My Houzz: A Sophisticated Beach Shack for Laid-Back Entertaining
This semi-retired teacher and her husband have created a casual beachside haven for super-sized family get-togethers
Semi-retired teacher Joan Kerr and her husband Russ have never been afraid of change – in fact, they’ve embraced it, having moved house a whopping 12 times during their marriage. But in the late ’90s the couple decided the time was right to settle near Russ’s ageing parents in the Mornington Peninsula. Joan dreamt of a relaxed, open home by the sea, with plenty of space for the couple, their four sons and 10 grandchildren to gather. After several moves on the Victorian coast, the couple finally found the ideal location for their forever home – a 1950s beach house in Port Philip Bay.
They bought the block with another couple and had local designer Jen Designs, and builder Bede Debenham work on the project with them as owner-builders. The new home was completed in October 2014. Thankfully, sorting out the decorating and detailing proved to be a far easier process – their son Ben and his wife Jen own the popular firm Eco Outdoor, while son Dave runs The Garden Company, so they were able to help their parents achieve the sophisticated beach shack vibe they were after.
They bought the block with another couple and had local designer Jen Designs, and builder Bede Debenham work on the project with them as owner-builders. The new home was completed in October 2014. Thankfully, sorting out the decorating and detailing proved to be a far easier process – their son Ben and his wife Jen own the popular firm Eco Outdoor, while son Dave runs The Garden Company, so they were able to help their parents achieve the sophisticated beach shack vibe they were after.
The couple’s front deck leads straight onto the beach, making it easy for Joan and Russ to step outside and enjoy early-morning walks on the sand.
At home, they delight in incredible views of the water, and the city of Melbourne in the distance. “People ask me what I love about living here and it’s not so much the house itself, but what’s outside. We get the most spectacular sunsets and late-afternoon sun flooding into the building,” says Joan.
Fencing and decking: The Garden Company
At home, they delight in incredible views of the water, and the city of Melbourne in the distance. “People ask me what I love about living here and it’s not so much the house itself, but what’s outside. We get the most spectacular sunsets and late-afternoon sun flooding into the building,” says Joan.
Fencing and decking: The Garden Company
The couple rented a house on the same street as this one for three years – an experience that proved invaluable when it came to working out how best to configure the rooms in their current abode. In order to maximise their stunning sea views, for example, they chose to position the master bedroom upstairs at the front of the house.
“While we probably spend most of our time downstairs in summer, we really couldn’t choose a favourite room in the house – we’d have to say the whole house as it feels like one big space, maybe two,” says Joan. “This is in part because of the large spaces and high ceilings.”
“The house just stretches as it needs to,” she adds. “We’ve had up to 40 friends and family downstairs and it didn’t feel crowded. We just spilled out onto the deck and beach.”
Nomah sofa (left): Eco Outdoor
“The house just stretches as it needs to,” she adds. “We’ve had up to 40 friends and family downstairs and it didn’t feel crowded. We just spilled out onto the deck and beach.”
Nomah sofa (left): Eco Outdoor
When it came to decorating their home, Joan and Russ sought out robust, low-maintenance furniture, and finishes in natural materials that would stand up to the rigours of young grandchildren and the odd sandy footprint. Several pieces, such as the two sofas in the living zone, come from son Ben and daughter-in-law Jen’s company Eco Outdoors. These pieces not only suit the casual aesthetic here, but can be used indoors and out.
As they had to have a slab poured on the ground level anyway, the couple opted for a burnished and polished concrete floor. “That turned out by no means perfect as the concrete was poured on a hot day and dried too quickly, creating a few interesting imperfections that we hadn’t anticipated,” says Joan.
As they had to have a slab poured on the ground level anyway, the couple opted for a burnished and polished concrete floor. “That turned out by no means perfect as the concrete was poured on a hot day and dried too quickly, creating a few interesting imperfections that we hadn’t anticipated,” says Joan.
“I have strong feelings about lighting as I feel it can really make or break the mood in a room,” says Joan. “In an open-plan space like this, I wanted to create separate zones and a feeling of intimacy. To do this, I opted for lamps and individual lights dotted around the room, plus a few spotlights on the ceiling.”
A large dining table is one of the couple’s favourite pieces. “We love our big round rustic teak table and the smart and comfortable directors’ chairs around it. They’re perfect for long and entertaining dinnertime conversations.”
A large dining table is one of the couple’s favourite pieces. “We love our big round rustic teak table and the smart and comfortable directors’ chairs around it. They’re perfect for long and entertaining dinnertime conversations.”
