Inside outside house: A luminous south Sydney coastal home design

Featured in Australian House & Garden: By The Bay

STORY Chris Pearson I STYLING Jack Milenkovic/Atelier Lab I PHOTOGRAPHY Brigid Arnott

The owner of this luminous waterside home in Sydney's south, builder Andy Drury, has mixed pleasure and business with brilliant results. Not only did he steer its construction, but he recruited two trusted design associates to help him create a dream home for him, his wife Jackie and their two daughters, Lily and Indigo.

When the couple bought the property in 2010, they were smitten by the view. "Every time we inspected the house, it was different," says Andy. "With the varying tides, light and weather, different times of the day threw a different feel." But, sadly, the 1970s brick home hogging the site was poorly orientated and underplayed the dress-circle views.

It was also a bit skimpy for a growing family. "Our daughters [now in their early 20s] needed their own space and privacy and, with poor insulation, it got uncomfortably hot in summer and cold in winter," says Andy.

The family lived in the house for more than a decade before embarking on a nine­month makeover in February 2020. That 10-year interlude gave them plenty of time to research design ideas and materials, as well as figure out its ideal orientation and layout. Then Andy turned to two professionals with whom he had worked on recent projects, architect Jamie Grounds of Jamisa Design Architects and interior designer Alexandra Mason of Studio AEM, to realise his vision.

The brief? To create "a welcoming, contemporary abode that allowed for effortless entertaining and comfortable spaces for a family of four," he says, while also, of course, soaking up those views.

To achieve it, the original house was virtually razed. In its place, Jamie designed a three-level home with generous open spaces, staggered down the sloping site. Walls of Vitrocsa glass and clerestory windows - both signatures of Andy and Jamie's collaborations - ensure the home is drenched in natural light throughout the day, while taking in expansive sea views. All the living areas, as well as a study, occupy the middle (entry) level, while three bedrooms sit above that (street level). Meanwhile, a family room is on the bottom level, abutting a patio and the pool. The home's crisp architectural lines required a softer touch inside. And there Alexandra stepped in. "We challenged notions of what a beachside home should look like," she says. Forget sandy hues, bleached timbers and rustic finishes: the sophisticated palette here conjures storm clouds that move in from the Tasman Sea. "‘Contemporary' was a key part of the brief," says Alexandra. "We also wanted to push the design envelope for the area. I didn't want to create a predictable coastal style, but something timeless rather than trend-focused. This project proves moodier tones and cultivated textures have a place by the sea."

The home's sheer size posed a challenge for Alexandra, however, since she wanted to create an intimate, cosseting feeling for the interiors. "With its generous spaces, all that light and those big vistas, it could have lacked warmth and not been inviting, so I played with materials," she says. "Rather than having just white walls, there's dark timber veneer with a texture to create an urban, sophisticated look, but with lighter timber floors and softer muted colours reflect the beachside location." The palette is like a warm embrace, in dark marbles and almost-black timber veneers, with texture a big part of the story.

Alexandra has also created light plays in the wall finishes, such as the fluted masonry in the dining area, curved walls and the non-rectified tiles in the ensuite, a tactile take on the subway tile. "I looked at materiality and the ways I could add interest," she says. "The clerestory windows provide beautiful light - I wanted to see how it plays on the fluted walls and curves in the study nook, otherwise everything could look square and utilitarian. Those handmade tiles move with the light, of which there is so much. While the materials are subtle, they also have a sense of dance and movement."

Zoning also makes the house more intimate, while also offering versatility for family living. Taking advantage of the tiered floor plan, the sunken living area is a modern take on the 1970s conversation pit. Snowdrop pendants demarcate areas for different uses, as do judiciously placed rugs. Meanwhile, a reading nook abutting the dining area is the perfect place for 'me time' - cosy enough to curl up with a book yet large enough for a couple of people to congregate.

The nook, with the prized water views framed by the window, is both Alexandra's and Andy's favourite feature - and in this house, there's plenty to choose from. "It's a picture window, a little box comprising a marble plinth with a timber frame and stylish reading light," says Alexandra. That vignette neatly encapsulates what this inspired home is all about: coastal cool.

THIS IS THE LIFE: Coastal Home Living

Owners Andy and Jackie entertain a lot, so multiple seating areas, including a bar area near the pool, were essential inclusions says interior designer Alexandra Mason. But when the guests go home, everyone in the family competes for the cosy nook by the kitchen. With its framed view, it's ideal for reading or quiet contemplation, but the occupant can also engage in family interaction in the adjacent dining area and kitchen, if desired.

Coastal home exterior Design

The three-level home, staggered down the site, soaks up the property's spectacular water views. Clerestory windows let in the light while retaining privacy. House painted Dulux Lexicon Quarter; the roof is Colorbond Monument.

Kitchen Styling

Island in Quantum Quartz Graphite Matte; splashback niche in White Fantasy marble. Foscarini ‘Buds 2’ table lamp, Space. Warrior 3 sculpture by Humble Matter, Curatorial+Co. Kolsai barstools, Hegi Design House. Eve pull-out tap, KWC Australia. Hydro Tap Arc, Zip.

Dining Area / Reading Nook Styling

Kett ‘Otway’ dining table and ‘Karm’ dining chairs, Cosh Living. Potter Light pendants. Anchor Ceramics. Mantis BS5 BL wall light, Spence & Lyda. Urn (on window seat), Limonta Society bowl (on table), and KH Wurtz side plate, all Ondene. Serax vase (on table), Becker Minty. Henry Timi Accessories goblet, VBO Australia. Curtains in Westbury Textiles ‘Emporio’ Linen in Grigio. Kelly Wearstler ‘Groundworks’ cushions, Manyara Home, Hekke flooring, Tongue N Groove Flooring.

Living Room Styling

Sliding window panels, Vitrocsa. Wilfred armchair, Jardan. Fat lounge chair by Tom Dixon, Manyara Home. Oxo coffee table, Mark Tuckey. Laurel side table by Luca Nichetto, Spence & Lyda. Agra rug, Armadillo. Theatre Types sculpture by Scott McNeil (on coffee table), Curatorial+Co.

BAthroom Styling

Icon shower, tapware and rail, all Astra WaIker. lnax 'Yuki Border YKR.1' wall tiles and Fjord White floor tiles, Artedomus. Bench clad in Grigio marble.

Courtyard styling

Swisspearl Porto stool and Angelina firepit, both Robert Plumb, Endicott crazy paving, Eco Outdoor.

MAIN EN SUITE Styling

Aveo freestanding bath, Kaskade Stone. Pura Colour Elements basin and Icon tapware, Astra Walker. Vanity in Xilo Black Touch veneer, Eveneer. Irregular edge LT88997 wall tiles, Di Lorenzo Tiles. Grigio marble benchtop and floor tiles.

DINING/COURTYARD Styling

Kett 'Otway' dining table and 'Karm' chairs, Cash Living. Potter Light pendants from Anchor Ceramics. Curtains in Westbury Textiles Emporia linen. Endicott crazy paving, Eco Outdoor.

LOWER­GROUND BATHROOM

Earth wall light, Anchor Ceramics. Icon tapware, Astra Walker. Halo basin, Concrete Nation. Bruno marble benchtop. Renga Border Reb-2 wall tiles, Artedomus.

STUDY Styling

Mina executive chair, Jardan. Fango Groove timber veneer, Eveneer. Handvark Studio table lamp, Fred International. Ecoustic felt wallcovering, lnstyle.

POOL AREA Styling

Sonne sunlounger, Jati Furniture. Limestone pavers and pool tiles, Pacifico Stone. Duralite planters from Garden Life.

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