A NEW ERA OF MOTEL DESIGN
Lauded for its visceral 1960’s aesthetic, there’s more to this Gold Coast motel than vintage vibes: it is a study in local architecture and utilitarian design.
Located in Palm Beach, a neighbourhood increasingly celebrated for its trendy food and nightlife scene, The Mysa Motel recently opened its pastel doors after undergoing a two-year renovation by local couple, Jase and Eliza.
Previously known as the Palm Trees Motel, the new iteration tunes into the authentic voice of the Gold Coast through the engagement of local craftspeople, artists and builders, and pays homage to its heritage through the use of locally-sourced, pre-loved materials.
According to Jase and Eliza, their aim was to preserve an iconic slice of the city’s architectural history. “We preserved the façade of the original motel and upcycled items wherever possible – like the original exposed hardwood ceiling trusses, which we repurposed for the carport and function area.”
“Our mission was to renovate with as minimal impact as possible, so for further sustainability credence, we also added solar panels to power the entire motel and water tanks to service the gardens and bathrooms,” they said.
Each of the motel’s seven rooms tells a unique story and provides a unique experience for guests. In a further nod to the region’s history, the walls are adorned with different artworks of nostalgic Gold Coast sites and buildings by local photographer, Trent Mitchell.
The rooms have been individually curated to feature signature door colours and matching interior décor, including custom tile details throughout; and most were named according to the shade of paint used. Guests staying in ‘Lilac Affair’ will enjoy pastel purple hues, while the pin code to ‘Koi’ unlocks the motel’s butter yellow room.
Speaking of pin codes, the motel is entirely self-serviced, which means upon booking, guests receive a unique code that grants them access the property and their room with keyless entry via keypad.
This modern touch speaks to Jase and Eliza’s desire to offer a mix of old and new. “We married modernist furnishings with pops of colour to add warmth and vibrancy to the motel’s traditional character and clean lines. We spent a lot of time researching quality brands and sourcing unique products and pieces that would fit the look we had in mind,” they explained.
“The mixture of custom oak cabinetry, matte-black metal and visually-interesting wall details such as tiles and gold-flecked render add texture in consonance with our overall cool, pared-back aesthetic. This approach also allows upcycled retro furniture pieces, such as leather recliners, to stand out.”
Tiles by TileCloud, including tailor-made tiled bed heads and a feature staircase, and custom renders walls by Gold Coast based company Render X add a fun touch to most rooms; and tapware by ABI Interiors offer durability, comfort and style.
LED strip lighting, polished concrete agregate floors, tile skirtings and custom-made doors are some examples of the painstaking attention to detail that elevates The Mysa Motel beyond the realms of the stereotypical motel paradigm.
“We love the old-school motel mentality but we wanted to create something more appealing than a pitstop on a road trip. We read lots of books about sustainable travel and design, and devoured Motel by Tim Ross. This book galvanised our desire to create a retro feel and guided us in the creation of our neon sign and logo,” they explained.
While Jase and Eliza have an eye for style, they admit that function was just as important to them during the design process: “We took quite a utilitarian approach to interior design, as we want our guests to be as comfortable as possible. ‘Mysa’ is actually Swedish for ‘cosy’ and it sums up our service priority.”
To that end, rooms are decked out with practical amenities and features such as blockout blinds, usb charging points, filtered water, Australian Asthma Foundation approved beds, smart TVs and silent fridges.
