Regular Post
Written by Jake Brady

Must-Have Features for Your South Coast Retreat

It is said that location is the Number 1 priority for your home, and by living on the stunning South Coast, you can be confident you’ve ticked that box! You have the block, and now it’s time to make the most of every single aspect of it – literally – with your stunning new architectural coastal home.

Here’s the must-have features you need to design and build your dream home to create your South Coast retreat.

Your home’s orientation

The unique location of the South Coast offers an abundance of enviable elements such as winter sun and fresh sea breezes. And you can bring these benefits to your everyday living with clever architectural design.

When it comes to light and airflow, high north facing windows capture natural light, warming your home in winter and regulating summer sunshine, while louvred glass allows moderated airflow year-round. Weather conditions can be capitalised on with cleverly formed shelters such as stone walls that protect from winter squalls and create sheltered outdoor living for all seasons.

Architectural design

By incorporating thoughtful architectural design into your home, you will enjoy the magnificent South Coast views in every part. Cathedral ceilings and atriums create dramatic spaces to take in the showstopper aspects and coastal light. Alfresco areas created on the east and west sides of your home mean you will enjoy the sunrise and sunset every day.

Great architecture also prioritises easy everyday living. Direct outside access to wet areas and outdoor showers let you rinse off the sand, while inside, discreetly placed or featured ceiling fans allow you to keep inside temperatures constant.

Bringing nature in

Coastal retreats create serene and relaxing spaces for you to enjoy, and even surrender to! By bringing nature into your South Coast home, you can enjoy these tranquil feelings every day.

Choosing natural materials for the exterior of your home, such as timber and stone, sets the scene the minute you arrive. Extending these elements into interior feature walls, floors, and ceilings extends the coastal vibe, while indoor courtyards bring so many benefits by allowing you to live next to nature.

Luxury touches

Investing in quality cabinetry throughout your coastal home elevates the way you live – from custom kitchens that extend to high ceilings, to clever pocket doors that create an abundance of space in powder rooms, to bespoke walk-in robes.

Door furniture adds a luxe touch to every room, while beautiful tapware creates a glamorous feel in ensuites and bathrooms.

Clever outdoor areas

The South Coast lets us enjoy the outdoors every day of the year, and creating beautiful and practical outdoor living is a must for your coastal retreat.

Function and form work together to create an outdoor kitchen for the resident chef that’s protected from the weather too, while built-in seating and cabinetry walls provide clever storage for cushions and pool toys. A private outdoor bathroom lets you bathe in the elements, and sheltered balconies create a reading nook or your very own yoga studio.

If you’re looking to design and build your architectural South Coast home, we would love to talk with you. At Smartbuild South Coast, we have the experience and passion to build your dream coastal home. Contact us today to start the conversation.

Architectural Homes, Blog, Coastal Living
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Regular Post
Written by Jake Brady

Project Feature: Luxury on Pacific

Nestled on the shoreline of Werri Beach, this double-storey custom home is a luxurious modern oasis. Our team recently completed this phenomenal project, creating a sophisticated architectural haven in one of the South Coast’s most sought-after locations.

Forward-Thinking Design

Our clients were looking for a dynamic home centred around smart design – focusing on modern convertible spaces that can accommodate to the surrounding landscape. The orientation of this home stands tall at the beachfront, maximising the potential of north-facing windows and adding a generous glow of natural light to every room.

Leading with an eco-friendly approach, this stunning home is equipped with solar panels and glazed louvre windows to capitalise on natural resources and regulate internal temperatures through cool coastal breezes. The second-storey opens up to a unique alfresco entertaining area, with glass balustrades that lead to shaded passageways sheltered by an open roof pergola.

The final result is a five-bedroom, three-bathroom, two-storey home, featuring two living areas that open up to outdoor entertaining spaces on both levels. The master bedroom showcases a built-in wardrobe and master ensuite, along with a polished concrete patio with architectural series sliding doors. This double-storey home meets in the middle with a timeless timber staircase to navigate between the two floors.

Luxury On Pacific also includes an abundance of amenities such as a double garage located at the back of the property to guarantee optimum access to the beachfront view. The home also includes a separate laundry and a butler’s pantry.

The Heart Of The Home

Without compromising on function or design, this home’s distinct living areas have been crafted to provide endless options for our clients to enjoy across the two levels. Whether they seek privacy or prefer a more social gathering, the folding shutter doors create a divide between the segments of the home – perfect for easy entertaining.

In the body of the home, the kitchen flows onto another outdoor area, allowing for smooth movement between preparing meals and serving dinner in the summer months. This custom-designed kitchen features high-end appliances, a dark stone island with oak cupboards, porcelain benchtops, chic chrome hardware and ample storage.

Our clients wanted to emphasise an effortless blend between their coastal lifestyle and the local environment, equipping their home with large floor-to-ceiling windows that maximise their waterfront views. We also installed sleek glass sliding doors throughout these spaces to enhance bright living areas and to collapse the divide between the outdoors.

It’s All About The Angles

Surrounded by spectacular ocean views, the layered structure of this build creates an angular, coastal façade. Natural elements such as polished concrete, rugged stone and neutral timber were featured throughout the home to create a striking yet refined look.

With a combination of colorbond and composite pre-finished cladding, refined lines of modern architecture pair with carefully considered hues to create a warm and textured palette – creating the perfect balance of elegance and comfort.

From beginning to end, we worked in collaboration with the brilliant team at I Architecture. Our combined team of experts were able to provide industry insights and precise solutions that allowed for a seamless build that was completed on time and within our client’s budget.

If you’re interested in building a contemporary, forward-thinking project on the South Coast, get in touch with our friendly team at Smartbuild South Coast today.

