Facelift in pink captures a trend

The first thing that strikes you about The Main Beach Bungalow is pink. A whole lot of pink.

Ray White Gold Coast agent Michael Willems and his wife, Dayna, with their daughter, Lulu, at their Beverly Hills-inspired property Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

The first thing that strikes you about The Main Beach Bungalow is pink. A whole lot of pink.

When leading Ray White real estate agent Michael Willems and wife Dayna bought their Gold Coast home at Main Beach in 2017, they decided to give it the Beverly Hills treatment.

Drawing inspiration from 1990s hotels, the white facade of the home was converted to pink. Striped green and white awnings shade the windows, while palm trees dot the surrounds.

The bold choice did leave a few concerned.

“When I initially suggested it to Michael, he thought I was crazy,” said Dayna.

“The painters were ringing us when we were overseas saying, ‘We’ve painted a wall and I think you need to reconsider. It is very pink,’ and I said, ‘No, just do it.’ ”

“I’m glad we did.”

Michael admitted the colour scheme probably wouldn’t have been his first choice but he quickly came to love the look.

The family-style diningroom Picture Lyndon Mechielsen

Mr Willems has worked in both the residential and commercial side of property group Ray White throughout his 26-year career, becoming one of the company’s star performers. He is the only person in the network to achieve top international agent status in commercial and residential real estate, and was also recently named the company’s No 1 auction agent.

The family bought the home from its American owners while it was off the market, drawn to the double block and location, a short walk from the beach and office. Aside from the paint job, an extension was built at the front of the house to add a bedroom for daughter Lula, 4, and add another bathroom, both of which have a wallpaper that follows the tropical theme.

Outside, a lap pool takes up half of the double block. One end of the pool is lagoon-shaped with a sloped entry. Palm trees and astroturf edge the white deck.

Much of the home’s original 1990s interiors remain the same, with a wall of mirrors in the dining room, off-white textured tiles, and a brown, tortoiseshell kitchen.

Not ones to take themselves too seriously, they called the house the “Main Beach Bungalow” as a bit of a laugh. But the name has stuck, with the pink facade becoming a destination for social media influencers on the Coast.

Michael Willems and wife Dayna’s Main Beach home is used for fashion shoots Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

On more than one occasion, the family has arrived home to find bikini-clad women having photoshoots by their front gate and tagging their address online.

Embracing the popularity, the family created an Instagram page for the home. It has since drawn the eye of fashion brands Target Australia, Blackmilk Clothing, Pasduchas and Skwosh, who have each hired out the space for promotional shoots.

The Willems never planned for the home to be a destination, just their home.

“I think it just feels really homely. I love being in the Main Beach and that village feel,” said Dayna.

Michael and elder son Jackson both work at the Ray White office at the end of their street, which helps their work/life balance.

“In the summer time, it’s nice. On a hot day I can come home at lunchtime, jump in the pool and get back to work in 20 minutes,” Michael said.

The six-bedroom, five-bathroom home is split across two buildings, with the main living, kitchen, master bedroom and Lulu’s room at the front. Next door, the couple’s two sons, Jackson, 18, and Emerson, 14, live in their own self-contained space, with their own floor each, a kitchenette and movie room.

As to what the future holds, the couple are considering redeveloping the block in the years to come but nothing is set in stone.

Meanwhile, Dayna jokes they might have to paint the house again soon to keep up-to-date with trends.

Will canary yellow be next?