An elegant beachside home with a splash of colour

This beautifully renovated home features a striking scheme of yellow and black. Filled with personal treasures such as the portrait of a wild Australian brumby by fashion photographer Nick Leary, this weatherboard cottage on Sydney’s coast is a lesson in understated elegance.

Clean-cut and contemporary, this practical space is an ease to entertain in, but it’s the finer details that really appeal. Case in point is the island bench, with a tallowwood top and perforated stainless-steel cabinetry below. Handmade Spanish ceramic splashback tiles from Onsite and a plywood ‘Kina’ pendant light by David Trubridge add texture, while citrus-hued Tolix stools contribute a cheery note.

The B&B Italia ‘Seven’ dining table is a unique shape, neither square or rectangular, which makes for an inclusive dinner-time setting. Philippe Starck ‘Masters’ chairs, chosen for their light and pretty shape, are a chic style match. Completing the symphony of white is a custom-designed sideboard from Zuster, flanked by an oversized floor lamp from Fanuli and topped with sculpture-like Bang & Olufsen speakers.

The master bedroom feels like a retreat thanks to a carefully curated selection of pieces, starting with the wallpaper, Neisha Crosland ‘Anemone’. Designer Kate Bell organised the custom-made bedhead, which picks up the colour of the wallpaper and is a classic complement to the cream-painted woodwork in Resene Half Thorndon Cream. The final touch are marble-topped side tables from Jardan. 

One of the home’s highlights, the wardrobe is lined with Laminex in Seasoned Oak and offers generous storage.

Marble benchtops are teamed with plain white wall tiles and pretty mosaic floor tiles from Onsite.

Splashes of yellow shine in this space, adding a sense of energy and joy.

A pin board covered in leftover fabric from the bedhead jazzes up a corner of this guest room.