How Still-Life Artist Bella McGoldrick Revived an Unloved Byron Bay Home

I f a picture is worth a thousand words, Bella McGoldrick’s hyperrealistic artworks tell some remarkable tales. Everyday objects – a set of keys, a half-eaten slice of cake, a pair of worn sneakers – are rendered precious by her detailed drawings, paying homage to the beauty in the ordinary. For Bella, the line between her art and her home life is a fluid one.

After years abroad, she was drawn to Byron Bay, a creative hub that speaks to both her fun-loving and familial sensibilities. Here, she floats between her artist studio and family home. The latter, a playful retreat shared with her husband Ty and twin boys – Ruby and Rome.

This house is set within a gated community, it bears a prior life where it was starved of TLC, and is described by Bella as the type of home a "friend's parents" might have had growing up. But it's nothing like what you might expect.

In a word, Bella characterises the house as “mature” – a large five-bedroom family residence worlds apart from the compact apartments she once called home. There have been no renovations since they moved in ten months ago, just a serious styling overhaul. She describes her style as "evolving" and has a penchant for vintage Italian designer furniture and an eclectic mix modern pieces. Then, of course, there's the art. "Being an artist, the art is super important," she explains. "Not just mine, but collecting things for the walls that we change around all the time."

With her discerning eye, Bella looks beyond the surface to what a space can be. The house had never been used as a permanent residence, and the lack of attention was palpable. "It's 15 years old, and no one had ever lived there permanently. So it was almost sad, like nobody's given this house any love," she recalls. It took some vision to look past the bare, generic furniture. Together, Bella and Ty have spent the last eight months putting their stamp on it with furniture, rugs, artwork and homewares that embody their personal taste.

High ceilings, natural light, and clean lines – the foundations for a beautiful home are all there. Bella believes everything old will be new again, and that even the less fashionable features will return to vogue. “It has great bones and high specs,” she says. It was built in 2011, so as she predicts, "It's not trendy now [but] I feel like it's almost coming back."

Anchoring the centre of the home is Bella’s favourite feature – a three-metre-long table, custom created by local maker Harley Hamilton. The room was so spacious (especially by comparison to her US apartments) that “filling it was kind of hard”. However, the task was aided by interior architect and friend Caitlin Nicolas, who advised on the layout and proportions.

While the dining room is her favourite place for entertaining (the table recently played host to a raucous games night for Bella’s birthday), she also has a soft spot for the "cosy" TV room, which holds a "huge Jardan Couch", and Armadillo rug.

The Northern Rivers seems to be home to more than its fair share of artisan makers, which fuels Bella’s passion for working with local craftspeople. Her much-loved built-in bedhead features custom shelving and sconces made by Marz Designs, while other pieces were sourced from local vintage dealer, Vampt.

A few objects have particular sentimental value: a Tom Sachs chair with a signature underneath, which they display like a sculpture. Meanwhile, a smattering of works by local painters, sculptors, and photographers adorn the interiors throughout.

Bella’s journey to Byron Bay wasn’t linear – in fact, it was closer to an odyssey. Born in New Zealand, her family moved to Melbourne when she was seven – and she now feels “more Australian than Kiwi”. After finishing her fashion degree in Australia, she fulfilled her dream of moving to New York City (a decision she admits was partially inspired by watching Sex and the City and Gossip Girl as a teenager), “I just couldn’t get there soon enough," she says.

Six years in the Big Apple delivered some life-defining moments: becoming a full-time artist, falling in love with Ty, and buying their first home together. The next stop was Colorado. They packed up their New York digs and moved into a tiny studio apartment in the Rocky Mountains. Trading the frenetic buzz of the city for rugged scenery and alpine air was a welcomed change – but unfortunately, the next part of the adventure isn’t so idyllic.

A series of visa snafus resulted in Bella getting deported and banned for life from entering the US – a particularly harsh blow as Ty is American, and they owned their Colorado apartment. They sold it, and bounced around every few months while they waited for Ty to get his permanent residence in Australia. The experience, as detours often do, led to creation – a book chronicling her journey through words and illustrations, aptly named Visa Issues.

