THIS IS THE LIFE

Picturesque Boston Bay is more than three times the size of Sydney Harbour, but there are more fishing trawlers than pleasure cruisers sailing through this working port. Seabirds, fur seals, dolphins, and even the occasional whale all add to the delight of waterfront living. “We didn’t fully appreciate until we moved in just how much the building would make us feel like we’re completely enveloped by the sea,” says Emily. “We just love it.”

privatefamilysanctuarythatsoaksupmorecoastalviews.Natural materials, including oak, wool and stone, add warmth and texture to the restrained colour palette. “There’s a tendency to think of seaside properties as needing artwork and pops of colour, but why would you compete with the colours outside?” says Melissa.

Outside, the facade features a combination of concrete-look cladding, brick and linear board, a palette selected to tie in with the boulders along the shoreline where fur seals bask. “When you have such large expanses to work with, you can play with light and texture as well as scale,” says Hamish.

The metallic bricks have become one of Tobias and Emily’s favourite features, the silvery sheen a nod to the shimmer on the water created by schools of fish. The heated pool wins the children’s vote, and Georgie, seven, and Hugh, four, are always within sight thanks to the clever arrangement of the open-plan kitchen, dining and living areas around the protected courtyard.

In the kitchen, a limestone splashback adds a touch of understated luxury; a pivot door neatly conceals a compact butler’s pantry. Emily and Tobias wanted a homework/office nook within the kitchen, but since there was sufficient space, Melissa suggested dividing the room in half to create an

enclosedworkspace.“Melissahelpedusseethatthatarrangement would suit us better in the long term,” says Emily.

Theoverallaestheticisquitecalm,butthereareafewdecorative surprises to discover. In the guest powder room, for example, a blown-glass pendant light and textured net-patterned tiles provide a subtle nod to the family’s fishing industry links.

The project was quite the journey for this young family – almost six years from buying the land to moving in. But that’s just part of its story now. “I’m glad that we thought about it for a while,” says Emily. “This house was definitely worth the wait.” Hamish Price Architects, Colonel Light Gardens, SA; hamishpricearchitects.com.au. Melissa Slade Interior Studio,

Port Lincoln, SA; melissaslade.com.au.

POOL AREA Georgie and Hugh test the waters of the pool, which is heated for year-round enjoyment. At night, the illuminated pool becomes a focal point when it’s too dark to see the ocean. Bluestone pavers, Stone Central. Milli Inox outdoor shower, Reece. LIVING Felix sofa, Globe West. Sherpa rug in Pumice, Armadillo. OUTDOOR DINING Livorno dining table, Globe West. Kett ‘Wye’ chairs, Cosh Living.

MAIN BEDROOM This page and opposite top right Kelly armchair and Stonewash cotton bedlinen, Jardan. Bedcover, In Bed. Curtains in James Dunlop Textiles ‘Laconia Air’ linen. Altair wall light, Lights Lights Lights. EasyGroove wall cladding, Easycraft. Artwork by Emma Fuss. Sirocco wool carpet in Balsam, Carpet Court. MAIN BATHROOM Mod Finger wall tiles in White and Everstone wall/floor tiles in Concrete, Beaumont Tiles. Vivid Slimline tapware and Radii Round Plate towel rail, Phoenix Tapware. Juno towel, Jardan. Bjorn mirror, Life Interiors. Omvivo ‘Neo’ basin, Reece. > 168

Metalllix bricks, Austral Bricks. Bluestone pavers, Stone Central. Livorno side table, Globe West. Kett ‘Wye’ chairs, Cosh Living. BELOW LEFT The northfacing block has 17 metres of ocean frontage – this view of Boston Bay is from the front yard. BELOW RIGHT The outlook from the living room is one of the most spectacular. “Port Lincoln is on a peninsula but it’s also hilly, and while there are so many homes with a view, this has a different feel – if it was just ocean, I don’t think it would be as interesting,” says Emily.