Redhead beauty
Steel, oak and polished concrete create a contemporary aesthetic in this Redhead beach home.
A striking architectural silhouette appeared on the coastline of Redhead Beach – a modern, yet feminine forever home for a young family.
Damian Ray, the man behind Newcastle-based company Intebuilt, led the construction of the three-level dream house. All up, the build took just 10 months. For Ray, the time frame was made possible thanks to the client’s clear communication, and Intebuilt’s boutique approach. The result was identical to the original design plan.
“I take a lot of pride in the plans for the build. There’s an architectural 3D drawing, you could take a photo of the actual house, and it was 100 percent what was put in front of us,” Ray says.
The project was a collaboration between Intebuilt, Andrew Doring of Doring Design, interior designer Keeley Baird of Something More Design and of course the owners. Ray felt the four parties maintained a balance of expertise, trust and vision, creating a home that was simple, elegant and, importantly, low maintenance.
In setting the brief, the owner and mother of two boys named the house “Atlanta” for the daughter she once imagined having, and so incorporating a feminine aspect to the home was crucial.
The location was also paramount. Her husband – a professional paddle boarder – had fond childhood memories from Redhead Beach, and they both knew it was a great place to raise kids.
Because of the beach proximity, the house had to be built to withstand the salty elements – it needed to be uncomplicated and easy to hose down.
The interior of the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home was built with polished concrete and Tasmanian oak, and the exterior facade made with aluminium-composite.
The home required huge amounts of steel, and the frame was built onsite. This gave the team more creative control in shaping the house, particularly in how the windows opened.
The prominent middle-level is the heart of the home with the kitchen, alfresco area, spa and 10-metre pool.
“The indoor-outdoor area is an extension of the house,” Ray says. “The sliding doors are all recessed into the concrete slab, and there’s no step up between inside and outside – 90 percent of the walls are stackered door, so the whole thing can be opened back.”
With 180-degree Redhead views, the house practically flows onto the beach. The views start on the second level and get even better from the terrace and the luxurious bathtub on the upper floor.
Ray maintained a great relationship with the owners and was there from start to finish. He returned recently and was honoured to find everything about the home was as he’d left it. Reflecting on the journey he added that there’s a real emotional component to building for his clients. “When it’s all done, you hand over the keys and walk away. It’s a bittersweet moment. You’re not needed anymore – 10 months of being there every day suddenly stops. The calls and the emails go quiet.
But when you go back 12 months later, the kids still recognise you, mum and dad are still smiling ear to ear,” he says. “You realise although you’re done, you’ve still made a lasting impression or memory for them.”
Find more homes in our Winter Edition of Hunter & Coastal Lifestyle Magazine or subscribe here.
Story Alexandra Morris, Photography Joshua Hogan Photography