Eventually, their luck took a joyful turn when they found out they were pregnant with their twins. The news was exciting, but also meant it was time to hurry the house search along. By that stage, Bella was craving a permanent base.

When deciding on a new place to settle down in Australia, Melbourne was the obvious choice – Bella’s mum was there, she had plenty of family ties, but there was something holding her back. "I didn't really want to go back and just slip into my old life. It had been about eight years at that time... I felt like it would be hard to move to a city after living in New York City, which I think is the best city in the world."

To Bella, Byron Bay seemed “kind of obvious” at first. "I think Melburnians kind of hate on every other place... so I was a bit like that at the start. Globally [Byron Bay] has a really great name for itself [but] from my experience in Melbourne, it has a cliche, almost a poser type thing."

At Ty’s encouragement, they gave Byron another chance and were charmed by its energy. “It’s not just a stoner beach town,” Bella laughs. "It's got the beach and the surfing and the outdoor lifestyle", she acknowledges, but above all, it's the people who make it so special. "I've made some good, good friends here [who are] doing interesting stuff, which I love."

While she sometimes craves the excitement of New York, a gentler pace is what this chapter calls for. The purpose of nesting in one place – investing in building a home and forging a life. “I'm setting my roots, I've chosen this place," she says. And this is something that she admires in her surrounding community. “People are here for the lifestyle," she reflects, "I have so many friends who are entrepreneurial and do their own thing."

She paints a picture of the low-key nature of her new hometown, “I mean, there's even, like, no traffic lights!" And when that yearning for city life emerges, she admits "It's kind of good being not allowed to go back... It's not even an option... So I'm just set on being here."

“I think the biggest thing has been just being settled... I was so unsettled for so long. So buying this new house was massive."

Despite her storied path, the biggest adventure yet came with the arrival of her sons. The role of being a mother is a source of endless inspiration, as well as a whole new perspective on life and art, informing her next collection. “It's taken me a while to even speak on it, because I think for a while I was pretending [pre and post baby life] was all the same. And then you realise [it isn't] the same, and I'm not the same."

In tandem with shaping the art itself, motherhood reframes the way she works and how she manages her schedule. "You become so much more present... I work more efficiently... time is just so much more important. You notice it with them growing and you can just see the passage of time."

Moving to a separate studio has allowed her to forge a stronger work-life balance. "I would [work at] night times or just a bit on the weekend, and now... I just chill."

From dawn until dusk, Bella’s routine has morphed into one centred around work and family. Days start early, as Ruby and Rome wake at six and come into the bed for a cuddle. Then, it slowly unfolds, sometimes starting with a (very cold) dip in the pool. Then they get the twins ready, make breakfast, and the boys' nanny arrives just after 8am. Bella's mum has also moved into the granny flat and helps two days a week. Then, she bikes to the studio and is usually ready to step into her creative practice by 9am.

When the weekend rolls around, hosting friends with a spread of pastries and coffee, or firing up the outdoor barbecue is a more common occurrence than boozy dinners. Both Bella and Ty have been sober for a number of years, “we don’t need wine to wind down – just ice cream.” Bella jokes. “We were partying all the time in New York," but their lifestyle began to naturally slow down together, "We were definitely prepared to be parents because we were already living a more simple life, in a way."

Bella shares that her downtime is often spent going down to the beach, but mostly, writing or "watching trashy TV", with a spot of online shopping to unwind.

The day is bookended by ritual: “At seven o'clock... that's like, my tap off. The boys are asleep, I shower, moisturise. Then I'm in my sweats and... I just feel really good. I might do a bit of writing at night, hanging on the couch and having some dessert. Then I'm in bed by nine."

For all the twists and turns and creative milestones along the way, Bella’s sense of home has crystallised into something simple and enduring. When asked what home means to her, it's an instant response: "Honestly, it means the people I'm around. Home is my family."