Bronte House
Architecture and Interior Design: TKD Architects
Interior Styling: ODesign
Photography: Tom Ferguson Photography
When this client first approached TKD Architects, they were a family of three trying to fit within the nuances of their newly-purchased, well-worn, Federation Arts and Crafts style home which had been previously divided into two apartments with an awkward duplication of spaces.
The site is nestled back into the edge of the terraced hillside behind Bronte Beach in Sydney with sweeping views over the sand, rocks and water. There is no denying the spectacular aspect towards the ocean however TKD Architects philosophy for the design of houses in this coastal situation is to not only focus the building on these heroic, water views but to design a flow of spaces which enable the owners to live ‘through the house’ and make use of the whole site. At the Bronte House, a completely private, tranquil courtyard at the rear of the main living level has been created and the hallway through this level is very broad to act as a central street through the building linking both ends of the house and enabling adjacent spaces and vertical circulation to fluidly connect together.
The planning of rooms is generally open without any singular, cavernous spaces containing multiple uses. Each space has been given a distinct sense of enclosure through subtle off-sets to others, screen walls and cavity sliding doors and, most critically, a series of skylights which pierce the ceiling and create shafts of light to further define space within the house.
Rooms which might have otherwise been given a lower priority for their link to this remarkable coastal setting are skilfully modulated to enable the occupants to stay connected to the external environment at all times. Windows in the master ensuite, study and pantry have been recessed and angled into the floor plate to bring ocean views, light and breezes deeper into the plan rather than simply looking out of the side walls over an adjacent property. The brief for this area of the house was for a ‘resort-like feel’.
Given the elevation of the house above the primary view, it was important the main balcony did not impede this view down to the beach and water with distracting outdoor furniture or balustrading. In response to this, the balcony was designed two steps lower than the internal floor level so that its outermost edge, balustrade and outdoor furniture are all below the eye line of people sitting at the dining table inside.
During construction a large, intact sandstone boulder was discovered on the basement level which resulted in an exuberant re-design of the plan in order to preserve this unique element of the site. The compact rear garden and pool area is made to feel larger by drawing this into the envelope of the house through a sheltered ‘sand deck’, outdoor shower and curved, timber-clad change room which all provide an interesting backdrop to the basement living areas.
Unlike many coastal houses there is a luxurious, urban feel to the materials and finishes throughout the exterior and interior of the house. Externally, dark grey, matt paint combined with walnut-stained cedar weatherboards set up a rich refinement in the palette which is carried through the interior with subtly toned timber veneers, Bedonia slab stone, dark brown stained timber floor boards, and the deep Fontainebleau stone encompassing the master ensuite. The consistency of tones through the house has been echoed in soft furnishings and even the client’s considered curation of art within each space.
The Bronte House has a calm, casual feel which isn’t precious. The pool and basement’s hard wearing finishes of spotted gum decking boards and blue stone tiles combined with exterior-grade fabric on the lounges help this family embrace the water and sand of their surrounds.
Interior Styling: ODesign
Photography: Tom Ferguson Photography
When this client first approached TKD Architects, they were a family of three trying to fit within the nuances of their newly-purchased, well-worn, Federation Arts and Crafts style home which had been previously divided into two apartments with an awkward duplication of spaces.
The site is nestled back into the edge of the terraced hillside behind Bronte Beach in Sydney with sweeping views over the sand, rocks and water. There is no denying the spectacular aspect towards the ocean however TKD Architects philosophy for the design of houses in this coastal situation is to not only focus the building on these heroic, water views but to design a flow of spaces which enable the owners to live ‘through the house’ and make use of the whole site. At the Bronte House, a completely private, tranquil courtyard at the rear of the main living level has been created and the hallway through this level is very broad to act as a central street through the building linking both ends of the house and enabling adjacent spaces and vertical circulation to fluidly connect together.
The planning of rooms is generally open without any singular, cavernous spaces containing multiple uses. Each space has been given a distinct sense of enclosure through subtle off-sets to others, screen walls and cavity sliding doors and, most critically, a series of skylights which pierce the ceiling and create shafts of light to further define space within the house.
Rooms which might have otherwise been given a lower priority for their link to this remarkable coastal setting are skilfully modulated to enable the occupants to stay connected to the external environment at all times. Windows in the master ensuite, study and pantry have been recessed and angled into the floor plate to bring ocean views, light and breezes deeper into the plan rather than simply looking out of the side walls over an adjacent property. The brief for this area of the house was for a ‘resort-like feel’.
Given the elevation of the house above the primary view, it was important the main balcony did not impede this view down to the beach and water with distracting outdoor furniture or balustrading. In response to this, the balcony was designed two steps lower than the internal floor level so that its outermost edge, balustrade and outdoor furniture are all below the eye line of people sitting at the dining table inside.
During construction a large, intact sandstone boulder was discovered on the basement level which resulted in an exuberant re-design of the plan in order to preserve this unique element of the site. The compact rear garden and pool area is made to feel larger by drawing this into the envelope of the house through a sheltered ‘sand deck’, outdoor shower and curved, timber-clad change room which all provide an interesting backdrop to the basement living areas.
Unlike many coastal houses there is a luxurious, urban feel to the materials and finishes throughout the exterior and interior of the house. Externally, dark grey, matt paint combined with walnut-stained cedar weatherboards set up a rich refinement in the palette which is carried through the interior with subtly toned timber veneers, Bedonia slab stone, dark brown stained timber floor boards, and the deep Fontainebleau stone encompassing the master ensuite. The consistency of tones through the house has been echoed in soft furnishings and even the client’s considered curation of art within each space.
The Bronte House has a calm, casual feel which isn’t precious. The pool and basement’s hard wearing finishes of spotted gum decking boards and blue stone tiles combined with exterior-grade fabric on the lounges help this family embrace the water and sand of their surrounds.
Project Year: 2015
Country: Australia
Postcode: 2024
