Houzz Tour: Bird’s-Eye Views for a Beach Bungalow on Stilts
A seaside cottage in Australia reaches for the sky with a nautical-themed addition
The architects of this creative renovation had clear directives from their clients: Take a slightly weary bungalow, add a master suite as the top floor and expand outdoor entertaining areas. Then, while remaining sympathetic to the original clapboard features, give it a fresh street face and casual interiors that take their inspiration from the seaside location. The result is a modern beach house to make you want to kick off your shoes and soak up the sunshine, sea breezes and ocean views.
Architect Luigi Rosselli’s “seagull’s-eye” view of the proposed design shows the home nestled among tropical palms and ferns. The elliptical steel staircase curls through the yard from the street entrance and joins seamlessly with the newly extended wood veranda.
The fence and balustrade are powder-coated stainless steel to withstand the corrosive salt air. The stair treads are stained wood, and the original wood window frames were freshly painted in crisp white to contrast with the exterior walls.
The scent of plumeria accompanies the curving climb to the shaded veranda, along with the constant rustle and clatter of palm leaves as a soothing background sound. A large bank of solar panels was installed unobtrusively on the low, pitched roof to make use of the abundant sunshine the house enjoys.
The veranda now extends around a second side of the house, and is accessible from the kitchen as well as the living space. The wide overhang provides shade here and inside the home. Although the addition above the original living floor is discreetly set back, the “captain’s deck” peeks out over the garden and enjoys fantastic views from the top of the house.
The street view of the bungalow, with the “nose” of the addition just visible, appears in another of Rosselli’s sketches.
Natural light floods the entry hall and passes through the open stair treads from a large skylight in the center of the home. One of the owners’ requirements was ample cabinetry for book storage and display, and that’s been provided throughout the house. In the hallway, a wall of cubbies is recessed from the edge of the stairs that lead to the second floor, thus widening the hallway. Original clapboard panels line the other side of the hallway, where the owners display artworks.
The living space shows how the design of the home has fluently married original and new features. The existing lining boards were retained in the raked ceilings, and the wood flooring was kept as well. Bookshelves tucked into the above-window and gable spaces also provide some insulation.
The black-steel gas fireplace with ceramic pebbles creates a focal point in the living area. There are two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a laundry room on this original level of the house.
Nearby, the spacious kitchen features an island of American oak framed in nickel-plated brass, with a Carrara marble top. The range hood is hidden behind aged woven brass mesh panels.
Louis Poulsen PH 2/1 pendant lights: Hub Furniture
Louis Poulsen PH 2/1 pendant lights: Hub Furniture
The kitchen flows into a casual dining area, where an enormous paper lantern hangs over the table to help define the space. The interior colors follow the restrained palette of the exterior: white, wood and deep, dark blue, with touches of brass as accents throughout.
Steel and wood doors fitted with glass panes open to a roomy walk-in pantry. The distinctive look continues on the cupboards above the white wood kitchen cabinetry.
Both owners are passionate about music and a violin practice space was one of their must-haves. Rather than close off the music in a soundproof room, violin strains drift through the house from an open alcove.
Each stair tread is cantilevered out over the wall of cubbies tucked between the studs. The stairs and original wood floors are lime-washed to a soft gray white.
The main support for the added floor and roof is a substantial wood truss spanning the stair void. Painted white to complement the bleached interiors, it’s as much an aesthetic feature as a functional one. The wall below and the final flourish on the balustrade bring relaxed curves into the angular space. A white fabric pendant, similar in shape to the one in the dining area, hangs beside the stairs.
Upstairs, the addition has given the owners a peaceful and open place to enjoy the house’s idyllic ocean location. It contains a study, bedroom, walk-in closet, en suite and balcony. Here, they can drink in the uninterrupted sea views through the floor-to-ceiling doors. Because of the orientation of the rooms, the large doors and deep eaves, sea breezes — and a ceiling fan — ensure comfort without the need for air conditioning.
A curved oak headboard wraps the bedside tables and contains built-in reading lamps.
The color palette and materials downstairs repeat in the upstairs retreat. In the bathroom, the vanity frame is nickel-plated brass paired with wood, while the backsplash and vanity top are pale Carrara marble. In the tiles, a gray pattern that complements the steel bath is inspired by the optical illusions of Dutch artist M.C. Escher. They’re from Bisanna Tiles.
Outside, the captain’s deck extends off the master bedroom and is shaded by a curved overhang. The shiplike lines of the deck at the peak of the house take their cue from the curves of the elliptical staircase that winds through the garden. The spot is a vantage point for watching the waves, sailboats and whales.
Rosselli’s sketch shows the rear of the house, which opens wide to a stone-paved tropical garden area, landscaped by Landskill.
A wall of vertical wood and aluminum louvers, almost the width of the house, provides security. Cross-ventilation and light fill the living spaces when the louvers are wide open. On the left of this open rear space is a garden room, which directly accesses the yard and outside entertaining area via wide, bleached wooden steps.
On the right is a casual sitting room handy to the two downstairs bedrooms. The shutters and louvers above open to illuminate and ventilate the new addition, making the space comfortable all year round.
Shutters and louvers in Western red cedar: JWI Louvres
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Shutters and louvers in Western red cedar: JWI Louvres
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Who lives here: A professional couple, both music enthusiasts
Location: Collaroy, a beach suburb of Sydney
Size: Three bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designers: Luigi Rosselli and Edward Birch of Luigi Rosselli Architects
A double gate leads to the garage level, which houses parking, a spacious cellar and large storage rooms. The exterior has been made shipshape with painted clapboard in ultramarine blue and a brass porthole — a nod to the nautical activity visible from the house.
The strong vertical lines of the white wood stilts that elevate and support the building are echoed in the white picket fence and railings on the staircase that winds through the front yard.