Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Sparkling Emerald Beach House for Holidays and Beyond
A striking beach house linked to nature is the perfect solution for a couple keen to make their holiday home permanent
When your regular home is a Federation weatherboard, and your holiday house is a dated ’70s brown brick eyesore with shag pile carpet, it’s understandable that – given the chance to rebuild – you’d opt for a sleek and modern design. That’s exactly what these homeowners did when they decided to tear down the North Coast, NSW, holiday home that had been in the family for 30 years, and build a new house that could accommodate not only their needs now and into the future, but also those of their children and grandchildren during family holidays. The house will become the couple’s permanent home as they transition into retirement in the years to come.
“The new, modern house serves as a fresh departure for the couple and offers a stylish but more relaxed way of living,” says architect Ned Power of Ned Architecture & Design.
“The new, modern house serves as a fresh departure for the couple and offers a stylish but more relaxed way of living,” says architect Ned Power of Ned Architecture & Design.
“The clients wanted a bespoke and striking contemporary house that reflected their desire for a stylish but relaxed way of living,” Power says. “Their new home strikes a bold statement with its robust geometric form in a small beachside community.”
As well as wanting to feel immersed in nature, the clients wanted their home to provide a sense of protection and seclusion without making them feel isolated. The absence of a front fence invites passersby to look in.
The design is based on two intersecting and overlapping rectangles that make the most of the odd-shaped block. “The overlapping masses break down the facade in its orientation to the street and create a lively sculptural assemblage,” Power says.
As well as wanting to feel immersed in nature, the clients wanted their home to provide a sense of protection and seclusion without making them feel isolated. The absence of a front fence invites passersby to look in.
The design is based on two intersecting and overlapping rectangles that make the most of the odd-shaped block. “The overlapping masses break down the facade in its orientation to the street and create a lively sculptural assemblage,” Power says.
The home is located 250 metres from a surf beach and is subject to strong coastal winds. Along with aesthetics, exterior materials were chosen for their longevity, durability and affordability, and the needed to be low maintenance. “The majority of the external materials display an honest and functional aesthetic,” Power says.
Exposed-concrete block and cement sheet feature prominently, while small additions of Alucobond add an element of glamour. Colorbond feature-wall cladding with a standing seam profile adds further interest to the facade.
Exposed-concrete block and cement sheet feature prominently, while small additions of Alucobond add an element of glamour. Colorbond feature-wall cladding with a standing seam profile adds further interest to the facade.
The two intersecting and overlapping rectangles are aligned along opposing sides of the triangular sloping block. “This allowed for the introduction of an angular dynamic that has been repeated throughout the building,” Power says.
The main entrance is on the ground floor, which also accommodates two guest bedrooms with ensuites, the garage and a music room.
The main entrance is on the ground floor, which also accommodates two guest bedrooms with ensuites, the garage and a music room.
The open, glazed entrance acts as a foyer for guests attending house concerts in the adjoining music room at ground level. The entryway also serves as the point where the rectangles of the house intersect.
“At the top of the stairs, the kitchen forms the pivot point and is both physically and symbolically the heart of the house,” Power says.
“At the top of the stairs, the kitchen forms the pivot point and is both physically and symbolically the heart of the house,” Power says.
One of the clients is a professional musician (as is one of the couple’s children), so the music room needed to be large enough to accommodate up to 100 guests for performances – their own, and those of the local and international artists they host a couple of times a year.
The space is multi-functional – given that it adjoins the two guest bedrooms, the area gives children and grandchildren room to move when they come to stay. Custom aggregate polished- concrete flooring is a practical choice for the contemporary space.
The space is multi-functional – given that it adjoins the two guest bedrooms, the area gives children and grandchildren room to move when they come to stay. Custom aggregate polished- concrete flooring is a practical choice for the contemporary space.
Much of the artwork in the home is the clients’ extensive collection of predominantly Aboriginal Martumili art. Carvings and fabric from trips to Papua New Guinea and Indonesia are also on display.
