Royal Coterie is here to remind us that life's too short for boring walls.
Royal Coterie is here to remind us that life's too short for boring walls.
If your walls are still rocking that one framed print you bought back in 2017… we need to talk. After all, we do live on the Gold Coast, where lifestyle is at the top of our list of priorities- you could say, they’re in order. Which is exactly where Royal Coterie comes into the picture (pun very much intended). They’re here to turn your blank canvas walls into storytellers through the attention-grabbing, vibe-setting medium known as art. Architectural Digest, who?
Let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t your standard “pick a print, slap it in a frame, call it a day” situation. They’re not just decorating spaces with random artworks- they’re carefully selecting pieces, from contemporary works through to antiquities and collectables, to complement each individual client’s style, space and design direction. Every piece has purpose, every detail is considered, and nothing is there “just because.”
Their commercial art curation and installation service offers the curation of entire suites of artwork that align seamlessly with a brand’s identity. Think cohesive, elevated and wholly intentional. You know those swanky hotels, sky-high developments, and dreamy hospitality venues that feel impressive from the moment you walk in? Art curation plays a major role in that feeling. It’s the quiet overachiever that you don’t always notice straight away- but you can sure as hell feel it.
Their private art and object sourcing service is perfect for those seeking rare, meaningful, conversation-starting pieces that reflect their life experiences, memories, personality, and personal style. Royal Coterie sources from artists and artisans across the globe, but by no means is this a ‘shopping spree’. You want pieces to feel as though they’ve been thoughtfully accumulated over a lifetime of experiences, not a single sourced. Every piece is thoughtfully considered and intentionally placed, while still carrying that effortless, collected-over-time, story-behind-it feel.
And they don’t stop at art. Royal Coterie’s Furniture Sourcing and Interior Decoration service is all about creating spaces that feel deeply personal, unlike our beloved Logan Ikea showrooms…No shade! We all know there’s a time and a place for a flat-pack. They’ll work with what you already have (recycling for the win) while sourcing new pieces that fit your spaces and style. It’s effortless, it’s elevated, it’s chic.
When creating a suite of art, Royal Coterie isn’t just pulling pieces together (dare we say, willy-nilly); they’re actively helping to define a space and how people will feel within it. It’s about creating an atmosphere and telling stories- two things that will ensure a lasting impression is left on anyone who enters the space. Basically, they’re turning interiors into experiences. And the best part? They handle the whole thing. Selection, sizing, framing, delivery, installation- done and dusted. Translation: you don’t have to lift a finger… except maybe to pour yourself a wine, take a step back, and admire the stunning results. Call it a turn-key experience, but for art. Fancy.
Why stop at interiors when you can curate entire experiences? Royal Coterie also collaborates with leading creatives to deliver events that go beyond the usual canapés-and-small-talk situation. Whether it’s a brand launch, a private gathering, or something a little more outside the box, the service is ideal for those looking to take their event to a more immersive, considered (and likely very aesthetic) level- one your guests won’t forget quickly.
In the mass-produced, dupe-heavy culture we live in, Royal Coterie is a reminder that thoughtful design will always land at the top. That storytelling through art will never be lost amid the fast-flowing tide of trends, for its value simply cannot be replaced or replicated.
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
Get ready to say goodbye to boring builds with Goldie Homes.
If you’ve ever scrolled real estate listings or performed a little new estate drive-by (stealth mode) and thought to yourself, “everything looks a little… same, same?” Welcome! And you’re not alone. Somewhere along the line, suburbia got a little too copy-paste, didn’t it? But what if your first home (or next home) didn’t need a reno or major interior overhaul to stand out? What if your next home had the good bones and the good looks from day one? Yep- it’s officially safe to keep those standards high, Gold Coasters. Enter Goldie Homes, here to reshape Australian suburbia one custom-designed home at a time- no scary architect price tag required.
Their latest project, ‘Burleigh Heads’, is officially in the works, and Goldie Homes is now accepting expressions of interest for the stunning new development. Let us give you a little verbal tour, shall we? Picture: a dual-living design with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, raked ceilings, a butler’s pantry, a secure double garage, surfboard storage, a dedicated workshop, an internal garden, and generous outdoor living space. Safe to say, they’ve thought of everything.
Inspired by the Gold Coast way of life (ala, sunshine, salty breeze and relaxation), the home centres around fun in the sun and seamless indoor-outdoor flow. It’s open, breezy, and designed to feel connected to its surroundings. The flexible layout also includes a guest bedroom with its own ensuite on the ground floor, making it perfect for multi-generational living, hosting guests, or even a creating a cheeky side income with Airbnb. Work smarter, not harder, right?
Unlike most standard builds, the ‘Burleigh Heads’ project puts lifestyle optimisation at the forefront, heroing thoughtful architecture that maximises natural light, ventilation, energy efficiency, and seamless indoor-outdoor connection. From generous sizing and considered inclusions to elevated design features, buyers can expect more for less across the board. The result is a higher standard of living, a more refined design experience, and better value than you’d typically expect at this price point.
