Nestled between pretty Blue Bay and Toowoon Bay on the Central Coast, Nest is a luxury couples' weekender and the work of husband and wife Brad Butlin and Kerry Knight.
"Three-and-a-half years ago, we were looking for a place with some land, big enough to build an Airbnb on-site. It's something we've always wanted to do," Knight says.
The Blue Bay-based couple found "the perfect place", which had a sweet cottage at the front with vacant land at the rear, which already had a development application approved to build a two-storey, four-bedroom duplex.
"But we were never going to do that," says Knight, the former owner of Two Birds Gallery Cafe at Toowoon Bay and whose work background is in art galleries, sourcing, and curating.
"Brad's a builder and he quickly got to work designing the space and planning how it would work with the existing cottage."
They demolished the existing garage on the site and cut the shape of a plunge pool in the existing concrete in its place. Then built a two-storey, loft-style garage between their home, at the front of the property, and the Nest at the rear, to make it feel more private.
Designed and built as a couple's retreat, Nest is a striking white-fronted guesthouse for two. A stylish and light-filled space with high ceilings, it features a generous-sized bedroom, bathroom with stone bath, kitchenette, living area with gas fireplace, and a private outdoor area with a patio and an outdoor shower.
"I'm a collector of vintage treasures, which I love to source for Nest," Knight says.
Among them, two large 1970s heron bird oil paintings, sourced from Facebook Marketplace, sit on either side of the fireplace.
"They really set the theme. Even the colour palette in the paintings sets the course for the colour scheme and vibe throughout."
An inviting colour palette of browns, creams, oranges, grey, and gold brings a sense of warmth to the fresh white space, which is thoughtfully curated with eclectic vintage pieces and cane and wood furnishings. Among them are mid-century antique bird cages, original paintings, timber inlay artworks, sculptures, and handcrafted antique pieces sourced locally and from overseas.
"It's the mixture of old and new that we love the most and how it just works."
Knight and Butlin began building the Nest at Blue Bay in January 2020 and opened it to guests in August of the same year. The first guests were those looking for a nearby holiday during the uncertain climate and changing restrictions created by COVID.
"Even though it was an uncertain time with travel restrictions and lockdowns, we pressed on with the build. Places like Nest helped provide an escape for restless travellers as overseas travel wasn't permitted."
Before inviting guests to stay, Knight and Butlin thought it essential to give the space a test run for themselves.
"We stayed there a couple of nights, in the beginning, to see how it felt and if we needed to add anything. Then we had all our kids come and stay - we minded the grandkids. We wanted their feedback as we are a very close-knit family."
Knight says the feedback from guests has been overwhelmingly positive and the Nest is regularly booked out.
"Guests love the very private setup and the location," she says.
The Nest is a few minutes' stroll to the beach and the cafes and restaurants of Blue Bay and Toowoon Bay. Not too far away are the Central Coast towns and villages of Long Jetty, The Entrance, Bateau Bay, Terrigal, and Norah Bay.
"We love that we have built our dream of running an Airbnb," Knight says.
"We have now retired, and Nest keeps us busy as we enjoy doing our own cleans, maintaining the gardens, and making sure every guest feels like they are our first."
Thoughtful small touches make for a memorable stay. There are a couple of bikes to make getting around the area easy, along with a picnic rug and basket for guest use. On hot days, guests are welcome to use Knight and Butlin's courtyard pool. On wet days, there are two TVs in the Nest so visitors can get cosy, stay in, and watch movies.
"For us, it's never been about making heaps of money, it's always been about making people happy. Then it just looks after itself."
nestatbluebay.com.au
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Join the discussion in the comment section below.
Find out how to register or become a subscriber here.
