Once a sailing club, this Sydney seaside home found new life with open-plan living and cosy spaces

Photography: Simon Whitbread

 

There was a time when Tracey and Greig chose to head out every weekend rather than stay home, on the hunt for warmth and sunshine. “Our old house faced south and always felt cold, so our new home had to be north facing,” says Tracey, with a laugh.
Sunshine they found in spades, after settling into a house on Sydney’s Northern Beaches that was originally the area’s sailing club.

The couple decided to do a complete rebuild, including adding a lawn at the front of the house for the children, Phoebe, now 12, and Finn, now nine, to play. Greig, a builder, took the opportunity to experiment. He rebuilt the house with eco-conscious Eco Block – polystyrene blocks filled with concrete and reinforcing material. The design also adds to the green credentials, as the layout and orientation maximise the sun’s rays to heat the flooring in winter while blocking out the heat in summer.

 

Highlighting the panoramic river outlook was important, so the staircase was positioned at the back, making the view the first thing you see when you enter the top floor living area. The living space is divided into two areas; one is an open-plan kitchen and living room that leads onto a sun-drenched verandah at the front. The other is a smaller lounge overlooking the swimming pool.

When it came to the style, Tracey aimed for a relaxed coastal feel: “Casual without being too beachy,” she says.



“I love cooking so having a big kitchen was important,” says Tracey. “Lots of bench space was a priority and I didn’t want the sink on the island as I figured the children would do their homework there – we didn’t want any water splashes; I was right, they take up every inch of it.” Tracy also had the ingenious idea of raising the dishwasher, positioned between the sink and barbecue area, to waist height.



The family couldn’t be happier with their home, and going away every weekend is a thing of the past. “It’s lovely to be able to spend winter here and enjoy it,” says Tracey. There’s no doubt that this welcoming family home exudes warmth, whatever time of year.