Instead of building homes the usual way, Goldie Homes does things a little differently. Their homes are built in sections (think large, pre-made pieces) in an Australian-run offshore factory, using Aussie trades and built to Australian standards. These sections are then shipped to Queensland and assembled on-site by local, registered builders. The result? A streamlined build process, with homes expected to be completed in around nine months from contract signing and council approval. In the world of residential builds, that’s basically instant.
Founder Nick Browne is on a mission to shift the narrative that mainstream housing has to mean generic housing. Because why should luxury design be a “nice to have” when it can (and should) be the standard? Goldie Homes is all about making architectural, design-led living more accessible, and the ‘Burleigh Heads’ project is proof that you don’t need to blow the budget to get a home that feels considered, elevated, and genuinely enjoyable to live in.
Have we piqued your interest? Well, it’s your lucky day, because like we said at that top- Goldie Homes is currently inviting prospective buyers to register their interest while the first official home release is being finalised. The goal is to build an early contact list, keep future homeowners in the loop, and offer priority purchase opportunities- because in a housing crisis, getting in early is a very smart (almost essential) move.
With project ‘Burleigh Heads’, Goldie Homes is pioneering a new kind of housing brand: one focused on making design-driven homes more attainable for us Gold Coasters. Can we get a hell yeah?!
Expressions of interest are now open here.
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
Meet Rae Underhill & Adriel Lack, Creative Directors of Raven & Lack.
There’s a certain kind of creative duo who leave the Coast, cut their teeth on the global stage, and return with a sharper, more refined point of view. Rae Underhill and Adriel Lack are exactly that.
As co-founders and creative directors of Raven & Lack, the Burleigh Heads-based studio with London roots, the pair are helping shape a new standard of luxury living on the Gold Coast. With an international portfolio spanning the UK, Middle East and South East Queensland, their work blends elevated, design-led thinking with the relaxed rhythm of coastal life.
We caught up with Rae and Adriel to talk coming home, the evolution of the local aesthetic, and why true luxury is as much about how a space feels as how it looks.
Tell us about Raven & Lack and your roles there.
Raven and Lack is dynamic and super creative interior design studio, based in Burleigh Heads, founded in London. With project spanning the UK, Middle East, and SEQ , we specialise in the luxury residential interior design sector. We are working on a variety of projects from stand alone trophy homes to multi unit residential developments and furniture packages for ultra – boutique apartments. We are the co-founders and creative directors, supported by our talented team of interior architects and interior designers.
You both worked internationally for years, particularly in London. What pulled you back to the Gold Coast, and how has it influenced your creative direction?
Ultimately it was for the Gold Coast Lifestyle, both Adriel and I are from the Gold Coast and after an incredible decade plus spent in London it was time to come home, we were ready for barefoot luxury after the life in the big city!
The Gold Coast has really come into its own design-wise. How would you describe the local aesthetic right now?
The Gold Coast’s luxury aesthetic has undergone a quiet but significant shift — moving beyond its signature sun-drenched glamour into something far more discerning. Shaped by international travel, interstate migration, and a growing appetite for considered design, the region’s interiors now speak a more global language. Think the restraint of European minimalism, the warmth of Mediterranean living, and the organic textures of high-end coastal design from California to the Amalfi Coast — all filtered through a distinctly Queensland light. The result is an elevated coastal aesthetic that feels worldly without losing its sense of the vernacular.
How do you balance that relaxed, coastal lifestyle with the level of luxury your clients expect?
We think about it as designing for how people actually live. Our clients entertain, they have families, they want to walk in from the beach and feel like they’re in the most beautiful place in the world — without feeling like they can’t touch anything. That balance is everything. It’s what separates a luxurious home from just an expensive one.
What are Gold Coast clients asking for in 2026 that they weren’t five or ten years ago?
The conversation around wellness has completely transformed. Five or ten years ago, a home gym was considered a luxury addition — now our clients are asking for dedicated wellness suites that rival boutique studios. Infrared saunas, cold plunge pools, steam rooms — these aren’t wish-list items anymore, they’re being designed into the brief from day one, with the same level of intention we’d bring to a kitchen or master suite.
But what’s equally significant is the shift happening at the material level. Clients are far more informed now — they’re asking where things come from, how they’re made, what’s off-gassing into their home. There’s a real demand for natural, low-toxic materials: lime plasters, raw timbers, natural stone, wool and linen textiles, clay-based paints. And interestingly, that pursuit of healthier materials aligns beautifully with the aesthetic direction we’re seeing — because those materials also happen to be the most beautiful, the most tactile, and the most enduring.
In three words, how would you describe the future of Gold Coast interiors?
Considered. Elevated. Lifestyle Driven – (that’s 4!)
What’s one design mistake you see people consistently making?
The biggest mistake made in luxury homes is treating interiors as an afterthought. When natural light, spatial arrangements, and material selections aren’t considered from the very beginning of a project, the result is a home that never quite coheres — beautiful in parts, but lacking that seamless, resolved quality that defines truly exceptional design. The architecture and interiors have to be in conversation from day one.
