Yellow birch ply walls feature in contemporary new house by the beach

Modern house with beach aesthetic, with birch plywood walls and cabinets, pavilion-style master suite and contemporary bathroom

Operable louvres provide filtered sunlight and privacy for architecture, bathroom, interior design, brown — Operable louvres provide filtered sunlight and privacy for the master bathroom in this new house near the beach. The house is fully lined with yellow birch plywood, and features built-in birch cabinetry. The design is by Strachan Group Architects.

This family bathroom opens to a courtyard, and architecture, bathroom, house, interior design, real estate, room, brown, gray

This new house near the beach is designed bedroom, ceiling, interior design, real estate, room, suite, wall, wood, orange

This new house near the beach is designed building, facade, home, house, residential area, siding, window, black

Just as a holiday home will often reflect its location, so was this new house designed to maximise a beachside setting.

Architect Pat de Pont of Strachan Group Architects (SGA), who worked on the project with architect-owner Rachael Rush, says the use of simple, pared-back materials enhances the beach aesthetic.

"The walls throughout the house are lined with yellow birch ply that has been very finely crafted" he says. "Similarly, the built-in furniture is in birch."

To capture the best views, the master suite is positioned on the first floor, beneath a high gabled roof.

"The suite was based on the concept of a pavilion a single soaring ceiling floats above the entire suite, and the bedroom and bathroom are fitted out like pieces of furniture that sit within this space. To maintain this sense of a pavilion, the wall that separates the bedroom from the bathroom has a large triangle of glazing at the top, so the ceiling plane runs right through."

In the bathroom, the ply on the walls is contrasted by dark basalt floors, a matching vanity top and white fixtures, which include a freestanding bath.

"The handbasins are also individual elements. Each basin is literally a bowl on a bench a vessel placed within the space."

Large adjustable louvres can be used to control the angle of the sun and to provide privacy from the street.

"Glazed doors in front of the louvres can be opened, effectively creating an outdoor bathroom. In the bedroom also, there is a large Shugg window. The top of the window drops down to form a balustrade, so the bedroom becomes a verandah. Here, the exterior louvres are placed at 90° so they control the sun but don't block the view to the sea."

The family bathroom has its own direct connection with the outdoors it opens to a courtyard. Even the timber decking-style flooring blurs the line between inside and out. Exposed concrete walls and a slatted timber bench for the handbasin reinforce the seaside home aesthetic.

"This bathroom is designed so the family can come straight in from the beach and shower off the salt and sand before entering the rest of the house," says the architect. "There is also an outdoor shower that serves a similar purpose."