This casual holiday home on the New South Wales Central Coast coast is designed as a place where extended family and friends from afar can gather to create new memories. It is robust enough to withstand hordes of children, while still including some luxurious touches for the adults...
Designed by Architecture Saville Isaacs, the Avoca Weekender takes advantage of its beautiful bush setting and orientation to capture views of the ocean while nestling into its location. Pivoting timber screens help to moderate sunlight and control privacy, helping the home to feel more secluded and soak up the winter rays, while protecting it in the summer.
The solid base of bedrooms and bathrooms gives way to a light-filled and open living space above.
The home is designed to embrace its bush setting, with large bifold doors folding back to expand the home into the outdoors. Covered outdoor rooms allow the home to comfortably host a large number of visitors, allowing living to spill outdoors.
Needing to accommodate up to 14 people, the planning of spaces needed to be flexible enough to feel comfortable even when lots of family and friends visit. Internal spaces are open to maximise flexibility, while timber screens are used to divide space. A timber screen folds over to support the benchtop, allowing the stairs to continue underneath the island bench, overlapping functions to give the illusion of one large space, while still housing all the functional needs.
Materials are chosen to be textural and tactile as well as hard-wearing. This helps the home to feel comfortable in its bush and coastal setting. "A consistent palette of polished concrete, waxed recycled wire-brushed tallowwood [and] textured white laminate joinery" are used "for robustness, low maintenance and recyclability", explains the architect. While "low VOC, non-toxic materials and finishes, hydronic floor heating and cross ventilation ensure a healthy indoor environment."
This is a casual, yet sophisticated home, perfect for sharing with family and friends. By using hard-wearing and naturally beautiful materials, the home requires little maintenance and, equally, will stand the test of time. It's the perfect retreat to create memories that will last a lifetime.
