Lauren Charge Design

Lauren Charge Design Hi, I’m Lauren Charge - designer of Salt at Shoal Bay and co-designer of The Ambers at Port Stephens.

With nearly 20 years in design, building, and property curation, I help you cut through the overwhelm and find joy in your project.

Hi 👋 If you’re new here, I’ve been pretty quiet in this online space this year, not because things have slowed down, but...
09/01/2026

Hi 👋 If you’re new here, I’ve been pretty quiet in this online space this year, not because things have slowed down, but because they’ve done the opposite.

Behind the scenes, it’s been a year of beautiful word of mouth work, steady online enquiries, consults and mentoring sessions, and launching then carefully updating and refining our online course, Hostable.

I’m so incredibly grateful for all of it.

I’m a big believer in not over-complicating things, so this year I’ve been mindful of not putting too much energy into socials or creating more work than I can genuinely hold. Instead, I’ve been leaning into what’s already flowing rather than pushing for more.

The end of the year felt particularly exhausting for me (swipe across to October in the post above, you’ll see why) I had a nasty concussion with a lingering brain fog that took longer than I expected to recover from.

Feeling deeply thankful for all the clients and students I’ve worked with this past year, and so grateful for the slower pace over the break and the time to rest and reset.

2026 is set to be big, but in a different kind of way. We’re simplifying our systems, alongside a great team and refining where we place our energy and time.

Feeling excited for the year ahead 🤍

One of the most common topics that comes up in my Holiday Property Mentoring Sessions is marketing. People are always te...
08/07/2025

One of the most common topics that comes up in my Holiday Property Mentoring Sessions is marketing. People are always telling me they don’t know where to start when it comes to marketing their holiday property or airbnb.

It can feel like there’s so much to do. Social media, photography, websites, PR… but the truth is, it doesn’t have to be perfect. You just need to begin with something.

I’ve put together 5 simple tips to help you get started, practical, doable things that will actually make a difference.

Start small. Stay consistent. And don’t forget, your property has a story to tell.

Swipe through, save it for later, and if you’re feeling stuck, our course Hostable walks you through the whole process step by step.

You don’t have to figure it out alone x

Did you know you can purchase our floor plans, elevations and joinery designs for all our projects directly from the web...
07/07/2025

Did you know you can purchase our floor plans, elevations and joinery designs for all our projects directly from the website?

Someone reached out last week to say how helpful they’d been, and it made me realise, I’ve never really shared them properly with you all. Maybe because the whole “selling something” thing can feel a bit salesy and awkward sometimes.

But then last week I got this message:

“Hi Lauren, I just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing your elevations, floor plans and joinery designs. We were halfway through planning our renovation and just felt stuck. I purchased them last week and have found them so helpful. They’ve helped us visualise things so much more clearly. Even simple details like how the kitchen connected to the laundry gave us ideas we hadn’t thought of. It made such a difference.”

It’s feedback like this that honestly makes my day.

These are the exact plans we’ve used on our own projects. Practical, beautiful, and thoughtfully designed. Whether you’re building, renovating, or just need a little guidance to get started, they’re a really helpful reference.

You’ll get a clear sense of layout, flow and function… with plenty of inspiration woven through.

They’re not just plans, they’re a way to bring your ideas to life with more clarity and confidence.

You can explore them all at laurencharge.com and I’ve marked them down on sale until the end of this week. Happy planning xx

We’re driving to the snow today for the school holidays, and it’s been a while since I shared some photos of Oak House, ...
07/07/2025

We’re driving to the snow today for the school holidays, and it’s been a while since I shared some photos of Oak House, our family home, and the heart of our everyday life (which, I should say, rarely looks this clean or calm in real life)

Almost five years ago, we began renovating this 100-year-old federation home, gently peeling back layers and bringing it back to life one detail at a time. With its big, (and very old) oak tree in the backyard, this place holds so much of our story.

She’s far from perfect, and there’s still plenty we’d love to finish (always more to do!) but today I thought I’d share a few of my favourite little things.

1. Our ensuite shower with a window we built just to catch the sunset. It’s a small thing but a feature I love so much.

2. The big farmhouse sink. We had a double in our last house but this time we went for a single. My parents always had one and now I get it. Once you’ve washed trays and big pots in one deep basin, there’s no going back!

3. The laundry, a sweet side pop-out that frames the mandarin tree and catches the sunlight all day long.

4. The fireplace. A real wood fire, open at the front when we want it to be. The kids even know how to build and light a fire better than I do now. It’s been our winter ritual for years.

5. The hallway arches. We added them during the reno and I still love them so much. I love the way they draw you through the house and the end of the hallway open up into the big raked ceilings. That sense of space is something I’ll never stop loving.