The music room opens to the subtropical garden via large sliding glass doors. Power worked with local landscape designer Claudia Neville from Garden Expressions to ensure the house and garden looked like they belonged together.
“It was vital for the landscape and the architecture to appear as one integral response, allowing the building to find harmony in its context and to immerse its occupants into the natural environment,” Power says. “The garden design adopted an organic layout interspersed with plants that displayed a structural, architectural element that sets out to complement the geometric building form.”
“It was vital for the landscape and the architecture to appear as one integral response, allowing the building to find harmony in its context and to immerse its occupants into the natural environment,” Power says. “The garden design adopted an organic layout interspersed with plants that displayed a structural, architectural element that sets out to complement the geometric building form.”
Spacious guest bedrooms open to the garden and each has an ensuite and built-in storage.
Fans: Big Ass Fans
Fans: Big Ass Fans
The home has been designed for a couple to comfortably live here on their own when there are no guests visiting – the couple reside primarily on the first floor when it’s just the two of them.
Up here, the open-plan kitchen/living/dining area is light-filled and spacious, with spotted- gum flooring creating a sense of flow throughout the first floor.
The operable glass wall folds away to connect the home with the deck, positioned to take advantage of hinterland and island views. Migrating whales can also be seen from this vantage point. “They wanted to feel as if they were surrounded by nature and to be able to take advantage of the warm and temperate climate,” Power says.
A five-metre retractable flyscreen keeps insects at bay when necessary, and an overhead heater allows the owners to entertain outdoors throughout the year.
Caravaggio pendants: Cult
A five-metre retractable flyscreen keeps insects at bay when necessary, and an overhead heater allows the owners to entertain outdoors throughout the year.
Caravaggio pendants: Cult
“The two-level plan elevates the living areas of the house to best capture ocean views and prevailing north-easterly sea breezes in summer, while minimising the footprint of the house to retain space for the garden,” Power says.
The deep, semi-covered deck offers protection from the cold southerly and westerly winter winds, and offers both sun and shade.
The deep, semi-covered deck offers protection from the cold southerly and westerly winter winds, and offers both sun and shade.
Carefully positioned windows provide a sense of seclusion and retreat from passersby and neighbouring properties.
The house needed to accommodate large family gatherings, so the kitchen was designed with communal and social meal preparation in mind.
While the building is unashamedly modern, the couple’s artwork and selected pieces of family furniture sit harmoniously in the house and contribute to a warmth of character that can be missing in some overly styled modern houses.
The kitchen features Caesarstone benchtops, Miele and Nef appliances and Blum soft-close doors, which have a two-pack polyurethane paint finish. Spotted gum feature joinery ties in with the flooring on this level.
The 4.8-metre-long island bench can double as a space to serve canapés and drinks for guests gathered in the living room and outside on the deck after a concert.
Motorised louvres enable cross ventilation, one of the many environmental considerations incorporated into the home.
Motorised louvres enable cross ventilation, one of the many environmental considerations incorporated into the home.
The pendant light fitting in the dining area is a Christopher Boots creation, originally commissioned for a fashion event.
The first-floor master bedroom is light-filled and comfortable, and connects to the ocean-facing deck adjoining the main living area. The master suite also features a spacious ensuite and dressing room.
Tapware, basins and toilets in the three bathrooms and powder room are from Rogerseller. A 10,000-litre rainwater tank is connected to the garden, laundry and toilet flush systems.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Who lives here: A couple, along with their grown-up children and grandchildren when they’re visiting from overseas.
Location: Emerald Beach, near Coffs Harbour, on the NSW North Coast
Size: Site: 700 square metres. Building: 285 square metres; 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and powder room
Architect: Ned Architecture & Design
Landscape designer: Garden Expressions
The couple’s main home is a country-style weatherboard house built in the early 1900s, located in Armidale, about three hours’ drive away. The existing holiday house had served the family well over the years, but the time had come to knock it down to make way for a smart new home, in which the couple could happily retire when they were ready.