Reveal / Summer House Vibes

DesignRenovation

27 May

Matarangi Beach in the beautiful Coromandel is a strip of white sand in a cove of blue ocean, with a backdrop of pine forest and rolling hills. It's an idyllic holiday spot that I used to visit as a child, so being invited to design this beach front renovation for a wonderful family was a special job. This beachfront renovation was designed as a relaxed coastal retreat for the owners, and the families of their sons. So we needed to get the balance right: refined but easy to live in, elevated but comfortable, beautiful but practical. The vision from the beginning was to create interiors that felt soft, tonal and timeless — spaces that quietly reflected the landscape outside rather than competing with it.

Living Spaces

The living space became the heart of the home. Soft curved furniture, layered neutral textiles and a textured stone wall create a room that feels calm and grounded, while still being welcoming enough for everyday family life. One of my favourite details is the custom shelving beside the fireplace. It adds warmth, personality and a more collected feeling to the room without over-styling the space.

A window seat extends from the fireplace, making the most of the corner window looking out to sea.

Curved furniture offsets the architectural lines of the home.

We built out the wall cavity in this corner to create an inset bookshelf clad in brass.

Dining chairs from House of Forbes are made in oak and soft leather.

Kitchen

The kitchen was designed to feel almost furniture-like rather than overtly “kitchen”. Stone wraps across the island and splashback to create one continuous surface, while pale oak cabinetry softens the scale of the space.

This beautiful Pulaoge stone from SCE Stone echoes the sandy shores outside.

A scullery is hidden behind the door on the right.

Pocket doors conceal a bar and wine fridge made for entertaining.

The rounded bullnose detail around the cabinetry makes it feel more furniture like.

One side of the scullery has a bench to make breakfasts. Subway tiles from ABI Interiors.

The other side of the scullery houses drawers, shelves, the microwave and a small bench for making hot drinks.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms continue the same natural material approach, using layered natural stone and tactile feature tiles to create subtle detail without overwhelming the spaces. We leaned into texture so the finishes feel luxe but also really welcoming and timeless.

Tucking a powder room under the stairs is a clever way to add an additional bathroom for guests downstairs.

Brass and marble wall lights from Social Light.

Plastering the wall behind the bath is softer than white paint, and shows a lovely texture when the light falls in.

The gentle curves on the vanity are repeated with the gorgeous curved travertine tiles from ABI Interiors.

I love to add a shower ledge so products have a place to rest.

Adding a marble insert for the towel rails between the limestone tiles breaks up the surface in a way that’s still tonal.

Bedrooms

Upstairs, the bedrooms were designed to feel restful and uncomplicated. Soft linens, oversized upholstered headboards and muted tones create spaces that feel cocooning and calm — exactly what you want in a coastal home designed for slowing down.

We designed one headboard to stretch across the entire kids bedroom wall, allowing for flexibility of the bed positions.

A Home Designed for Real Life

Every finish and furnishing was selected with the intention that the home would still feel beautiful in ten years’ time, while also standing up to sandy feet, guests, holidays and real family living. While I was doing the photo shoot I stood in the sunny living room with the gentle sound of the ocean outside and a breeze coming through, and felt grateful that I have been able to contribute to special family memories that will be made here for many years to come.