“This is also a great party house. We had more than 100 people here once. We emptied the main room and turned it into a dance floor”

In fact, when the concrete slab was poured, leaves from these trees fell and cast fossils into the finish – nature literally making their imprint in the foundations of the home.

Once inside, guests feel as if they are in a treehouse rather than a regular dwelling. Surrounded by native flora, it could be a hideaway in the bush because there is almost nothing to suggest its location in a pocket of suburbia. To enhance the sense of space, many of the walls don’t meet the ceiling. Instead, joinery partitions off the key spaces such as the main bedroom, and further separation is achieved via frameless glass. A subtle change in levels between the private and more public zones has been integral in creating distinct spaces under the one roof. Off the living space, large sliding doors open up completely to the deck and garden, blurring the boundary between inside and out.

The angophora trees, which shed mottled silver bark to reveal a crimson tone and whose grey-green leaves are visible from every window, informed the home’s palette. Using colour as a design tool to demarcate zones, the couple tucked their study (which soon became a nursery) behind a green sliding wall, and shielded the bedroom and ensuite with burgundy-painted joinery.

Despite its small footprint, the house was designed to work hard to accommodate the party of three. “We dedicated a lot of space to joinery and storage so everything could be put away,” says Ava, adding, “It’s especially important to be tidy when you live in a small house, but I must admit, I’m pretty terrible at practicing what I preach. Michael worries about the mess I make, but I call it ‘being creative’.” However, the home has been wonderful for Una, though Ava says “it possibly lets in a little too much natural light to be conducive to a baby sleeping”.

It may be a new build, but the house already feels as if it contains years’ worth of stories. The layering of furniture, knick-knacks and art means that visitors are immediately drawn to its personality and warmth. “We’ve spent very little money on furniture over the years; a lot of it has been sourced at op shops, on the side of the road or as hand-me-downs. There’s a healthy smattering of Ikea in there, too,” says Ava, adding that much of the art is by her, from friends or family or bought during the couple’s travels, and every so often they open the home to their friends and family. “It’s a great party house. We had more than 100 people here once – we set up a bar in the carport and emptied the main room, turning it into a dance floor.”

After three happy years in their couple’s retreat/mini family home/party house, they’re already planning a move into the large Art Deco house at the front of the property. “It needs a renovation,” Ava points out, “and we’ve got itchy feet again.”

To see more projects by Ava and Michael, follow them on Instagram @avashirley.architect and @beachhousesaustralia; @_woodsquared

1 Entry

2 Dining

3 Kitchen

4 Living

5 Bedroom

6 Walk-in robe

7 Bathroom

8 Day bed

9 Pantry

10 Nursery/study

11 Deck

Custom joinery by Ava’s dad, Dean Shirley of Wood Squared, keeps things tidy. The Parker chair is one of a pair found on eBay, restored by Adam Stewart at Modanest and covered in Warwick ‘Plateau’ fabric. Rug, Lounge Lovers. David Bromley throw, Mark Tuckey. Artwork by Emily Pwerle, through Art Mob.