A MINTED LOVE LETTER - SANTORINI
For twelve years, I’ve been shouting from the rooftops that regional living shouldn’t mean settling for ‘good enough’. But I can only shout (and occasionally lose sleep over regional logistics); it takes a visionary to actually build the dream. Santorini - a Mediterranean love letter to regional Australia - is exactly that and our client officially my hero.
After years of hustle serving regional communities in the Midwest and Wheatbelt, she decided it was time to build her own ‘lifetime memory vault’ right here in the Midwest region of WA to share with family.
The moments of serendipity experienced during the journey since we began working together in 2023 still strike me. When I first pitched the creative vision she looked at me in shock and revealed that Santorini is an incredibly meaningful place for her - the destination her and her partner visited and fell in love with many years before. In that moment, we knew this wasn’t just a landscape renovation. It was meant to be.
We bridged the gap between global luxury and regional soil—sourcing handmade Zelliage tiles from Morocco + Italy, Selenite crystal lighting from Marrakesh and handcrafted furnishings. Collaborating with McAullay Builders to align Minted design specs with construction practicalities to the micro-millimeter - relying on resourceful local trades to achieve the seemingly impossible. The unforgettable 4m arches - fabricated from locally sourced boat metal - now stand testament to their craftsmanship.
The owner of this property is private and humble (she’s the heart of every frame, though she politely declined to be in them), but for me, her bravery in demanding more for her lifestyle is what this movement is all about.
Santorini is more than a home for her family; it belongs to you as a valued member of our Minted community. By supporting those who demand more, you champion our collective strength. Santorini proves that when we refuse to settle, the result is pure magic.
Santorini is here. And it’s exactly what our regions deserve.
SANTORINI
SANTORINI: A MEDITERRANEAN LOVE LETTER TO REGIONAL AUSTRALIA
Santorini does not merely occupy its coastal position; it unfolds in a series of intentional, surprise-and-delight moments that demand you slow your pace completely. Mornings here begin in the shaded embrace of the front courtyard, where the silver-green canopy of a leafy Tipuana filters the early light and the surrounding frangipanis cocoon to offer ultimate privacy. It is a sanctuary of quiet rituals: the scent of salt spray mingling with freshly roasted coffee, underpinned by the rhythm of a softly splashing stone water feature and the calming, muffled applause of the Pacific in view.
Landscape Design by Minted EL
in collaboration with clients and McAullay Builders
Photography by Martika Elward Photography
THE CATHEDRAL OF LIGHT
The heart of the landscape is defined by its monumental 4-meter arches reaching toward the clouds, set against lush greenery, casting long, poetic shadows across a floor of emerald pool water and delicate blue-and-white encaustic tiles.
A breathtaking moment dancing with sunlight and shadow to conjure an ethereal cathedral like moment, building anticipation of the sensory journey of Sanorini ahead.
Throughout the day, these arches act as a sundial, catching the light as it shifts from crisp and brilliant white, to a soft, golden amber.
THE FLOW: ARTFUL EASE
As the sense of awe grounds you, you step into the space where the architecture yields to an intuitively choreographed flow. The spatial design is less about zones and more about a seamless rhythm—a home that breathes with the family. Here, the work of hosting is replaced by the art of presence. The bespoke undercover kitchen, a masterclass in curated utility, serves the open-air Mediterranean dining terrace effortlessly.
The centerpiece is a sprawling, 6.5-meter custom garden lounge, upholstered to withstand the rugged Australian elements without losing an ounce of its comfortable, inviting soul. Framed by a shuttered feature wall and a weathered barnacle urn, it offers a visual sanctuary, atmospherically shielding the spirit from the world outside.
Above the dining table, a reclaimed timber arbour waits patiently for the creeping magenta of bougainvillea to claim it. A bespoke bronze mirror hangs nearby, catching the flickering joy of faces gathered around the table—a literal reflection of connection and memory-making.
THE TWILIGHT: REFLECTIVE MAGIC
As the sun dips low, the narrative shifts toward the Santorini pool cabana lounge. The atmosphere becomes otherworldly - a poolside retreat where the warmth of a crackling fire meets the cool serenity of deep aqua water.
Light dances across hand-pressed Moroccan Zellige tiles surfacing the bespoke design of the fireplace, while a selenite chandelier from Marrakesh diffuses a glow so soft it feels like a moonlight companion. Intricately carved timber mirrors capture the elegant symmetry of the archways, layering the view until the line between indoors and out disappears entirely.
Here, a hidden staircase offers an unexpected journey—an invitation to ascend. These steps lead you to an elevated vantage point four meters above the pool, joining the highest furls of the climbing jasmine on a courtyard seating area with a floor of delicately patterned italian tiles.
A GROUNDED LEGACY
Sitting here the air is thick with the fragrance of crushed basil and star jasmine drifting from the verdant hum of the vegetable patch positioned along the top boundary nearby by. The view
From this vantage point, the home reveals its final form: a sublime sensory tapestry where the twinkling light of the breeze-blown trees meets the sophisticated regional bronze and reclaimed timber accents. The whispering tops of the trees moving in the soft breeze casts dancing shadows of twinkling light, as the sun diffuses on handmade surfaces and deep aqua pool water below.
Santorini is more than a coastal estate; it is a multi-generational legacy woven from European luxury and regional Australian heart. It’s a home that honours the personal story of those who live here and serves our beautiful client’s aspirations of connected free-flowing daily living and family time to remember. A uniquely personal, grounded sophistication that doesn't just ask you to visit, but implores you to stay.
Elevated living at its finest, with the next chapter of Santorini - a Portfolio Placement for Minted to transform the property interiors. Another Minted Santorini love letter in the making, coming soon.
“Tess has a very unique gift of being able to listen to her clients and delivering what their wants and needs are from her very first attentive design brief meeting . Tess has amazing vision for even the most difficult situation and turning it into a breathtaking but practical asset to your home that you and your family will love and enjoy .
Thank you Tess for being so warm and welcoming and turning ordinary homes into homes we only thought we could dream of! Happy Client”.
Santorini Client
Midwest WA.