Breeze on through This haven is the epitome of relaxed summer style

LIGHT, BRIGHT AND AIRY, THIS HOME ON SYDNEY’S NORTHERN BEACHES IS THE EPITOME OF RELAXED SUMMERY STYLE

If life in this northern beaches home looks effortless, it really is. But that’s because of all the work – and the nights spent lying awake finessing every detail – that went into it. In the years leading up to its build, owner Renee lived and breathed design. By day, she was in a high-level human resources role. By night and on weekends, she was a renovation aficionado, armed with a photo file of tiles, handles and landscapes, which she snapped as she moved through life, banking ideas and refining her wish list. “Throughout my corporate life, I was constantly thinking about renovating and building houses,” says Renee, mother to Hugo, 12, and Charlotte, 10. “I’ve always loved architecture, design and how a well-designed space can transform the way you live.” She and husband Anthony previously renovated homes they lived in. Then, when it came time to find their ideal family base, nothing was quite right, so they bought a shabby old house on a large block near the harbour and beach with a view to a knock-down and rebuild.

As pen went to paper, the dream was already well formed. The couple knew they wanted a private guest bedroom for in-laws and separate living zones for the kids and adults. A main suite, open-plan kitchen with butler’s pantry and a media room were also high on the agenda. Over time, with the help of architect Tony Gray, the pieces of the puzzle came together over two levels. Downstairs, an internal courtyard adds natural light and marks the transition to a spacious cathedral open-plan kitchen, dining and lounge area that flows to the back of the house and garden. Upstairs is home to two kids’ bedrooms and a family bathroom, as well as the parents’ retreat incorporating an ensuite and walk-in robe. “We knew how we wanted to live and building from scratch meant we could achieve it,” says Renee.

She describes her style as “pared-back Hamptons”. But while she loves the detail and warmth of the classic East Coast US style, Renee craved a more relaxed, Australian take on the look as she juggled two children, a full-time job and house plans throughout the design and build. “That’s the relaxed vibe that is really nice to come home to on a day-to-day basis,” she says. In real terms, that breezy mood translated to light timber floors and walls, V-joint panelling, vaulted ceilings and a strong connection to the outdoors.

The bright and beautiful family house ticks every box, leaving a big question to answer. What happens after you achieve your dream? For Renee, an entrepreneur at heart, the answer was to go forth and multiply. The family recently sold their perfect pad and are now building again. Meanwhile, professionally, Renee has turned her passion on the side into her main hustle, partnering with interiors, design and styling expert Sally Paterson to launch Heliconia, an end-to-end design and facilitation service through which the pair basically serve as building and renovating guardian angels. As Renee says: “The time was right to go all in.”

“THE ABILITY TO SIT AROUND THE BENCH WAS really important. WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME AROUND THAT HUB” ~ RENEE

“I LOVED THE FOCUS BEING THE height OF THE KITCHEN” ~ RENEE

“ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS MAKE A big difference - NOTHING WAS OVERLOOKED” ~ RENEE

LAID-BACK LUXURY Take the basic elements of an Aussie beach house, then add the impressive scale of a Hamptons build and the busy lives of a modern-day family and this is what you get – a new build that already feels well established on its Sydney northern beaches perch. Homeowner Renee worked hard to balance detail with simplicity in the home that she shares with husband Anthony, son Hugo, 12, and daughter Charlotte, 10 (pictured). The floorboards are extra wide (1900mm Prestige Oak engineered boards in Parana from Preference Floors) and, overhead, wide exterior-grade Weathergroove boards from Weathertex flow to the outdoors. Other holiday-style ingredients include a sandstone gas fire created with a Regency GF900 gas log flame fire from Abbey Fireplaces and Mt White sandstone from Gosford Quarries. An ottoman from Mayvn Interiors and armchairs from Globe West complete the scene.

KITCHEN Anthony, Hugo, Renee and Charlotte congregate in the spacious kitchen (pictured), where a cantilevered benchtop – topped with a luxurious Quantum Quartz benchtop in Calacutta Primo Quartz – is key to bringing the family together. The cabinetry is custom-made with a Shaker profile and polyurethane finish in Dulux Saint Clair Quarter, with handles imported from Restoration Hardware in the US. Louvre windows bring views and breezes inside. “It was absolutely critical for me to bring the outside into the kitchen,” says Renee. “The birds of paradise outside that window took about 18 months to form a green wall.” >

PANTRY The kitchen flows to a butler’s pantry (above), which is equipped with open shelves, drawers and a handy second dishwasher (in the large drawer). From the kitchen, only the most beautiful kitchenalia is on display, but tucked around the corner, ingredients and supplies are easy to grab and go. The far corner is also home to a sink. “It’s fantastic when entertaining for dealing with that overflow of glasses,” says Renee. The chic seaside artwork here is from Africanologie.

BATHROOM Serene and clean with a splash of detail, the family bathroom (above) features a stone bath from Renovation Kingdom and Astra Walker tapware. The vanity is an off-the-shelf cabinet that Renee had customised with a stone top. Simple large-format grey and white floor and wall tiles from Tiles By Kate are balanced with marble subway tiles from Tiles 4 Less. Towels are from Sheridan.

LAUNDRY Combining hanging storage, tall storage, cupboards, drawers and baskets, the laundry (left) is one for the dream house file. Each of the Pottery Barn baskets acts as a shoe stow for each member of the family. “The kids come straight in from the garage and leave their running shoes and muddy soccer boots here,” says Renee, of the laundry/‘sand’ room. The cupboards are used for beach towels and bags, keeping sand out of the house.

HUGO’S BEDROOM To Hugo’s great delight, a ‘Llama’ print from Warranbrooke adorns the wall of his bedroom (above). “Llamas are his random obsession,” says Renee. The room is otherwise fairly grown up: the lamp is from Alfresco Emporium and the rug is from Heliconia.