Photography: Simon Whitbread / Styling: Corina Koch
For these busy executives Lisa and Matt, their four-bedroom home nestled on a hill in Sydney’s Northern Beaches provides stark relief from their demanding corporate lives. “It’s so serene up here, I find it quite breathtaking,” says Lisa. “Every morning, I have a coffee in bed and watch the sun rise over the ocean. It’s different every day.”
The couple knew the advantages of a coastal reprieve, having lived in a two-bedroom apartment across from the beach prior to buying this house. The birth of their son Riley, now nine, prompted them to look for something bigger.
“I looked at this house five times during the auction campaign before I decided it was the one for us,” says Lisa. “It had an unusual floor plan – we called it a maze – and I knew it wouldn’t be easy or cheap to renovate, but I kept coming back for the location.”
Who lives here?
Lisa, Matt and their son, Riley, nine.
Describe your style. Lisa: “I would say it’s contemporary coastal. A timeless interior that can be updated with the addition of new cushions and accessories.”
Your biggest learning? “People can sometimes underestimate the value of interior designers. Denise was amazing and worth her weight in gold. I know what I like, but she was the one that helped pull it together.”
Favourite inclusions? “The butler’s pantry is a godsend. I love a clean kitchen and the butler’s pantry allows for this. Also the bathtub in the ensuite. How lucky are we to be able to have a bath looking out to the ocean.”
The family lived in the home for five years while saving up for its renovation, which gave them valuable insight into exactly what needed changing – and the list was considerable! They enlisted Denise McIlwaine from Order & Grace to oversee the home’s transformation, which included rejigging the floor plan to create a more functional flow, maximising the natural light and bringing the outdoors in.
“Our aim for the couple was to create an instant sense of tranquillity as soon as they stepped through the front gate, a place where they could relax and entertain in serene surroundings,” says Denise.
Pivotal to this is the open-plan living, dining and kitchen space at the rear of the house, which extends out to a generous verandah with an outdoor kitchen and stone fireplace for year-round relaxation. Clever joinery in the living room makes the most of a large blank wall.
“We decided to break it down into sections – a space for a large eye-catching artwork, an internal fireplace and some joinery to hold personal treasures and decor pieces to create a sense of home,” says Denise. “Lisa and Matt were delighted with the outcome, as were we.”
Kitchen and dining
Similarly, the kitchen hit all the right notes for the couple, who wanted something wow yet understated. A curved island bench topped with grey veined Talostone brings beautiful contrast to the white cabinetry. Dunlin ‘Drop 3’ pendants work in the space and a butler’s pantry ensures the kitchen stays clutter-free.
“We wanted the pendant lights to be elegant and complement the kitchen, but we didn’t want them to dominate the space,” says Denise. In the kitchen, a trio of ‘Drop 3’ pendants by Dunlin fit the bill – simple and sculptural with their smooth bone china shades and grey cotton braided cables. “They really are the perfect fit!” Visit Dunlin for more.
We love… perfect lighting
The freshly designed kitchen was a welcome change for Lisa, who was hemmed in by a much smaller kitchen in the old home. “I didn’t cook for enjoyment, only out of necessity,” she says. “Now I can spend hours pottering around in the kitchen.”
To the side of the kitchen, the dining zone enjoys light from louvre windows and a skylight above. Meals are enjoyed on the Ethnicraft ‘Bok’ dining table and chairs from Trit House, with a ‘Coast Diamond’ rug from Payless Flooring demarcating the area.
Living and alfresco area
The home feels bright and airy thanks to the addition of large feature windows, skylights and glass doors. “It became a bit of a joke during the renovations because every time we were talking about windows, I would say, ‘That’s nice, but can we make it bigger?’,” says Lisa.
Crisp white walls enhance this effect and provide a neutral backdrop for the artworks, furnishings and accessories, which Denise says were kept “simple yet elegant, in order to provide a sense of calm. Coastal living embraces the concept of fluidity and openness, so the key was to not overcomplicate, maintaining a pared-back eye throughout,” she says.
In a corner of the living space a Frey ‘Loft’ armchair is covered with Thomas Maxwell Leather ‘Lavelle & London Club’ in Trench and Warwick ‘Lexus’ fabric in Duckegg on the underside. A ‘Pivot’ coffee table from Trit House adds to the fluidity of the space.
Sliding doors open the space up to the outdoor deck, with its ‘Talara’ two-seater sofa from Domayne and Freedom ‘Allaperto’ rug. “Matt and I sit out there with a drink or two, music on, chatting and looking out to the view,” says Lisa.
Main bedroom
Natural materials – limestone paving, timber floors and stone benchtops – along with VJ panels, fluted joinery, linen curtains and upholstery add to the contemporary coastal look. “We didn’t want our home to feel pretentious; we wanted it to be really comfortable and cosy to live in,” says Lisa.
In the bedroom, a feature window provides stunning views. A ‘Lucia’ bedhead from Heatherly Design with In The Sac bedlinen, along with ‘Avalon’ bedside tables from Life Interiors, sheer curtains in Warwick ‘Corfu’ fabric in Snow and Cavalier Bremworth ‘Untouched’ carpet add to the easy feel.
Ensuite
The couple’s ensuite is a sanctuary within itself, with ‘Spring’ Terrazzo from Barefoot Living on the floor and splashback providing a nice contrast with the white rectified tiles, also from Barefoot Living.
The timber ‘Posh Domaine’ vanity with Cherry Pie Carrara top, twin ‘Roca Inspira’ round basins and Kado ‘Neue’ mirrors from Reece form the perfect alliance, but the star of the space is the Kado ‘Lussi’ freestanding tub, positioned to take in those water views. “It’s a bit luxurious, but I really wanted it and I’m glad we did it,” says Lisa.
Riley’s bedroom
Riley’s bedroom has a skateboard decal, dachshund doorstop and navy ‘Lowdown’ locker, all from Lilly & Lolly.
Family bathroom
Barefoot Living terrazzo and tiles, and a Kado ‘Lux’ bath from Reece are in the main bathroom where a Cultiver towel hangs over the side of the bath.
“Both Lisa and Matt have said several times that they feel like they are on holidays when they arrive home.”
Denise McIlwaine, interior designer
“I love that this house makes me always feel close to the ocean. We still don’t take the view for granted and love being able to hear the waves crashing first thing in the morning,” says Lisa.
Interior design: Denise McIlwaine, Order & Grace, orderandgrace.com.
SOURCE BOOK
Building design: Action Plans, actionplans.com.au.
Builder: Crookwell Constructions, crookwellconstructions.com.au.
Joinery: Streamlined Kitchens, streamlinedkitchens.com.
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