Forever a work in progress. Always full of heart (and a touch of chaos) 🤍
I’ve tagged some of our favourite suppliers xx
These beautiful photos were captured by our friend Teresa

How much does it really cost to set up your holiday property?
(Hint: it’s probably more than you think…)When we were cre...
03/07/2025

How much does it really cost to set up your holiday property?

(Hint: it’s probably more than you think…)

When we were creating we had budgeted well for the renovation, but totally underestimated the cost of furnishing, stocking, and getting the place guest-ready.

To help you avoid the same stress, we’ve put together a free Budget Calculator so you can start planning with a bit more clarity and confidence than what we had.

It’s a great place to begin, it might not cover every single line item, but it’ll definitely get you thinking about the bits most people forget.

DM or comment the word “BUDGET” and the download link will magically land in your inbox 😉

Hi!I thought I’d take a quick minute to introduce myself, especially with so many new faces around here lately 👋I’m Laur...
30/06/2025

Hi!
I thought I’d take a quick minute to introduce myself, especially with so many new faces around here lately 👋

I’m Lauren – designer, host, mum of four girls, over-user of exclamation marks!! (working on breaking the habit 😂) – and the founder of Hostable, our online course where I help people create beautiful, profitable holiday properties (without all the overwhelm).⁠

When I’m not designing, managing or mentoring, you’ll usually find me sharing the load alongside my husband Michael — knee-deep in lunchboxes, school pickups, weekend sport, and the beautiful chaos of raising four daughters.

It’s a juggle, but also my biggest inspiration.⁠

What started as a love of design and renovating has grown into something so much bigger — and I genuinely love sharing everything we’ve learned along the way. Those who know me well know I can’t help but pass on anything I think might be helpful. If you compliment my shirt, I’ll tell you exactly where it’s from (just in case you wanted to know 😉). And I can often be found in my favourite local design shops dishing out unsolicited social media tips, because I truly want them to succeed.

Creating a holiday property business has given our family more freedom, more flexibility, and more time together — and I love helping others create the same.⁠

Whether you’re dreaming of starting your first stay, already hosting and ready to level up, or just following along for design inspo and reno tips — I’m so glad you’re here.⁠

Over the past few years, I’ve felt a bit disconnected from social media. It started to feel less like community and more like broadcasting — and I’d really love to bring that connection back.

So drop a comment below and say hi 👇
I’d love to hear more about you — what brought you here, or where you’re at in your hosting, design or renovation journey 🤍
📷: These beautiful images were taken by my talented friends & .may.studio &
(Tagged in images)

We’re currently working on a big Winter refresh over at and I’m so excited to share more soon. We still have some avail...
07/04/2025

We’re currently working on a big Winter refresh over at and I’m so excited to share more soon. We still have some availability these school holidays if you’re looking for a little escape to make the most of this beautiful weather we’ve been having. 26c today and it feels like Summer again!!

These beautiful images captured by the very talented

What a whirlwind this year has been! The post-project burnout is real 😵‍💫🫠 If you’ve ever had to go all in on a big proj...
08/11/2024

What a whirlwind this year has been! The post-project burnout is real 😵‍💫🫠 If you’ve ever had to go all in on a big project, you’ll know exactly what I mean! 🤪

I was chatting with a friend recently about that ever-elusive work-life balance, and she shared something that really stuck with me. Balance isn’t about keeping everything perfectly balanced all the time; it’s about knowing when to lean into different areas of your life. Sometimes, you need to lean into a big project, and it give it everything you’ve got. Other times, it’s about leaning into family, friends, or your relationship. And then there are those moments when you simply need to focus on yourself, whether it’s fitness, health, or taking a breath to truly recharge. Because let’s be honest, if we’re always pouring out energy and never filling up, we’re bound to hit empty. These big projects often pull us in, but they can leave us feeling drained. And that’s okay, as long as we know when it’s time to shift focus.

Because, let’s be honest, if we’re always pouring out energy and never refilling, we’re bound to hit empty. These intense projects can pull us in, but they’re only sustainable if we know when to pull back, reset, and allow ourselves to recharge.

At the end of the day, true balance is knowing when to dive in and when to step back. It’s about finding that flow that lets us show up wholeheartedly and without guilt.

So if you’ve just finished a big project or you’re deep in the thick of one now, here’s to finding that rhythm and taking the time we need to be our best. 🤍

Today we have a launch event at .ambers.portstephens ☺️ The sun is shining, the weather is warm and Summer is coming! Time to celebrate and recalibrate 🥂

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Port Stephens, NSW

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