EXTERIOR COURTYARD ANNA FLANDERS ANGELITA BONETTI Australian House & Garden

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1 H&G HOUSES

2 EXTERIOR The home s street frontage features a dramatic west-facing projection set on yellow pylons. COURTYARD Sam (left) and Harry cool off after a dip at the beach. Planter and stool, Sebastian Alexander. Towel, Ottoman Hamam. For Where to Buy, see page 188. HEIGHT of style With its ingenious floor plan and savvy materials palette, this new floating home in coastal Western Australia is the result of thinking inside and outside the box. STORY & STYLING ANNA FLANDERS v PHOTOGRAPHY ANGELITA BONETTI Australian House & Garden 101

3 LIVING This light-filled room is the hub of family life. Sofa, Blu Peter. Coffee table, Freedom. Chairs, DesignFarm. Artworks by Jo Darbyshire (left) and Michael Phelps. ENTRANCE The yellow front door opens to reveal rich and textured yet practical surfaces. Coat rack, Freedom. Basket, Busatti Perth. For Where to Buy, see page Australian House & Garden

4 H&G HOUSES This is the life With the beach just two blocks away, this bespoke new home is geared to the west coast lifestyle, with an outdoor shower for post-beach rinse-offs and eco-friendly passive cooling. We have louvres at the front and back, top and bottom, so we have natural air movement that cools the house in summer, says owner Kristen. And with all the big windows on the northern side, the interior is naturally heated in winter. A new home aesthetic is a drawcard for many homeowners, but not for Gerard and Kristen. We wanted a house that look lived-in, not something that looked clinical and new, says Gerard. By using modernist lines, natural materials and fresh, contemporary colours, they ve achieved their goal: a fuss-free home that performs perfectly for their young family. The innovative design was driven by nostalgia and shaped by the constraints of the sloping, 410m 2 block in a beachside Perth suburb. I spent my childhood holidays in an old-style stilt house, which I loved, says Gerard. We mentioned this to our architects [Klopper & Davis Architects] and they took the stilt concept to another level completely. The home references a pair of oversized shipping containers, one elevated on pylons and reaching out towards the beach, the other at the rear. Only 70m 2 of the house touches the ground, leaving plenty of free space on the property. From the outset the concept wowed the couple and captured the imagination of sons Harry, four, and Sam, two, who followed each step of construction with excitement and dubbed the result our floating house. The exterior features reclaimed bricks from the site s original house and a long driveway ends at a yellow front door that opens to the lower ground floor. This space contains just two rooms: a study and a large, multi-functional space. The latter is at times a media room for the children and their friends, a quiet living area for adults, and a guestroom. An earthy but sophisticated materials palette transforms the contemporary architecture. Textural rendered walls, dark brick flooring and timber-lined ceilings ground the scheme, while white walls keep it fresh and airy. The spaces here are den-like, so when you follow the curved hallway and take the stairs to the ground floor, the contrast with the light-filled living area is all the greater. >

5 Sanity savers This home s configuration gives the parents peace of mind. Once we re upstairs, we don t need to go downstairs because it s private and safe for the boys, says Kristen. I can sit on the deck and watch the kids on the trampoline, or check s at the desk while they run around. The parents private space on the top floor is another sanitysaver: I go upstairs and hide every now and again!

6 H&G HOUSES CHOOSING TIMBER SLATS INSTEAD OF A WALL GAVE US THE OPEN FEEL WE WANTED. KRISTEN STAIRCASE Gerard heads upstairs to the parents retreat. The slatted joinery divider is made from jarrah. Vase and bowl, Empire Highgate. STUDY This hallway nook keeps paperwork under control and will be a homework zone in the future. KITCHEN/DINING (left and opposite) We wanted the kitchen to be quite open, says Kristen, and the bench/chair seating supports that. Rear benchtop is Caesarstone in Organic White. Pressed tin splashback, Heritage Ceilings. Stool and chairs, District. Pendant lights, DesignFarm (above table), Dedece (above kitchen bench). Artwork by Lisa Pula Mills. Smart buys: Kinlock dining table, $699, and bench, $299, Freedom. For Where to Buy, see page 188. > Australian House & Garden 105

7 H&G HOUSES < Family members spend much of their time on the middle level, which features a long, open-plan living, kitchen and dining space with windows along the northern side and a floor-to-ceiling sliding door opening to the backyard. It s completely private, yet open, airy, and filled with natural light. In our last home, we found we only lived in one room, says Gerard. We didn t want to waste any space, so asked the architects to design one main living area. This open-plan scheme mixes French oak, jarrah and pressed tin, with a refreshing splice of green in the kitchen cabinetry. The last was a point of contention between husband and wife. I wanted green and Gerard wanted yellow, says the victor, Kristen, with a laugh. The pop of vibrant colour is a signature of the architects. Harry and Sam s rooms, along with their splash-proof bathroom and a laundry, lie behind the kitchen. The hallway leading to their rooms can be closed off from the main living area. A study nook has been incorporated into the hall and while Kristen catches up on s there now, it s a future-proof inclusion that the boys will also use in years to come. On the top level is the large main bedroom suite, with windows that wrap around the exterior for ocean views. While the upstairs area is our escape, as a family we live in the main area, eating, playing and enjoying time together, says Kristen. This house has given us everything that we need to live together happily and easily. # Klopper & Davis Architects, Subiaco, WA; (08) or Wandoo Building Company, Jolimont, WA; (08) or THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAD BUILT, AND IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. KRISTEN MAIN BEDROOM Soft, dreamy colours add to the sense of sanctuary in this highly private space. Bedcovers and pink cushion, Kip & Co. Bedside lamp, Freedom. Artwork by Jo Darbyshire. BATHROOM It s like a European-style wetroom, says Kristen. The kids can splash and I don t have to worry about mess. Taps, Phoenix Tapware. Johnson Tiles wall tiles, Bunnings. Towel and woven bathmat, Ottoman Hamam. Timber bathmat, Remedy. Designer buy: Aura 1600 freestanding bath, $1684, Caroma. REAR DECK From here, Kristen and Gerard can relax as they watch the boys play. Beanbag chair sourced in the Philippines. Bench (inside), Empire Homewares. Chair, Blu Peter. For Where to Buy, see page 188. Paint colours are reproduced as accurately as printing processes allow. 106 Australian House & Garden

8 GROUND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR Outdoor dining Bed Bed Bed Bath Laundry Bath Kitchen Dining Living Deck Bath Wardrobe Dulux Natural White (interiors throughout) LOWER GROUND FLOOR Driveway Courtyard Study Dulux Juicy (kitchen cabinetry) Entrance Den Dulux Finger Banana (outdoor shower wall) Dulux Woodland Grey (exterior)