Set on a quiet peninsula, this smartly styled NSW property still has the barefoot charm of a classic beach shack.
On a secluded peninsula on the NSW Central Coast, this lovingly updated weekender allows the owners and guests to wind down in high style.
LOGGIA
The home’s alfresco space features a fireplace wall built to a grand scale. ‘Peninsula’ outdoor sofa, armchair and table, Sutherland. Fish-print cushions in ‘Holy Mackerel’ fabric and floor cushions in ‘Bubbles ‘fabric, both by Perennials. Drinking glasses, Blu Dot. Australian House & Garden towel, Myer. ‘Rutherford’ pendant light, Restoration Hardware. Alpine stone walling, Eco Outdoor. POOL From the backyard, there isn’t another house in sight – just sweeping views out to Barrenjoey Headland and Bouddi Peninsula. Beach towel, Serena & Lily.
Designer buy: Royal Botania ‘IXIT 195’ teak lounge chair, from $3795, Parterre.
DINING
At first sight, the evocative seascape by Chris Langlois looks like another window onto the sea. Like many pieces in the home, the dining table and chairs were sourced in the US, in this case from McGuire Furniture in San Francisco. Armchair from Hollywood at Home, with cushion in Carolina Irving Textiles ‘Aegean Stripe’ fabric. Clate Grunden Lighting ‘Honeycomb’ pendant light, Tower 20. Rug, Ralph Lauren Home. LIVING A trio of relaxed sofas is complemented by vintage French armchairs in Christopher Farr ‘Brisa’ fabric. Jardan sofa (centre) in Sanderson ‘Coppet’ fabric. Woven-frame sofas, John Himmel Decorative
Arts. Coffee table, Nicky Rising. ‘Hairy’ lamp, Tower 20. Rug, International Floorcoverings. The sliding art display system, using ‘A6’ components from Centor, is a witty way to hang a surf-themed image. Designer buy: ‘Cleo’ sofa in Hampton Wedgewood fabric, from $5723, Jardan. KITCHEN This airy white space is bathed in sunshine. Tiles, Bisanna Tiles. Cooktop, Miele. ‘How to Marry A Millionaire’ stools from Hollywood At Home. Fruit bowl by Royce McGlashen. Tasmanian oak flooring with oiled finish.
Back in the early 20th century, the original developer of Pearl Beach showed great foresight in naming this NSW Central Coast town and all its streets after precious materials. Flash-forward nearly a century to 2012 and a Sydney-based couple realised they had found something very special when they snapped up a prime beachfront property here, just a few steps from the tranquil waters of Broken Bay.
Built in the 1950s and added to over the years, the three-bedroom cottage was well-loved but rundown, and failed to make the most of its superb location. After spending weekends there for a year, getting a feel for its qualities of space and light, the owners felt they needed a better connection between the house and its environment, plus a layout more conducive to relaxing and entertaining. It made sense to involve the two firms that had renovated their inner-city terrace: The Quinlan Group and Darryl Gordon Design.
The refresh included the transformation of the kitchen, bathrooms and loggia. A separate, self-contained apartment on the lower ground floor was reconfigured into a guest suite (with one bedroom and an extra bed in the living area) and incorporated into the main house. Glass stacking doors now provide generous views and easy access to the beach and revamped alfresco area at the rear, where a studio/ laundry has become an outdoor kitchen with barbecue. New decks and screens in recycled hardwood have been installed, the pool retiled and new weatherboard cladding laid over the entire exterior.
“The breathtaking position provided a lot of material for this remodel,” explains architect Justin Quinlan. “Refining the owners’ ideas and purpose, and integrating them with the house’s relationship to its natural surroundings, was the main task.”
The owners are delighted with the way the house now connects and communicates directly with its environment. It’s a versatile home that functions as an escape for the busy professionals in their downtime, when they host small parties and accommodate family and friends for weekend stays.
Once the floor plan was revised, creating ambience was the next step. To deliver the owners’ vision of ‘coastal cool’, interior designer Darryl Gordon put together a sophisticated scheme that has the relaxed, casual vibe of a beach house but with its own unique twist. “The owners didn’t want to do a paint-it-all-white Hamptons theme,” Darryl explains. There’s a current of dreamy sea greens and blues in the palette, but the emphasis is strongly on texture, from rugged stone and bleached timbers to wallcoverings in woven raffia and luxurious printed textiles. While Darryl has avoided trends, there’s a subtle riff on classic mid-century themes, seen in features such as the woven furniture and retro prints.
As frequent international travellers, the owners were able to check out furniture and fittings from overseas sources first-hand; on one trip to New York and LA, they acquired a container full of handsome pieces for the home. Both Justin and Darryl appreciated the owners’ willingness to experiment, especially with colour and pattern, and the role that played in the exceptional results.
“That’s the great thing about a holiday home you don’t live in full-time,” says Darryl. “You can be a bit more adventurous.”
The Quinlan Group, Darlinghurst, NSW; (02) 8354 1471 or thequinlangroup.com. Darryl Gordon Design, Jamberoo, NSW; 0411 195 551 or darrylgordondesign.com.
GUESTROOM Head-to-head single beds make best use of the long, narrow room, given a vibrant look with retro prints and accents inspired by the mid-century Hotel Bel-Air in LA. Cole & Son ‘Palm Jungle’ wallpaper, Radford. Bedlinen, Williams-Sonoma Home. Lamps, Ikea. BIC Carpets ‘New Artisan’ carpet, Whitecliffe Imports. Smart buy: Flamingo bookends, $125, The Sourceress. MAIN BEDROOM Phillip Jeffries woven ‘Island Raffia’ on the walls creates a softer effect in this room. Custom bedhead in Christopher Farr ‘Inside Out’ fabric and curtains in ‘Breakwater’, both from Ascraft. Carpet, Whitecliffe Imports. Bedcover, Williams-Sonoma Home. Lamp, Parterre. BATHROOM Twisted-rope detailing around a French mirror is a subtle nautical reference and ties together other neutral accents. Tiles, Bisanna Tiles. Woven blind, Blinds by Peter Meyer.
MAIN ENSUITE Cool blue tiles laid from floor to ceiling create a watery effect. Tiles, Bisanna Tiles. Mirror, Restoration Hardware. Visual Comfort wall lights, Laura Kincade. The vanity surface in both bathrooms is Calacatta marble.
OUTDOOR KITCHEN
The owners loved the ‘Waves’ tiles on the splashback so much, they shipped them from LA store Ann Sacks to use here and in their Sydney home. ‘Summit’ barbecue, Weber. Cushions, Bed, Bath N’ Table. Green vase from Habitat, London.
Smart buy: For similar chairs, try ‘Adirondack Folding Cape Cod’ chairs, $130 each, French Knot. For Where to Buy, see page 188. #