Resort House

The brief

One of Freshwater's biggest blocks. One family's dream home.

At 1,715 square metres, this was one of the largest residential blocks in Freshwater — big enough for three homes. But our clients didn't want to subdivide. They wanted their dream home, designed without compromise.

The design response was a resort-style beach house that makes every square metre count: a home that feels like a permanent holiday, built for serious entertaining and effortless coastal living.

Facing north to the street, we gave the house a quiet, almost understated street presence — then opened everything up behind it, wrapping the living spaces around a large heated pool and a vast covered alfresco area that blurs the line between indoors and out.

Sold for the highest price ever achieved in Freshwater — without water views.

Domain · 2018

The design thinking

A house designed around outdoor living

The brief called for something that didn't feel like a house trying to be a resort — it needed to actually live like one. That meant flipping the typical suburban model: instead of treating the outdoors as an afterthought, we made the pool and alfresco areas the nucleus of the home, and designed every room to connect with them.

White timber weatherboard gives the home its coastal character without being showy. Skillion roofs with high raked ceilings create a sense of volume and light inside, while clerestory windows draw morning sun deep into the living spaces.

The separate multi-purpose pavilion extends the entertaining footprint further, giving the home genuine flexibility — it can function as a gym, studio, or guest retreat independently of the main house.

The DA was approved by Warringah Council in just 16 weeks — a result of detailed, well-documented drawings that left council nothing to question.