Houzz Tour: A Humble (but Welcoming) Bach for a Grown-Up Family
This Golden Bay beach house with a history of happy holidays was readied for the dawn of a new era with a modern renovation
Twenty years of holidays is probably enough time to mull over the best – and worst – aspects of the family bach. Tata Beach at Golden Bay, about two hours’ drive from Nelson on New Zealand’s South Island, has the picture-postcard pretty beach of that part of the country. The owners of this 1980s bach had holidayed for years with their children, but now that those children are young adults, the family needed more space for the holiday hordes. They called on Richard Carter and Brad Beazley of Redbox Architects to re-imagine the house, improve flow and accommodate year-round living.
The external footprint of the house was fine, but the exterior was dated and unwelcoming. It was hard to find the front door, and when visitors entered the house, dark corridors blocked the view.
The pitch of the garage’s upper floor, and the overflow accommodation housed within, were staying, but cladding and new windows were on the wish list.
The pitch of the garage’s upper floor, and the overflow accommodation housed within, were staying, but cladding and new windows were on the wish list.
“We wanted to break up the mass of the garage, so used a mix of vertical shiplap timber and grey aluminium tray cladding as they are low maintenance and natural, to suit the context of the beach setting,” says Carver. “Shutters on the dining room window create a shadow line, as well as giving privacy, while the extra-large column marks the front entry.”
A glass balustrade to the deck off the upstairs rumpus room was installed after these photos were taken.
A glass balustrade to the deck off the upstairs rumpus room was installed after these photos were taken.
The architects’ redesign linked the facade of the garage and main wings in a pleasing rhythm.
Carver and Beazley rearranged the entrance to the house so the front door is more open and welcoming, and the beach is in view from the moment you arrive at the house. They continued the slope of the old roof in a mono pitch over the kitchen; using deep reveals, cedar louvres and high clerestories to admit light and provide privacy from the street.
They reconfigured the living area floor plan to open the entrance right through to the back of the house, and expose previously dark internal spaces to the light. Because the house is right on the beach, they endeavoured to shelter the living room from passersby with a generous fireplace. They also tucked a sheltered courtyard to the side on a previously disused corner of the site.
In keeping with the brief to keep the house relaxed, the architects exposed the macrocarpa trusses on the new kitchen and dining room. “We wanted to break up the room and define the space,” says Carver. “It uses the volume of the ceiling, plus borrows light from the west. We extended the exterior cedar through the entry to enhance the relaxed bach atmosphere, and gained a sense of space by removing corridors.” The striking blue front door, seen here to the right, is one of the few variations from the natural and neutral palette chosen by the owners.
The kitchen was originally positioned this way so people working at the island could admire the view. At one point during the design process, it was swung 90 degrees towards the cedar wall, but as building progressed, client and architect agreed that the beach-facing aspect had to stay. The cabinets and island, built by Ezy Kitchens, are low-cost laminate, but the cedar, pine and macrocarpa create warmth and texture.
Deliberately, the architects broke up the sitting room wall with a substantial fireplace to provide some privacy ‘blinkers’ from the beach, while still allowing the views out. Insulation and window glazing make the home comfortable year round.
Off to the other side of the living room sits the master suite. All of the bedrooms in the home are simple and minimally furnished. In the master bedroom, the architects tucked in a window seat to provide a quiet spot away from the busy living areas.
The home’s two bathrooms were also upgraded in the renovation, but their design and decoration were kept simple and bach-like.
An exterior staircase at the other end of the house leads up to the guest area above the garage, which is currently being used as extra storage space for the family.
Carver and Beazley punched out lantern lights and long slit windows into the stairwell to pull light into the centre of the house and create delightful framed views of cliffs and islands.
Carver and Beazley punched out lantern lights and long slit windows into the stairwell to pull light into the centre of the house and create delightful framed views of cliffs and islands.
Back in the main living and dining areas, large windows and doors open the house to the beach but the overhang, column and slatted fence help keep these areas private. To the right of the kitchen is a sheltered courtyard.
“The owners are private people, so were keen that the courtyard for outdoor dining be private and closed in, but still get the sun,” says Carver.
“The owners are private people, so were keen that the courtyard for outdoor dining be private and closed in, but still get the sun,” says Carver.
By extending the mono-pitch roof overhang in two directions – to the east for the dining court, and the north to the beach – the architects joined the two sheltered spaces. They lined the soffit with the same plywood used inside, and sheathed a storage cupboard for deck chairs and beach paraphernalia in the same vertical cedar as the house – this created a hefty column that anchors the roof. The overhang allows winter sun in to passively warm the house, but creates shade from high summer sun.
The design team then sheathed the chimney in aluminium to bring in a vertical element, and the finish was repeated on the bay window of the master bedroom (on the far right).
Low decks and wide stairs lead from the house to the lawn and beach. Planting will eventually soften the boundary between house and dunes.
The house is bedded into its site, achieving the owners’ aim of a real beach home, not a show home.
“The end result is a light and airy informal bach that fits the context of its beach setting,” says Carver. “It’s a casual yet comfortable base for family holidays.”
“The end result is a light and airy informal bach that fits the context of its beach setting,” says Carver. “It’s a casual yet comfortable base for family holidays.”
TELL US
What do you think of this renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
What do you think of this renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A city couple and their extended family holiday here
Location: Tata Beach, Golden Bay, New Zealand
Size: 215 square metres; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 living areas, garage wing
Architects: Richard Carver, Brad Beazley, Redbox Architects
Builder: Jamie Soper, Asset Builders, Takaka
The family was clear they didn’t want a show home, just a simple and relaxed beach house. They did, however, want to maximise the views of the beach and make use of the private side yard.