The Last Ten Percent

Our beach house in Pearl Beach was a significant early project for us.

We owned the property for many years and transformed it in two stages. It began with a small renovation before evolving into a substantial rebuild after we secured development approval years later. The construction alone took almost two years.

It wasn't just another development.

It was our family holiday house.

When our daughters were babies and through primary school, Pearl Beach became the backdrop to countless weekends and school holidays. 'Pearly', as we called it, was relaxed, welcoming and designed for family life. It was somewhere to arrive, slow down and simply be together.

We loved it.

As happens with most families, life moved on. By the time our daughters reached their teenage years, Byron Bay had become their favourite. They wanted cafés, friends, a little more independence and a different pace. We realised we simply weren't using Pearl Beach as often as we once had, and it was time for another family to enjoy it.

We sold the house not long after completing the rebuild. It sold well.

By every measure, it was a successful project. Years of planning, construction and decision-making had resulted in a wonderful home that was valued by the market and appreciated by its new owners.

But I never completely finished it, and that's my only regret.

At that stage of my career, I understood how to create and build a home, but I hadn't yet realised that completing a project extends well beyond construction.

The interiors were intentionally simple—relaxed, coastal and family-focused. They suited the house perfectly, but I hadn't taken the decorative layer as far as I would today.

More importantly, I hadn't documented the interiors properly.

At the time, I thought the project was finished when the build was complete. I now know the final stage is preserving it.

Like many people juggling family life and multiple projects, I was already looking ahead to the next thing. By the time we decided to sell, I was very busy in Sydney and couldn't give Pearl Beach the attention it deserved.

The real estate agent organised the styling and photography.

The house presented beautifully for sale and the campaign was successful. The exterior photography, in particular, captured the essence of the property perfectly.

I was grateful for his help. Where the project fell short for me was inside the home. The interiors hadn't received the final decorative attention I would give them today, and the styling wasn't a continuation of my own work. It was prepared for a successful real estate campaign rather than as the final editorial expression of the project.

Real estate photography is designed to sell a home.

Editorial photography is designed to preserve one.

They serve completely different purposes.

Editorial photography tells the story of a project. It captures atmosphere, materials, craftsmanship, detail and the thinking behind the work. It creates a permanent record of years of effort and thousands of decisions.

That's the difference I hadn't yet understood.

So this project isn't on my Projects page.

Not because it doesn't deserve to be there. It absolutely does.

But the imagery doesn't fully represent the work.

When I look at those photographs now, I see beautiful exterior images that still capture the spirit of Pearl Beach.

What I don't see is the home as I intended it to be remembered.

The decorative layer, the styling and the editorial photography would have completed the story.

Pearl Beach taught me two important lessons.

The first was that building a home and completing a home are not the same thing.

By the time construction finishes, everyone is tired and ready to move on.

But the final decorative layer matters.

Furniture, lighting, artwork, textiles and objects don't simply make a room look beautiful. They complete the architecture, giving scale, warmth and personality to spaces you've spent years creating.

That final layer deserves the same attention as every stage that came before it.

At Pearl Beach, I allowed someone else to make some of those final decisions because I simply didn't have the capacity to be there.

The styling was appreciated, but it wasn't mine.

The second lesson was about documentation.

If you're involved in creative work, make the time to properly photograph your work. Don't leave it until you're exhausted. Don't assume you'll come back later.

People often say the last ten per cent of a building project is the hardest.

They're right.

By then, budgets are stretched, energy is low and everyone wants to move on.

But the last ten per cent isn't just defects, landscaping and handover.

It's the decorating.

The styling.

The photography.

It's taking the time to properly record something you've spent years creating.

Don't drop the ball before the finish line.

Owning, renovating, building and eventually selling our Pearl Beach property was an excellent experience.

It was an unforgettable chapter for our family.

I just wish I had left myself a better record of it.