Flow On On the NSW Central Coast, a freshly updated beach house lives in harmony with its spectacular surroundings.

This freshly updated beach house addresses and caresses the curves of the NSW Central Coast.

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Agiant hug: that’s what the owners of this beach house on the NSW Central Coast wanted it to feel like. “When you have a demanding, stressful job, it makes sense that you would seek out a place that acts as an antidote, a place where you can unwind,” says Lynne Bradley, the Sydney interior designer in charge of delivering this hug-made-tangible for a family of six. “The curve of the building evokes an embrace, so taking this approach to its interiors worked beautifully.”

Built in 1983, the four-bedroom home is positioned in an incomparable spot that offers sweeping views out to sea and across to a headland. When the family bought it last year, the property was in need of a serious style update. Lynne knew immediately that one of her key goals on this project was better anchoring the house to its location. “Every time I visited the house, the

water would look a different colour,” she says. “I didn’t consciously bring the colours of the beach inside; I think perhaps they just seeped in. The silvery green foliage of the nearby national park, the many blues of the sea, the colours of the sand and the frequent stormy skies – these beautiful natural features informed my palette without me ever making a deliberate decision to use ‘beachy’ colours.”

On the ground floor of the three-level home is the kitchen, a symphony of pale-blue joinery with softly rounded edges that offers an abundance of storage. The cabinetry is topped with Caesarstone Excava, selected for its boldly veined patterning and its nod to the eroded sandstone cliffs nearby.

Flowing curves are a distinct feature of this home. A blade wall and barrel ceiling by the stairs had to be factored into Lynne’s design. Her ingenious solution for this tricky space was to use a very special wallpaper that’s essentially a 3-millimetre slice of sandstone with an adhesive backing that is applied to a surface and then sealed. “It’s heated with a blowdryer and can be wrapped to any shape. There are no load-bearing issues and it’s a great way to bring some texture into a space.”

In the living area, situated upstairs from the kitchen, the sweeping arc of the ceiling is mirrored in the curved lines of the sofa and two occasional chairs that can swivel to either face the all-important sea view or to be a part of a family conversation. The rug in this room is nothing short of a work of art. It was custom-designed by Lynne to represent the beach beyond the windows. “Headlands at each end of the beach are expressed in the geometrical aspect of the rug,” she says. “The curved area with

“FURNITURE WAS SELECTED FOR ITS ABILITY TO CREATE A COCOONING SERENITY. THE SWEEPING SHAPE OF THE SOFA RESPONDS TO THE CON CAVE CEILING AND CONVEX BELLY OF THE STAIRCASE OVER HANG .” LYNN E BRADLEY, INTERIOR DESIGNER

contrasting textures represents the shoreline and waves rolling onto the sand. It fills the negative space between the sofa and the television and fireplace, which proved to be quite challenging to put in!”

The main bedroom suite is situated upstairs from the living area and features uninterrupted beach vistas. “I think of this space as the crow’s nest of the house – it has that kind of feel to it,” says Lynne. The decor here is deliberately understated so as not to distract from the view, but the ensuite has undergone a comprehensive renovation. A wardrobe ‘pod’ features clothes storage on one side and bathroom storage on the other, but ensures the ensuite remains open to the bedroom. Powder-blue irregular-edge glazed tiles add a textural element and bounce light around the room. They’re teamed with a teal vanity, which is shaped to echo the curves around the house. On the floor, white subway tiles are laid both horizontally and vertically to create a little pattern play.

“Every element acknowledges the home’s natural surrounds positively – even its harsher properties. The brass tapware was selected for its oxidised look, while the ensuite mirror has already begun to patinate. They add a wonderful, ‘lived in’ feel to the all-new interior.”

EXTERIOR Perched on a hillside overlooking the sea, this beach house was radically transformed into a nurturing sanctuary without undergoing major structural changes. The outside of the house was painted by Denman Painting in Dulux Sea Deep with trim in Dulux Domino. Textures and colours found in the surrounding landscape informed interior designer Lynne Bradley’s material choices inside. 109 | AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN

DINING Star of the show in this space is the Cladstone sandstone wallpaper. Jewel dining table and Husk dining chairs, all Zuster. LIVING Valley sofa, Jardan. Viv swivel chairs, West Elm. The rug was custom designed by Lynne and made by Designer Rugs.

LIVING These images Previously, yellowed timber-veneer panels dominated the living area’s arched ceiling. The panels were stripped to a neutral tone, enabling the ocean views to dominate. The joiner, Kastell Kitchens, and builder, Salv D’Albora of SGD Builders, worked together to install the ADF Linea fireplace and inset Sony television. Taccia lamp, Euroluce. Literal, Legible, Intelligible artwork by Antonia Mrljak from Becker Minty. Tribute coffee table, Zuster. Customdesigned rug. Glass vase from Spence & Lyda, travertine bowl from Greg Natale and RaRa Studio vase from Elph Store.

THIS IS THE LIFE “It was always intended to be a beach house but the owners have fallen in love with this home – and I believe they’re even talking about one day retiring there,” says Lynne. One of the aspects the owners like best is its flexibility. “It works well for the two of them, but it’s just as comfortable when their grown-up children and their partners are also visiting. This is a house that feels intimate and welcoming, but allows everyone their own space.”

KITCHEN Installed by Kastell Kitchens, the joinery features a half-cylinder profile and is finished in Dulux Blue Spruce. Door hardware, Kethy. Caesarstone Excava benchtop and splashback. Oven and cooktop, Smeg. The bowl on the table is from MCM House.

MAIN BEDROOM Bedhead, Naturally Cane. Heimur bedside tables and bed-end bench, all Great Dane. Braid Hive rug, Designer Rugs. Quilt cover, Cultiver. Mustard cushions, Elk. Bolsters, Jardan. ENSUITE Joinery designed by Lynne and installed by Kastell Kitchens. Joinery painted Dulux Sea Deep. Door hardware, Kethy. Menta wall tiles, Di Lorenzo Tiles. Tapware and Kado ‘Lussi’ solid-surface bath, Reece. Pill basin, Nood Co. Where You Are Now Is Perfect artwork by Antonia Mrljak from Becker Minty. For Where to Buy, see page 176.