Taking the long view pays off in a seaside Newcastle home.
After years of planning, this stylish new home on the Hunter Coast of NSW sets up an idyllic indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
For Rob and Kerrie, purchasing a small 1950s block of flats in a beach suburb of Newcastle in 2002 was an astute move. “It wasn’t a very attractive property but it was solid and a good investment,” says Kerrie. Rental yield aside, they were thinking ahead to a time when their corporate roles in Sydney would be winding down. Both could appreciate that this address, close enough to the ocean to enjoy the lapping of waves, would be ideal for a future sea change.
“We loved the location because of its proximity to the beach,” says Rob, “and we were aware that we would get ocean views from the first floor.”
By 2013, when they approached Glen Spicer of EJE Architecture to discuss a new build on the site, Rob and Kerrie had a strong sense of what they were looking for. “We knew we wanted a main bedroom suite and living area upstairs, lots of light and an interesting roofline,” says Rob. “Plus verandahs we could use in all weather and all seasons.”
Glen visited the couple’s Sydney home to better understand how they lived, and responded with a two-storey design that maximises natural light, sea breezes and versatility of space. Outer areas on both levels can be opened up by means of sets of folding louvres and bifold doors, creating indoor-outdoor spaces reminiscent of an island resort. Around the perimeter of the house, courtyard gardens offer views of lush green plantings with a tropical theme.
Two frangipani trees, craned into position on site, were flowering happily when Ron and Kerrie moved in just before Christmas 2015, following a build by local firm Malman Constructions that was completed in under 12 months. “We were fortunate with Malman and everyone we worked with,” says Rob.
Stepping inside the front door, there’s a mesmerising line of sight through a double-storey void: down the hall, through a courtyard with feature pond and then the open living zone, which opens up to an enticing rear courtyard. Three guestrooms, a study and a bathroom are situated off the hall. Upstairs, the main bedroom suite opens to an inside-out sunroom under a dramatic pitched roof; at the other end, a generous indoor-outdoor room runs off the spacious living/ kitchen/dining area.
It’s a layout that offers entertainment options galore. When guests are in the house, the main bedroom can be closed off so everyone can access the sunroom via the upstairs hall, relaxing at the bar bench while taking in the ocean views.
Realising the contents of their Sydney Federation house would not work well in a modern beach home, Kerrie and Rob handed over the decor to interior designer Louise Walsh. Starting with a near-blank slate, Louise sourced furniture and artworks, finetuned finishes, consulted on colours and “pushed our boundaries”, Rob and Kerrie happily admit.
“The brief was coastal contemporary,” says Louise. “We created an earthy base palettebuilt on this with punches of colour and organic textures. Finishes such as distressed oak, shell and stone echo the natural environment.”
Her scheme puts in place the final piece of the owners’ strategic design, more than a decade in the making and, given the results, well worth the wait. “We wanted it to be elegant and timeless,” says Kerrie. “What we got was incredibly beautiful. We couldn’t have asked for more.”
EJE Architecture, Newcastle, NSW; (02) 4929 2353 or www.eje.com.au.
Louise Walsh Interior Design, Lennox Head, NSW; www.louisewalsh. com.au. Malman Constructions, Broadmeadow, NSW; (02) 4940 0800 or malmanconstructions.com.au.
“The house has been designed to take its location and orientation into account,” says architect Glen Spicer. “It takes advantage of cool sea breezes with good cross-ventilation.” There are also ceiling fans in each room, plus carefully sited shutters, louvres and bifold doors. “There’s always somewhere cool to retreat to,” says Kerrie. “We do have ducted airconditioning upstairs,” adds Rob, “but we only used it about three times last summer.”