A retro Waikanae Beach bach is the perfect getaway for its city owners.

A retro Waikanae holiday home designed by an iconic architect is now a haven for a Wellington couple

As soon as they step through the gate of their Waikanae Beach property, Rachel and James Porteous instantly relax. It’s a place that’s designed for unwinding with its rustic pine bach and a sheltered garden full of yuccas, succulents and a giant bird of paradise plant. A pink and turquoise retro caravan is parked up by the house and old boat buoys are draped over the front porch.

This perfect little sanctuary sits behind a faded wooden fence in the old part of Waikanae Beach. On the site of a former camping ground, the house was designed by the late Wellington architect James (Jim) Beard and built in 1983.

Relics from the former camping ground remain: the outdoor toilet with a colourful door is in the garden and still functioning, and a faded sign on the kitchen wall reminds campers to throw tea leaves over the garden, not down the drain.

A dark brown hut on the front of the section and opening to the road was once part of the camping ground too. Today, Rachel runs a pop-up homewares and gift store, The Garage, when she is there at weekends and during summer, selling art, resort wear and Gecko Press children’s books. Rachel’s store is another nod to the hut’s past life: for many years it was called Ma-Mite, a well-known vintage store selling Kiwiana that was run by the bach’s former owner, the late Sue Wilkie.

Two years ago, Sue’s family put her home up for sale and the couple bought it a few days later. James, a retired stockbroker, and Rachel had holidayed at Waikanae Beach when their children, Charlie, now 21, and Eve, 18, were young. Just 45 minutes from Wellington, the long beach with its dramatic views of Kāpiti Island appealed for its laid-back charm.

While the bach is tiny at just 70sqm, it feels much bigger thanks to the high ceilings and exposed beams in each room. The simple pavilion shape contains a central open-plan living room with almost floor-to-ceiling windows and a galley kitchen at the back. There are two bedrooms and a mezzanine is accessible by a wooden ladder from the living room, with mattresses on the floor for extra guests.

Jim Beard also designed several other Kāpiti Coast baches and the public toilet block along the road. The architect followed the brutalist architecture style; his most celebrated building was Wellington’s Hannah Playhouse created in 1973 for the Downstage Theatre Company.

He was known for his eco-friendly and energy efficient designs long before it became fashionable. In the Porteous bach, a corrugated iron roof with wide eaves provides good solar control, with shade and shelter in summer, and visually anchors the house to the land.

A small verandah out the front is decorated with an original Aramoana ferry lifebuoy on the wall, left by the previous owner. The front entrance has a sheltered verandah on the northern side, where Rachel has hung an orange swinging chair and a shell decoration made by the original owner. Grapevines draping over the eaves are heavy with fruit in autumn when birds swoop and feast.

Throughout the house, bursts of turquoise are like bits of summery sky: the sofa, the bathroom walls and Cape Cod chairs in the garden are all the same shade of blue, while retro light shades add splashes of orange and white. The galley kitchen has Melamine cupboards in the retro hues of Jaffa Orange, Cherry Cream and Fudge Brown.

While some furniture and ornaments came with the house, Rachel has added her own style, buying French vintage pieces and decorating the walls with colourful prints.

Out the back door, a vegetable garden supplies most of the produce they need when they’re up the

coast: salad leaves tower out of boxes near runner beans, tomatoes and potatoes. As soon as the couple arrives for a visit, James excitedly checks on growth. It’s in contrast to their Wellington home in Kelburn where Rachel only manages to grow herbs.

Sitting in the living room basking in the midday sun, Rachel says their colourful beach house is a complete contrast to their turn-of-the-century city home which is classic in its style. “It’s always warm and cosy when we’re here,’’ she smiles. “I love the fun, beach feel.’’

In summer, they love spending evenings outside in front of the Hooga fire, watching the sun go down behind the giant Norfolk pines across the road. Regular routines include buying cheese scones from the Olde Beach Bakery, having drinks at the Waikanae Boating Club and walking along the beach. James says: “We love it here. There’s always something interesting to look at.’’

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THIS PAGE The living room of Rachel and James Porteous’ Waikanae Beach bach, which has a cane chair and retro lampshade left by the previous owner; the round coffee table is from Yoyo and the photograph by Meg Porteous, who is James’ niece, matches the colours of the room perfectly. OPPOSITE Chairs from Danske Mobler sit in the front porch softened by cushions bearing a p¯ı wakawaka design by photographer and artist Ruben Price.

THESE PAGES Exposed rafters and the hip roof add volume to the small two-bedroom bach; the throw on the sofa is from Plump the Pillows in Raumati while decorative wall hangings throughout the house are from Iko Iko and Shut the Front Door.

THIS PAGE The small but functional galley kitchen looks out onto the vege garden, with retro light fittings from the previous owner and sunset-coloured splashbacks added by current owners. OPPOSITE The mezzanine level in the rafters has two single mattresses for overflow guests; the retro Kiwiana stool, toys and bunting came from the former owner’s shop Ma-Mite.

THIS PAGE The Hooga fireplace in the limestone chip courtyard is the centre of the family’s outdoor living; yucca plants act as spiky sentinels. OPPOSITE (clockwise from top left) The mid-century sideboard came with the house and the colourful prints above are collages by Spanish artist Nuria Mora from Shut the Front Door. The ladder to the mezzanine sits outside the main bedroom. The guest room is called the Flamingo Suite and has a butterfly poster from Iko Iko. Retro-inspired colours pep up the bathroom.

THIS PAGE Outside the bach, a French Fermob benchseat from Jardin in Auckland and Acapulco chairs from Farmers join a large orange pot from The French Potter. OPPOSITE (clockwise from top left) Yuccas and potted San Pedro cacti are like living sculptures in the outdoor dining area. An impressive giant bird of paradise plant grows by the fence. A laminated Kiwiana poster and vinyl records hang inside the door of Peggy Sue the caravan. Cape Cod chairs under the robinia trees are a nice spot to escape to.

THIS PAGE (from top) French-style table and chairs sit beside the flowering succulent garden. A corrugated iron sculpture with a nod to the ever-present bird life sits in front of the newly functioning outdoor toilet.