL BOOKS AND SHAKERS
“Cam and I are partial to a nice cocktail at Christmas. It’s fun for people staying there to have a look through and make something of their own.”
BILLIARDS TABLE
“It’s not something I ever imagined I wanted, but now that I’ve got it, I love it.”
SLIM AARONS ARTWORK
“Slim Aarons is a really famous photographer. This is one of the pieces of art we bought with the home.”
OUTDOOR SHOWER
“It looks amazing. It’s a great thing to have when you have pool parties, so we can wash off before coming inside.”
DINING ROOM TABLE AND CHAIRS
“I purchased these with the home. I looked at it and envisaged having Christmas there with the whole family.”
Get the luxe look for less
You don’t need to spend a fortune decking out a holiday home to give it that luxurious look, says Robinson.
She recommends mixing a few designer pieces with some more affordable items that blend or contrast well.
“I went to an exhibition in London and bought some beautiful prints, but next to them I’ve also got some Kmart ones,” she says.
“The mixing of something that you can tell an artist has created with your Kmart stuff still blends really nicely together.”
“You put it all together and it looks so luxe.”
One of the benefits of this approach is that you don’t need to worry as much about wear and tear from guests.
“The great thing is you can pop it in the cupboard and change it over to something else because you haven’t spent so much money on it,” Robinson says.
Reducing clutter is also important, while sticking with neutral tones makes the job a whole lot easier.
“To make it look luxe, I think less is definitely more,” she says.
Originally published as Married at First Sight’s Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant’s stunning holiday home, mortgage battle
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