SEASIDE SAVVY
Coastal style. Relaxed and comfortable. Dress code: smart-casual. Think linen dress, a raffia clutch and sandals, perhaps with a hint of sparkle.
Architecturally this translates to sunny, low-maintenance homes in weather-smart materials. Hardwood and (well-insulated) weatherboard has always been at home by the seaside. And contemporary cladding options present an easy way to update a tired fibro home or achieve a similar look in a new build.
Good beach houses don’t seek to erase the past, nor do they dabble in kitsch. Fuss-free but well appointed, they walk the line between nostalgia for the sandy-floored, knocked-up beach shacks we’ve all known and loved and the convenience of modern inclusions. The best designs seek available views without being greedy, and also celebrate retreat. We feature six homes of this ilk this month, to help us all ease into holiday mode.
When you step inside you’ll notice easyclean surfaces and durable furnishings but plenty of personality. With the basics established – tried-and-tested timber and rattan furniture – soft furnishings set up easy living: rugs, washable covers and throws in cotton, linen and smart, sun-resistant fabrics.
Unlike the bland, indestructible interiors of dime-a-dozen holiday rentals, these are homes furnished for the owners’ comfort and enjoyment, and the calm, collected details provide a blueprint for laidback style.
Says architect Shaun Lockyer of his family’s Stradbroke Island getaway: “The furnishings are a collection of new, recycled and serendipitous finds. Pulling them together was a fun, collaborative process of addition and subtraction.” (See the result on page 94.)
The family home of leading garden designer William Dangar in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is another terrific example of a modern coastal home (page 20). Inspired by traditional Japanese architecture, Will painted his barn-like timber home black, settling it into the beautiful garden he created. The interior is as soft and airy as the exterior is strong. Yet eminently practical. “I wanted a home where people could relax, that wasn’t too precious,” says Will.
As fragrant frangipani bloom country-wide, we move into tropical flower territory with our Botanica page this month. This issue marks the first of H&G’s 70th birthday year and one of the many treats we have in store is a series of celebratory bouquets for our back page, from leading florists. Be sure to catch them all.
Happy holidays everyone and best wishes for a wonderful year, from all of us at H&G.