202202 marieclaire.com.auIt also is easy to see why the brand has successfully
branched out to encompass swim and resortwear,
the diffusion line Isla By Talulah and a brief 2015
foray into homewares.
Wharton relocated her brand from Brisbane
to the Byron area about seven years ago. Joining
her was her husband Bradley Lloyd, managing
director of the label’s parent company, The Localé
Group. As Wharton sees it, her adopted home
town is one of the key influences behind her style,
whether she is shopping for homewares at Bisque
in Bangalow or lunching at Harvest in Newrybar.
“The natural beauty is reflected of every aspect of
Byron Bay life,” she says. “And there’s such an
epidemic of creativity in Byron. It’s really nice to
feel a part of such a flourishing, tight community.”
Putting down roots meant finding a house.
Although the couple hadn’t started a family at that
point, they were looking for a place that would
easily absorb and withstand the pitter-
patter then rough-and-tumble of little feet. They
found the perfect spot across the road from one of
the area’s popular beaches, next door to Wharton’s
brother and down the street from her mother
(always a bonus when babies are on the horizon).
The blonde-brick house with its nanna-style inte-
rior and front yard that was mostly driveway was
less than ideal, but the couple wasn’t scared off bythe challenge of an extensive two-part renovation.
In fact, they drew up the plans themselves.
After knocking down the walls between the
kitchen and living spaces and then renovating
the bathroom, the pair created an outdoor space
and replaced the old carpet with tiles, making the
house much more livable. From the beginning of
the whole process, Wharton knew she wanted
large steel doors in the living and dining area that
would open seamlessly to the outside. As a result,
the open-plan living area, which Wharton calls
her “special place”, is filled with light and a feeling
of being outdoors. “The layout is extremely open
and welcoming,” she says. “It really makes the most
of the warm summer rays and ocean breeze.”
In the next stage of the renovation in 2014, the
garage at the rear of the property was converted
into a master bedroom with en suite. Relocating
the garage to the front of the house meant the
wraparound driveway could be transformed into a
more luxurious outdoor space for the couple, and
a generous and inviting run-around area for their
sons William, aged seven, and Hunter, now five.
Job done, the family hasn’t wasted any time
imprinting their lives and loves on the home. In
true Wharton style, every space is filled with
colour and creativity, along with the occasional
surfboard from the Talulah archives.The newly added
master bedroom
(above) features
whitewashed timber
floorboards and an
artwork by Jai Vasicek
of Ahoy Trader.
On the bed, a quilt
cover from Country
Road adds a splash
of colour. Opposite
page: The en suite
was built alongside
the master bedroom,
using grey tiles and
steel doors.“My style is
definitely
eclectic.
We’ve gone
for what
works in
each space”LIFESTYLE