Are there any local designers, artists or spaces on the Gold Coast inspiring you right now?
The Gold Coast has some seriously talented architects and designers — Jayson Pate, Joe Snell, Reece Kiel, Bayden Goddard, Paul Uhlmann — each with a signature aesthetic and a real following. The projects coming out of the Coast at the moment are exceptional, and it shows in the results — suburb records are being broken consistently. It’s a genuinely exciting time, and a real testament to what happens when you back a strong interiors and architecture team. Investing in the right consultant from the outset doesn’t just elevate the design, it delivers real, measurable return on investment.
There’s a cool art scene emerging on the Gold Coast right now. 19Karen and the collective of artists working out of Mint Art House are consistently producing bold, fresh work that’s increasingly hard to ignore. It’s a creative community growing in both confidence and recognition — and one absolutely worth watching closely.
What are your Gold Coast favourites:
Cafe: Bam Bam Bakehouse
Restaurant: Norte
Bar: Rick Shores for a glass of champagne. Never sick of that view!
Furniture store: Tigmi Trading
Beach: North Burleigh to Burleigh Heads
How do you choose to spend your day off?
Beach days with family, dinner with friends, simple Gold Coast life!
FUTR Property Buyers Agency is helping buyers skip the chaos.
Let’s be honest, trying to buy a home on the Gold Coast right now? It’s a lot. The kind of draining that creeps in somewhere between your fourth open home of the weekend and your third overpriced latte. You start out hopeful, checking price guides and doing the mental maths, only to find out the place you liked is already under contract before you’ve even processed the floorplan. Fun!
If you’re deep in that cycle, consider this your official permission to exhale. Because there is a smarter way to do it.
Enter FUTR Property Buyers Agency.
Founded by local Bernard Rubin, FUTR has quietly built a reputation as the go-to for buyers who are over the chaos and ready to actually secure a property. Bernard’s been in the game since 2013 (with a Griffith University property and real estate degree to back it up) and launched FUTR in 2021… yes, right in the middle of peak market madness. Bold move? Absolutely. But it paid off.
Now, with a Palm Beach office up and running and a growing team around him (including Archie the golden retriever and Dunkley the groodle, of course), Bernard’s focus hasn’t really changed. The team now includes full-time buyer’s agent Sarah ‘Trum’ Trumble, bringing even more local expertise to the mix. Behind the scenes, a special mention also goes to Bernard’s partner Serena Wilson, who has supported the business from day one, something he’s the first to say FUTR wouldn’t be what it is today without.
But beyond the vibe, it’s what Bernard and the team do that really matters.
As a buyer’s agency, they’re firmly on your side (finally, right?). That means they don’t just help you find properties, they help you secure them. And in a market like the Gold Coast, that’s the difference between endlessly looking and actually landing a home.
A big part of that comes down to local knowledge. Not just knowing suburbs, but knowing streets, pockets, and even specific properties. It’s the kind of insight you simply don’t get scrolling listings at midnight.
Then there’s access. FUTR’s strong relationships with local agents and homeowners mean they’re often across opportunities before they hit the major platforms. Translation: you’re not competing with half the Gold Coast for the same listing. They also refine your search to a level most of us wouldn’t even think of, from suburbs down to exact streets or off-market opportunities that tick every box.
And because FUTR is a family-run, independent business, you’re getting all of that expertise without the big franchise feel (or price tag). It’s personal, hands-on, and genuinely tailored to you, which, in this market, is a bit of a unicorn.
Behind the scenes, the business has been built on a whole lot of grit. Bernard started FUTR from his garage in Currumbin, backing himself in the early post-COVID days. Fast forward, and the opening of a Palm Beach office this year marks a pretty major “we made it” moment. Instead of putting his savings toward a home deposit, he poured it into building FUTR. Risky? Definitely. But it’s that kind of commitment that’s shaped what it is today.
Since then, it’s been a steady climb, less overnight success, more consistent hustle. Think prioritising contracts over cocktails (a sacrifice we respect but would personally struggle with). The result? Helping clients secure homes they genuinely didn’t think were possible.
These days, FUTR works with a mix of clients that feels very Gold Coast – single mums, downsizers, growing families and investors – all just trying to find their place here. Interestingly, what started as a service for interstate buyers has become increasingly local, with more Gold Coasters turning to FUTR for help navigating the market.
And despite the growth, the approach hasn’t changed. Keeping things small, local, and hands-on is very much intentional. It’s what allows the team to deliver a level of service that’s hard to replicate when things get too big.
So, if you’re currently stuck in the endless loop of inspections, missed opportunities, and mild property-induced burnout, this might just be your sign.
Because sometimes the smartest move isn’t doing it all yourself,it’s handing it over to someone who knows exactly how to get it done.
Where: 5/40 Palm Beach Ave, Palm Beach
Website: futrproperty.com
Instagram: @futr_property
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
SPONSORED STORY BY FUTR PROPERTY
