Over 20 years ago, Design King’s Wamberal beach house won the Australian National Timber Awards. Three owners later, Design King has returned to Wamberal to deliver us this beautifully updated award winning coastal home.
Scroll further to explore the timeless design that takes full advantage of the ocean views with Design King Co-Director Katie King.
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After serving three different owners over twenty years, this is a coastal home that was in need of a refresh.
“Our clients wanted the house brought up to a contemporary level of finish.
“Most importantly, they loved the way the house worked, its compact nature and the connection to the beach. It was also great to know the house as originally planned had been tested by 3 different owners and none had needed to change its basic arrangement.
“The clients gave us a lot of freedom. We were able to explore the materiality and finish of the house, as well as areas we thought could be improved, which was a plus!
“However, given that Wamberal was now a desirable and expensive beachside suburb, we were able to stretch the budget. This included recladding and relining the entire house, and a new roof.”
The beauty of this project is the chance to invite more of the local surroundings into the house.
“The process was part renewal and maintenance and part redesign. Ensuring the integrity of the original design required delicacy.
“The house was originally well designed and well built. This ensured the longevity and potential for renewal without any thought of pulling it down. So we retained the structure and existing timber floors.
“We also took the opportunity to connect the house more directly to the beach. The undulating ceiling and floor plan enables connection, protection and enframing of the views and also the environment.
“It is a modern compact form with roofs that recall and respond to an Australian modernist tradition where there is a desire to express connection to nature.”
The form and planning of the house is drawn directly from the site.
“The planning of the house puts the kitchen in the centre of life. It is certainly visually and structurally the centerpiece of the house.
“And to the west are concentrated bedrooms, bathrooms, and quieter spaces.
“The living and dining spaces are further to the east and ocean side. They are separated by two courtyards which provide protected entry and entertainment spaces but also allow for ocean views and cross ventilation to be retained for the bedrooms.
“The living and dining space is obviously the focus with the double height giving it drama and connection. But it is carefully scaled to ensure that it remains intimate and domestic in nature when closed down.”
New finishes are more than simply updating the look and feel; they also ensure the house performs better, environmentally, thermally, acoustically and personally.
“I love the fact that although this is a small house and simple house in plan. It has a wonderful sense of interconnected space horizontally and vertically.
“The concrete kitchen benches and vanities — and darker timbers — complimented with natural stones and ceramics also gives the house an atmosphere that counters the bleached and exposed external environment.
“In addition, we carefully integrated the lighting and services into this joinery. And this ensured the continuity of the ceiling was undisturbed right through the house.”
This is a corrosive and harsh environment. 22 years of use vindicated spending money and time getting it right.
“The exterior facade is also tough and resilient. There is doubled layered and breathable recycled hardwood on battens over a timber frame.
“Powder-coated commercial Aluminium windows complement and complete the exterior, visually and physically flashed and finished in aluminium and colorbond trims and detailed flashings.”
Architectural team — Jon King, Olaf Bruin, Alice Dalloz
Engineer — Partridge
Builder — Horizon
Photography — Brett Boardman
Recycled timber — Australian Architectural Hardwoods
Tiles — Onsite Supply + Design
Stone — STS Stone
Bathroom decor — Candana
Aluminium windows — AJ Aluminium
Lighting — Special Lights
We’d like to thank Katie King for sharing all the details from this award winning coastal home with us! To find more from Wamberal Beach House and the Design King team, check out their Instagram here or see their full portfolio on their website. What do you think of this award winning coastal home renovation? Are you also as in love with the views as we are? We’d love to hear all your thoughts in the comment section below!
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