Hampton style with an eclectic twist
After more than a decade overseas, Renata and Warwick were keen to find a calm beachside oasis to enjoy with family and friends for years to come.
Homeowners Renata and Warwick had spent fourteen years living overseas: In the Philippines, USA, England and Singapore. After returning to Australia and settling on Sydney’s upper north shore, the next item on the couple’s to do list was finding the perfect holiday home. “When we were in Singapore, it became clear that it was just time to come home,” says Renata. “We were living in an absolutely fab apartment and yet we couldn’t stand it. We wanted more space and we wanted to get out of the hustle and bustle.” “We do have our house in Sydney, but we wanted a holiday home on the coast that wasn’t too far away.” After apartment living in Singapore the couple craved a house that was calm and relaxing. So now it was about finding the right location. “Nelson Bay was just a little bit too far away and the south coast is a bit too cold,” says Warwick. “Plus, there aren’t many affordable places directly on the water.” With fond childhood memories of the summers he spent at his parents’ holiday house in Avoca, Warwick wanted something similar for his family.
Then one day Renata saw an ad in the local paper for a new residential development in Catherine Hill Bay on the Central Coast. “It almost sounded too good to be true,” she says. However, once they had both seen the site, they immediately put down a deposit. Warwick chose the corner block because he wanted to include a granny flat and it quickly became clear this would mean a custom build rather than a project home. After researching online understated, not clichéd. Renata says, “We wanted a Hampton’s feel without going full on Hamptons. I think of it as ‘beachy’ with a touch of elegance and a bit of an eclectic twist, with simple lines and colours.” One of their more controversial choices was dark window frames. “The colour is called Monument and it was the darkest we could go based on the design guidelines from the property developer. Melanie actually had to get it approved by Council but it went through very quickly. Everybody said don’t do it, but we wanted something to stand out and give the house a slightly different look,” she explains.
Read more about this wonderful home in the Spring issue of Hunter&Coastal Lifestyle Magazine.
Story Cornelia Schulze, photography Atelier Photography
