Cool, contemporary, bold – the Coolum Bays Beach House designed by Aboda Design Group is located in Queensland, Australia, with sun, sand and surf lapping at its feet. The home’s precarious position played a huge role in what came to be: a modern, dramatic house design that made the most of these spectacular views. Which brings us to another great feature of this home: the scenery. This ocean-front location offers a coastal lifestyle that you happily get sucked into, where relaxation and recreation come as naturally as eating and sleeping.
As they say, beauty never came easy, and indeed this home’s steep sloping site and some additional building constraints made creativity a must in executing a successful design. The architects used the steep slope in creating an underground garage, leaving the lot free for building and landscaping while putting function out of sight. Of course, you wouldn’t get panoramas like these if the house was in any other location, so you could say it was worth the trouble.
Cool white shutters serve to shade the home from the hot sun, but they’re not short on aesthetic appeal either. Contemporary, they are but one of this home’s many layers that make up this unusual facade. The terrace boasts a crisp white roof with skylights cut out, casting shade and sunny squares onto the alfresco lounging hotspots below. These are in sharp contrast to the home’s earthy wood treatments, cool grey concrete and stone.
An overhang leads visitors past the small but sweet front yard and toward the main entrance.
As you walk through, you’re instantly attracted to the vision of blue at the other end.
Strong shapes and contrasting materials lend the home a dramatic street-front style, which is artfully illuminated at night thanks to strategically placed outdoor lighting.
Just go toward the light through the long dark tunnel…
And you’ll think you’ve arrived in heaven. A sliding glass wall extends the interiors into the outdoors. You find yourself on a wood deck complete with a lap pool, furnished lounge area, and the ocean views.
Through the large and numerous windows, this home glows warmly from inside out.
Overhead, this crisp, sculptural roof makes a contemporary focal point.
The views here are second to none, equally enjoyed from the outdoor living spaces as from the airy interiors enclosed with plenty of picture windows.
Interiors are chicly finished in a minimalist white palette that’s as cool as they come. The high ceilings, white walls and uncluttered decor enhance the home’s sense of space.
Wide windows and sliding glass doors follow the minimalist approach – no casings, so as not to detract from the view they frame.
These furnishings are the perfect complement to the architectural style and the setting of this cool beach house. This living and lounging area invited lazy afternoons with plenty of comfortable seating in neutral tones organized around a semi-spherical shaped coffee table at the center.
The kitchen is an organized little nook, tucked into a recess. The house is organized in a series of half-levels, which retains a sense of openness while still defining the different areas of the home. This small but sweet culinary corner features warm wood floors and a marble island that is perfect for food prep and quick meals on the go. A pair of bold pendants lights illuminate and decorate this space.
The kitchen opens onto the dining area, with stairs leading up and down into open living areas. What an architecturally interesting eyeful – we love the complex ceiling and the concrete pillar, a great contrast to the cool white walls.
The lower level living room is at the same time clean and contemporary, warm and cozy. The color palette echoes simple sandy beach tones, with a honey-colored wood floor and warm light flowing down from the kitchen. An extra-long bench-style sofa offers plenty of seating without the clutter. An interior window creates the effect of an exterior wall.
The bathroom is an amazing space that, technically, should be cold and dark with its massive concrete walls, but has an odd warmth and openness, thanks to these tall ceilings.
This bath has a more “finished” quality with large-scale white wall tiles enclosing the double vanity, deep soaker tub, etc… The purple backsplash injects a pop of color. Clerestory windows warm up this contemporary spa retreat with natural light and views. Overhead, the illuminated angled ceiling becomes this bathroom’s defining feature.
Aboda Design Group
via Contemporist
photo credit: Paul Smith Images
