A modern twist on a beachfront property that offers all the luxury of city living yet the warmth and ease of the perfect seaside holiday. The owners of this fabulous contemporary beach house located in a prime position on Sydney’s Northern Beaches wanted to create something very simple, relaxed and understated. Which they certainly have. However, they also managed to build a fabulous award-winning residence that is constantly in demand as a location for photo shoots and high-end holiday rentals. The owners teamed up with architect Alex Popov and interior designer John Dunn of IDC design and the results are truly spectacular. A great deal of planning went into the project and nothing has been overlooked, from the exquisite materials, fabulous lighting and designer furniture pieces, to the extraordinary artwork. The finish is clean, modern and stylish but also has the warmth and ease that goes hand in hand with a simple beach holiday – one that you would never wish to end. THE PERFECT PLAN Built into a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the owners wanted the house to blend in with the landscape and make the most of the stunning views. “Basically it had to be natural and fit into the environment really well and we wanted a relaxed, contemporary design,” says the owner. Inspired by Japanese design, the owners had an impressive three-storey concrete wall built on the northern side of the site, an amazing feature that gives them privacy as well as a great deal of natural light as larger windows could be installed on this side of the building. As the house is built into the slope, the main entrance leads to the second level with an extremely spacious open-plan kitchen/dining/lounge area that opens right onto a deck looking out to sea. Stairs lead down to the ground floor where three guest bedrooms are located as well as a second lounge, kitchenette and barbecue area. Another set of floating stairs in the main living space lead up to the master bedroom and ensuite plus private deck with extraordinary water views. The layout is simple and practical yet extremely generous with plenty of space indoors and out to relax either in a group or alone. And for the owners – who use the property as their weekender – the design is perfect for either relaxing or entertaining, both of which can be done in great style. “It was supposed to be comfortable and warm,” says the owner. “And because it’s our weekend retreat, it’s supposed to be something a bit different, a bit more relaxed but still quite refined.” AWARD-WINNING DESIGN In 2007 the property won the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) award for Best Residential Interior Design in both the NSW and national categories and it is not hard to see why. Interior designer John Dunn has an enormous body of experience in designing corporate interiors and brought a commercial edge to the project, blending fabulous materials with great style and originality. “It’s looking at a residential interior though the eyes of a corporate designer so that’s why it’s got that infusion of materials,” Dunn says. Instead of concrete floors in the main open-plan living/ kitchen space, the concrete has been installed on the ceiling, beautifully treated with the same technique used on that of the Sydney Opera House. The floor has been laid with a combination of Canadian Rock Maple boards, a soft warm wood that will age beautifully, and inlaid carpet for extra warmth and comfort. “We wanted to do concrete floors originally but we put the concrete on the ceiling and had carpet inlay with the maple framing the carpet,” says the owner. “It’s just a more natural experience than that edgy inner city concrete floor.” All walls have been painted with Dulux Lexicon, creating a warm off-white backdrop that flows throughout the house and allows full focus on fabulous features such as the extraordinary up and down lighting from Kreon and impressive artwork. The palette overall is restrained and textural with warm neutral tones and natural recycled materials such as the stained jarrah (sourced from an old wool shed in Port Macquarie) that appears on the exterior of the house and inside. “I find it a visual joy,” says Dunn. “There’s such a lot of detailing in it but the detailing is so simple it doesn’t annoy your eye. That’s probably where it is so successful.” WELL THOUGHT-OUT Although the house has a modern layout there are still plenty of separate spaces to get away from it all. The main living area, which is essentially one large open room, has been cleverly designed with a large American walnut custom-built credenza that sections off the lounge from the dining room and also keeps the television tastefully hidden from view. “Otherwise it would be like a car showroom,” says the owner. “I like to feel I’m going to a separate space.” The smart stainless steel commercially built kitchen on this level is again open to the space but separated by a large floating island bench and offers plenty of room for extensive cooking. The owners love to entertain and find that the kitchen is a great place for people to gather in a relaxed way. And with five purpose-built fridges and freezers there is ample space for food storage. STORY SUSANNAH HARDY PHOTOGRAPHY TONY POTTER STYLING KATHRYN BORGLUND