Renovation tips from Rachel and Ryan's Holiday Home Makeover

Rachel and Ryan Carr know better than anyone the risks and rewards of an ambitious home renovation.

The Block alumni and founders of The R&R Design Co. have taken on the task again, this time with their own series and dream project.

The couple, who made a name for themselves on the 2022 season of The Block, are sharing the warts-and-all reality of reworking a tired coastal property into a bespoke sanctuary for their family and friends.

Nine’s Holiday Home Makeover with Rachel and Ryan follows the mum and dad of three as they tackle every centimetre of the house in Coolangatta, on the NSW South Coast.

Under the weight of finances, disputes and deadlines, they deliver multiple jaw-dropping rooms in each episode.

Here they share their top tips for a successful reno.

Tip 1: Space adds luxury

Create space wherever possible, Rachel says. Case in point – storage in the sumptuous main bedroom.

“We went back and forth about whether or not we would have a walk-in wardrobe in the master suite, because it is a holiday home,” she says.

“Creating the walk-in robe and adding the space in there actually makes the whole room feel larger overall.”

Tip 2: Go beyond the standard

Ryan and Rachel debated whether to widen the standard-sized hallway by 10 centimetres, which would mean taking that from the main bedroom. Rachel says it was a small manoeuvre that was massively worthwhile.

“It’s about understanding where you should be gaining space and where it’s okay to lose it, in order to lend it to another area that is going to make things feel bigger and more opulent in the long run,” she says.

Tip 3: Adhere to strict timelines

The couple bought the property in 2023 and within a few months, copped three interest rate rises. Time is money in a renovation.

“This is a secondary property for us,” Rachel says. “We were stressed and very stretched.

“Ryan does as much as he can himself and that saves us quite a lot of money. And he also has such a strict timeline for all of our trades, because the faster things can happen, the less money is spent in time.”

Tip 4: Sacrifice is essential

Rachel says to establish hard lines for expenditure and not cross them. This is a conversation every couple should have before a single nail is hammered.

“The majority of arguments between couples is around budget, and one person is happy to go over budget,” she says.

“If we do find something that costs more and we like it, we need to figure out what we sacrifice, so we don’t go past that budget.

“Hard lines at the beginning are what is going to save you from having complete breakdowns.”

Tip 5: Personalise rooms for those who will use them

The guest bedrooms were crafted as private retreats – a hybrid of a home and a hotel, Rachel explains. What does every hotel have? A mini bar and privacy.

“We put in a hydration station: a kettle, coffee machine and fridge,” she says. “Every door has a lock on it, so if you don’t want to have to go out and see anyone for the first hour of the day, you don’t have to.”

Tip 6: Consider proportion and balance

Rachel says proportion and sizing in a lounge area is one of the biggest mistakes rookie renovators make.

“Rooms are spaced out between a lounge, a TV, a coffee table and a rug, and most of the time they’re either all too small or too big,” she says.

“Nothing seems to really be in proportion.

“It is important to have enough space in your lounge room for, firstly, the people that live in your home and secondly, I would add two to three more people to that.”

Tip 7: Find out what makes you happy

Rachel says she did not want to “play it safe” when updating not one, but three guest bathrooms. Inspired by high-end hotels, she designed one in blush pink, another in cool eucalyptus and a third accented by denim blue.

“We did a trip to the UK last year and I found this eclectic style in so many of the restaurants and hotels, and I was just infatuated with it,” she says.

“I wanted to bring some of that back and add a bit of a European flair – the more is more approach.”

Watch Holiday Home Makeover with Rachel and Ryan on Channel 9 and 9Now.