Susanna Tolo's Brighton Home

We’re crushing on the home of Brighton Homes customer and influencer, Susanna Tolo, whose Sunshine Coast house is casual-coastal and Hamptons-cool, personified.

HI SUSANNA! TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE BUILDING WITH BRIGHTON

Due to my Instagram work, I got the opportunity to tour a lot of display homes and I knew that Brighton Homes built quality homes. I had to find a design that would suit the shape of our block but also met the requirements for our family. The Grayson 30 ticked all those boxes! I especially fell in love with the open plan living and design of the kitchen.

WHAT DOES YOUR HOME SAY ABOUT YOU?

I’m a lover of bright and airy homes. You could say I love a beach style home with classic elements. Give me VJ wall panels, open airy spaces, lots of windows, and high ceilings and I’m a happy lady! I’m also a lover of coastal colours such as blues and whites, and you’ll also find pastel shades in my home.

WHAT SPARKED YOUR PASSION FOR DESIGN & INTERIORS?

You could say I got the passion and interest from my mum – she has beautiful taste in all things interior. But also having lived in five different countries it gave me the opportunity to see how people and different cultures style their own homes. I suppose my style developed over the years.

AND WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE IT YOUR CAREER?

I was renovating our second home and decided to document all our progress on Instagram. I started gaining a following so I decided to showcase other homes and not just my own. My Instagram page @coastalhamptonstyle really took off when I decided to take my followers on full tours of beautiful homes. I now have nearly 300k followers from all around the world which is just amazing!

AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU LIVED IN FIVE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES BEFORE THE AGE OF 16 - HOW DO YOU TTHINK YOUR UPBRINGING HAS INFLUENCED YOUR INTERIOR STYLE?

It has really opened my eyes to different cultures and interior styles. My parents collected a lot of interior decor pieces from all around the world and in a way, it made me understand what my particular style was. People know me as a lover of American Hampton-style homes, but I appreciate many different styles and aesthetics. Whether it be traditional or classic, I don’t put myself in a box. My personal taste and style is always changing and evolving!

Fast Five with Susanna Tolo

Bedroom or bathroom: Bedroom
I want my guests to feel: welcome and at ease.
Trend prediction for 2022: Texture! And vintage pieces – the old mixed with the new. 
Can’t leave home without: sunscreen and sunglasses.
Your career in an alternate universe: when I was little I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer.