It’s an Eternal Summer in Ellie Watson’s Gold Coast Home

Some of us might struggle to remember what we did on New Years Eve, 2017. The party, the people, the prosecco. But for Ellie Watson, that’s one New Years Eve she’ll never forget.

Looking to create a website to sell her cookbook, cutlery, and merch, that’s when the popular dietician behind food and lifestyle blog, Elsa’s Wholesome Life, launched The Wholesome Store. “We had absolutely no idea what we were doing,” Ellie laughs. “And no idea about marketing. I mean, who launches on New Years Eve?!”

Idea or no idea, whatever they were doing was working. Really, really, well. By the end of 2020, The Wholesome Store, a curated concept store for everyday goods, had made a name for itself as a purveyor of must-have brass spoons, before adding women’s clothing and kidswear to the mix, amassing a loyal customer base in the process. Today, The Wholesome Store is a one-stop-shop for everything from homewares to kids toys and a stockist of many beloved brands, all consciously curated by Ellie’s ever-tasteful eye.

Ellie’s stunning new home – which she shares with husband Alex, her two “beautifully chaotic toddlers”, Bowie and Zimi, and dog, Oatie – also reaps the benefits of this exquisite eye. Every inch stunningly styled with intention and purpose, and of course, a chic and playful flair.

Reminiscent of both her personal style and her brand aesthetic, Ellie’s home – dubbed ‘The Valle Casa’ for its prime position in the Valley of the Gold Coast – features a neutral palette with pops of colour infusing character into the space. “With the neutral base, I wanted to keep it quite simple and minimal, and with the décor I wanted to add a bit more personality,” Ellie says.

“We’ve tried to pick things with colour that are a bit more unique, and I think that also plays into my own fashion sense. I like my good basics, but I do like to have a bit of fun with design and fashion as well with some colour and print – which is pretty evident in our brand as well, I think.” This synergy between brand and home is a recurring theme, like in the kitchen, where the natural stone counters mirror the natural stone handles of The Wholesome Store’s cheese knife sets.

Colour and texture play an important role in breathing life into Ellie and Alex’s home, while also helping set it apart from others in the area. Australia’s Gold Coast is no stranger to beautiful homes – drenched in year-round sun, the beachside city is famous for its Hamptons style architecture and affinity for all-white, coastal inspired homes. This quintessentially Queensland aesthetic is what makes Ellie Watson’s stunning new property so unique. Built on acreage, the low set mid-century inspired home featuring bone limewashed walls and Danish walnut cabinetry stands out amongst the coastal crowd.

Upon viewing, Ellie and Alex immediately knew the huge property was the perfect place to build their dream home. “We instantly fell in love with the backdrop because of all the lush rainforest out the back, and we just really liked the vibe of what was already there. It feels like you’re at a retreat when you look out,” she says. “It was a good size, too, because it’s acreage but not too big so it won’t be too much maintenance.”

Once they locked in the property, Ellie’s Pinterest board exploded with ideas and visions for the build. “We worked with a great recommendation for an Architect, Luke Holmes, who took our Pinterest board and turned it into a reality,” she says. The words “smooth” and “easy” rarely come up in construction conversation, yet that’s exactly how Ellie describes the process with builder, neighbour, and friend, Matt from Arluca Construction. Inspired by a mix of Californian mid-century modern homes and both Mediterranean and modern Australian design, Ellie explains her mood board “essentially became a hybrid of a few different styles I loved.”

Eager to differentiate The Valle Casa from the stock Gold Coast aesthetic, Ellie worked closely with interior designers to bring her dream to life. “On the Gold Coast, everything is white on white on white. So when we began working with our interior designers on the fixtures and finishes we knew we wanted the home to feel different to that. Being out in the valley with all the gorgeous pine trees outside, I knew I wanted a warmer interior,” she says.

As a cookbook author and dietitian, it comes as no surprise that Ellie’s favourite room is the kitchen, AKA “the heart of the home.” Not only is it the scene of Ellie and her husband’s epic cake bake offs (well worth the highlight reel watch if you missed it in real time), it’s also where Ellie spends the most of her time.

“It’s an area you’re going to be entertaining or have your guests enter first, so I really wanted that space to feel inviting and like we have enough space and enough room to cook.” And what a space it is. A masterclass in simple sophistication, light pours through skylights directly above the stunning natural stone bench, while olive pops of colour punctuate an otherwise neutral colour scheme.

But it’s the dining area which houses one of Ellie’s most treasured pieces. “The dining suite from fform Life is such a statement as you come through the front door. We wanted a big table that seats eight comfortably as we love to have friends over for dinner, and this table is the perfect base to style and host parties around,” she says. Situated directly below a show stopping circular skylight, a beam of light radiates onto the heavenly tablescape, where pear, melon, and mineral meet.

In the living room, a texturally rich, earthy, almost edible colour scheme of olive green, butterscotch, and red wine ignites the space. Ellie’s newly acquired fform Life velvet couch invites indulgence, with its ottoman earning it the coveted title of “that couch where you can lay back and watch a movie.”

As a business owner and mother of two, life can get a bit hectic. That’s why Ellie’s interior style ethos is all about calmness. “I like this home to be quite minimal, and I find I am so much calmer when living in a tidy home,” she says. Serenity reigns supreme in the bedroom, where less is more…relaxing. A playful McMullin & Co curvy floor mirror rests against the wall, while her Mineral and Lavender Bed Threads bedding pairs with a large Sally Anderson artwork sharing a similar palette. “Alex’s cousin, Sally Anderson, is a very talented artist and she painted this artwork for us. I love the colours in it, it just adds so much boldness to the space,” Ellie says.

While the rest of us are operating on a 24-hour day, Ellie seems to be living according to another clock completely. In between juggling life as a mother of two, running The Wholesome Store, and creating content for her huge following, this September she will also launch Juni, a new clothing label for women, babies, and kids up to 6. “We have been making clothing under The Wholesome Store for seven years, but over the past three years we have really focused on elevating our collections to be less loungewear. We have been itching to separate the brands for some time and this year felt like the perfect time.”