SITCHU MAGAZINE Matty J and Laura Byrne may have charmed the nation on The Bachelor back in 2017, but these days, the couple are better known for their life off-screen — from their podcast and businesses to raising their adorable young family. Their latest project? A positively playful renovation of this Mollymook beach house. Like many great things, Chante Mer was the product of serendipity. Or, in Matty’s words, “I decided that after a couple of glasses of wine was the perfect time to browse realestate.com.au before bed.” He continues, “That’s when we stumbled across Chante Mer. The listing had only been live for a few hours. It was gloriously run down—equal parts beach house and weathered old shack—but there was something about it we couldn’t shake. It had incredible bones, ocean views and just enough charm to make us wildly underestimate how much work (and money) lay ahead.” After being the first through the door at the open home, it wasn’t long before “imagine if someone restored this place,” quickly shifted to Matty and Laura having “mentally claimed bedrooms, planned the renovation and spent a budget that didn’t technically exist yet.” While plans quickly snowballed from “small cosmetic updates” to a full-scale renovation, one key structural factor set them up for success. The couple shares, “The best thing about Chante Mer is that the original design completely understood the hero of the home wasn’t the house— it was the view.” Sharing more on the home’s personal history, Matty explains, “The previous owner, Valerie, called the home Chante Mer, which translates from French as ‘Sing the Sea’. Given the uninterrupted ocean views and the soundtrack of waves rolling in all day, we never even considered changing it. It felt like such a beautiful part of the home’s identity.” “The best thing about Chante Mer is that the original design completely understood the hero of the home wasn’t the house — it was the view.” — Matty Johnson 03
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