Architectural Homes, Coastal Living
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Regular Post
Written by Jake Brady

Project Feature: The Icon at Barrack

Our team recently completed an outstanding project in Barrack Point, knocking down an existing property to create an ultra-modern, architecturally-designed home in one of the area’s most sought-after locations.

Low maintenance living was essential

The client’s brief was for a brand-new contemporary home that was low maintenance, secure and incredibly private. The block’s headland position introduced the potential for breathtaking ocean views, so our clients wanted to capitalise on this with as many ocean-facing rooms and windows as possible.

Open-plan living was also a key desire, with space to entertain their extended family made easier with a large kitchen and butler’s pantry. Finally, maintenance, or lack thereof, was incredibly important – as retirees, our clients didn’t want to commit to ongoing upkeep, especially of the exterior. 

We were involved from the very beginning, working alongside the incredible team at I Architecture to bring our client’s vision to life. By bringing us in from the initial stages, we were able to deliver accurate costings and real-time market advice that saved the client time and money. 

A beachfront masterpiece

The end result is a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a separate study, two living areas, a dining area and three outdoor areas. The master bedroom features a walk-in robe and ensuite, while a lift allows for easy access between the two floors. 

The Icon also includes functional amenities such as a separate laundry, two-car garage and extensive storage, both in the garage and interior of the home. 

In order to take advantage of the beachfront location, we placed the garage at the back of the property, away from the ocean-facing views. We also included plenty of glass windows and doors, including large feature windows at the front of the living room, so that the clients could enjoy spectacular views from as many vantage points as possible. 

The large feature windows in the living room and above the front door, provided by Hanlon Windows, were a particularly complex element for our team and required specialist installation with extreme care using a crane late in the project. While taking into consideration the wind and rain on the coastal location, this became quite a challenging task.

The challenges of building on the coast

While beautiful, the location also presented its fair share of challenges – the wind rating of the block was zoned at N4 cyclonic, so the building required extensive external bracing and tie-down strengthening elements. The effect of sea salt on the exterior was also a major concern – in order to counter this, we worked closely with our engineer and carefully finalised all product specifications to ensure items were suitable to withstand the extreme coastal conditions.

Of course, the biggest challenge of all was running a building site during the COVID-19 pandemic. We had to be extremely organised to overcome unusually long lead times on materials and ensure that our team were operating as safely as possible. We’re glad to say we were able to do this without much delay, resulting in a build that stayed within budget and within timelines. 

This project wouldn’t have been possible without significant collaboration with our incredible client and the expert team at I Architecture – by working together, we were able to bring together some incredibly complex features and execute them to the highest standard. 

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See more of the exceptional Icon at Barrack on our portfolio page or get in touch with our South Coast team to find out how we can bring your vision to life. 

Architectural Homes, Our Projects
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Regular Post
Written by Jake Brady

5 Elements of an Architectural Bathroom

The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in your home, which is why designing a brand new architectural one can be a daunting task. When crafting a new bathroom, it’s important to keep practicality and convenience at the forefront of your mind, as this is a space that you’ll use various times daily for years to come.

An architecturally-designed bathroom can contain an array of unique features that catch the eye, all while adding personality and flair to the space. At the end of the day, the bathroom you’re designing is for you, but don’t be afraid to have fun with your design.

Keep reading to discover five elements of an architectural bathroom, that’ll help inspire you for your next build. 

1. Luxury Bathtub 

A luxury bathtub is the ultimate statement piece in a bathroom. With the ability to bring your space to life and produce an eye-catching focal point, a high-quality bathtub can act as both a centrepiece and a place for relaxation.

Freestanding bathtubs have a bold look and don’t require wall support, so they can be placed anywhere in your space. They are also available in a variety of styles and materials, each of which suit a different bathroom aesthetic. 

2. High and decorative ceilings

High ceilings are a great way to add an element of architectural flair to your home – even in the bathroom. Whether it’s a simple flat ceiling, a raked design or a continuous arch, a unique ceiling design will add instant wow-factor to any master bathroom.

High ceilings work especially well in small or narrow bathrooms as they can open a room up and create a feeling of spaciousness. Pair your high ceilings with a skylight and your bathroom will be filled with soft natural light all day long.

3. Feature lighting 

A stylish pendant light or a collection of architectural light fittings can make a subtle statement in the bathroom. Not only that, they’ll provide excellent task lighting for make-up application, teeth brushing, shaving and other daily bathroom tasks.

Should you be looking to achieve a modern look, a sleek horizontal hanging light may work well. For a coastal-inspired look, a selection of hanging pendants may be better suited. With an array of feature lighting on the market, you can create a bathroom design that suits the overall look and feel of your architectural home.

4. Custom joinery

Custom joinery is important for both function and form. Not only will this add an element of style to your home, built-in cabinetry and shelving provides storage space to ensure your bathroom remains clutter-free. This is especially appealing for those with less space in the bathroom or for smaller ensuite designs.

5. Casement windows

Casement windows are specially designed windows that are hinged at the side rather than at the top. Most casement windows double as crank windows, which means they open outwards from the top hinge and let air at the bottom of the sash.

Casement windows allow you to make the most of a limited bathroom space, as they can be placed higher on walls than most openable windows. High window placement is useful for capturing natural light and ventilation while also maximising your wall space and maintaining privacy.

Not only do casement windows add architectural distinction to your bathroom, but they also improve the energy efficiency of your home as the minimise the need for artificial light and the use of a bathroom fan. 

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If you’re ready to craft an architectural bathroom as part of your South Coast custom home build, get in touch with Jake and the team at Smartbuild South Coast today.

Architectural Homes
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