Like all the best ideas, the basics for this stunning coastal home were laid out on a paper napkin over lunch. The result is a synergy of elegant minimalism, harmonious fluidity and a distraction-free, 360˚ vantage point for the surrounding natural beauty.
There is something about the idea of a beach house that tugs on the soul. Set on its own north-facing peninsula among the dunes, this marvel of design takes the beach house genre to new territories. Glass on all sides, with shutters that close at the touch of a keypad, the entire house opens onto the deck. The landscape isn’t separate but becomes part of the house: an expanse of sky, the sea stretching into the distance with the mountains standing beside you and hazily sketched on the horizon.
The interior has space-altering powers. The owner lived in Japan for a year and was inspired by the modular design of tatami mats and shoji screens that link and separate spaces. One moment the entire house is an extended open space; the next, screens break up the room into separate living areas and four bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. The pièce de résistance is the automated shutters that wrap the house. They swing up to a 90˚ angle, offering shade and uninterrupted views; when down, they lock – providing security and meaning you can lie in bed with all the doors open, feel the breeze, listen to the waves and be safe at the same time.
View this incredible beach house in the gallery below.
Words by Vanessa McCulloch | Photography by Warren Heath
