WEST SUSSEX BEACH HOUSE
Drawn by the lure of the sea, laura Colucci has Created an idyllic family home right by the water’s edge
A light-filled waterside retreat brought a sense of space and peace to this family
LauraColucci and her husband, Paul, had no idea that a day trip to the West Sussex coast would turn out to be such a turning point in their lives. ‘A friend had told us about the wonderful West Wittering beach and, from the moment we arrived, Paul and I were captivated,’ says Laura. ‘This day turned out to be the catalyst that inspired us to build our own beachside home, as well as the yoga studio I had longed for.’
In 2007, after the couple’s eldest son, Luca, was born, the Coluccis found themselves frequently escaping London life to spend more quality time together as a family. ‘Although we love so many aspects of living in the city, Paul and I grew up in Canada, surrounded by nature, and yearned for that same sense of space,’ says Laura. ‘We wanted our own family to experience that freedom, too.’
Over the next few years, the Coluccis found themselves returning to West Wittering with increasing regularity.
‘As we were visiting so often, we felt it made sense to look in this area for a house or plot to create our own bolthole – a coastal home that would give a real sense of bringing the outdoors in,’ says Laura.
In 2012, a year after their second son, Connor, was born, the Coluccis rented a beachside property in East Wittering – an ideal base to begin their house-hunting
mission. Eventually, after two years of searching, the couple came across just the right property. ‘The house looked very dated and was full of asbestos. However, the beachside location was exactly what we were looking for,’ says Laura. ‘We also loved the far-reaching views out to sea and towards the
Isle of Wight. The property was undoubtedly ripe for knocking down and replacing with the home of our dreams.’
As soon as the house was theirs, in 2014, the couple began to discuss their ideas for a contemporary home with a local architect. When it came to the design, they found that their coastal renting experience gave them a tremendous head start. ‘Paul and I knew we wanted an “upside down” house to maximise the incredible views of the sea,’ says Laura. ‘We envisaged a Hamptons-style home with wooden cladding that would incorporate plenty of glass, a vaulted ceiling and an open-plan layout on the first floor.’
After tweaking the design several times, planning permission was finally granted for the timber-framed Scandia-hus home. ‘While we were waiting for planning to go through, we were very fortunate to cross paths with Murray Johnstone, a neighbour who’d already built a couple of houses very close to our plot,’ says Laura. ‘Although I’d completed a self-build course in London, I realised that I’d need Murray’s expertise to project manage and, I have to say, this partnership worked extremely well. Murray’s recommended carpenter, Russell Crimes, was
fantastic, as were his suggestions for the other trades.’ As a result, the nine-month build, which started in March 2016, forged swiftly ahead, with Laura visiting the site regularly to keep a check on its progress.
When it came to choosing materials, the couple were keen to use natural products. ‘We felt that cedar cladding would look good and weather well,’ says Laura. ‘Inside we opted for a combination of slate, brick and tongue-and-groove to inject a rustic, lived-in, feel.
‘In terms of the interiors, we wanted the walls to be painted in muted shades of white. I then introduced a subtle palette of colours to echo the hues of our coastal surroundings for the soft furnishings and furniture.’
The Coluccis certainly haven’t looked back since completing the final touches. ‘Our new home is such a wonderful retreat,’ says Laura. ‘We spend virtually every weekend and most of the boys’ school holidays here. My yoga studio is the most relaxing place to practise and teach in. When the doors are open in the summer I can hear the sound of the waves lapping on the shore. Here, we have the opportunity to kick back, relax and just enjoy being together.’