Flexible pieces, such as this modular Ord sofa from Eco Outdoor, make it easy to accommodate an extra overnight guest when a party runs over. “It’s also the perfect spot to retire after lunch for a snooze,” adds Joan.
“Being a lifelong lover of linen, I chose to make heavy-duty outdoor linen curtains for the living spaces rather than go with blinds,” says Joan.
One of Joan’s great passions is earthy pottery, which she has been collecting since the 1970s from op-shops and secondhand markets. “I love its natural earthiness,” she says.
The couple included a butler’s pantry off the main kitchen downstairs, where they do much of their cooking prep, keeping benchtops clear.
“When it came to the kitchen units, we went with simple freestanding Ikea units on both levels,” says Joan.
“When it came to the kitchen units, we went with simple freestanding Ikea units on both levels,” says Joan.
They’ve also used affordable Ikea taps and laundry sinks.
“I favour freestanding over built-in furniture as it gives me the freedom to move things around,” says Joan. “Plus I prefer the look of it.”
The weather-proof Ord couches have been one of the the couple’s best investments; “We leave them outside and they look just as good now approaching their third summer as they did when we first bought them,” says Joan.
“Our decor style would best be described as eclectic. I’ve always been an avid gatherer and collector of ‘stuff’,” says Joan.
Fortuitously, three of the couple’s sons work in the design and trade world, and were able to help their parents realise their vision for this home. Ben’s firm Eco Outdoor supplied the tiles and flooring in the bathrooms, as well as much of the furniture. The Garden Company, run by Dave, did the landscaping and decks, while Tom’s firm, The Electric Crew, handled the electrical work.
“This house has a bit of old, a bit of new, and the imprint of all four of our sons and family on it,” says Joan.
“This house has a bit of old, a bit of new, and the imprint of all four of our sons and family on it,” says Joan.
The main room upstairs is a flexible space that accommodates the master bedroom, a casual living area and a second small kitchen. For the flooring, Joan and Russ chose engineered timber planks from Porter’s Paints as they were quick and easy to install.
One thing the couple refused to compromise on was the windows – they knew they had to invest in a style that would withstand the home’s tough coastal conditions. They chose double-glazed, tinted windows with industrial-quality frames that would not only boost the home’s energy efficiency, but cope with whatever the weather threw at them.
They then found other ways to save money, such as choosing cement blocks for the internal walls and leaving them in their raw, natural state rather than having them painted and finished.
The main room upstairs is also home to Russ’s beloved Charles Eames chair, an original piece that he inherited from his father.
They then found other ways to save money, such as choosing cement blocks for the internal walls and leaving them in their raw, natural state rather than having them painted and finished.
The main room upstairs is also home to Russ’s beloved Charles Eames chair, an original piece that he inherited from his father.
“We leave the large sliding doors open most nights and wake to the sound of waves and gulls,” says Joan.
The couple turned again to Eco Outdoor for the gorgeous Portuguese stone floors and concrete tiles in their two bathrooms.
Initially, Joan and Russ used basic, cheap Bunnings open shelving for their main storage, until they fell in love with a hand-crafted storage piece in reclaimed hardwood by local carpentry firm Mauricio Rustic Furniture. “Its natural, rustic feel worked so well with our informal style, and we’re gradually adding similar pieces to every room in the house,” says Joan.
“We have tried to avoid fads and utilise natural colours that complement the external environment,” says Joan.
And the most important lessons the couple learned while creating this home? “Less is more; and be prepared to get rid of things you loved in another life if they don’t quite fit your present one,” says Joan.
Joan is the first to admit that she’s always been attracted to change, whether it’s switching things around in a room or transplanting her life to another country in search of new sights and fresh adventures. However, the experience of living in this house may well have brought her search to an end: “With its sublime location and the constantly changing scenery, I find I’m less inclined to engage in my old habit,” she says.
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Who lives here: Joan and Russ Kerr
Where: Port Phillip Bay, Victoria
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 kitchens
“When we designed this house, we focused on creating flexible indoor-outdoor spaces where we could share meals, host book clubs and entertain friends,” says Joan. “Although not large, this house adapts to our lifestyle and manages to feel spacious when we’re entertaining friends and family.”
Unsurprisingly, as the mother of such design-savvy sons, colour is very important to Joan. “Whether it’s the clothes I wear or the things I buy for my home, I’m drawn to dirty, weathered tones – rust, mustard, sienna yellow and ochre,” she says.