Beachside bold

“Materiality was the genesis of the design,” says architect Jonathan Richards of interior architecture firm Richards Stanisich of this light and colourful two-storey residence overlooking Bondi Beach. The clients’ love of art, colour and ceramics provided the starting point for the choice of materials, while another consideration was the way in which natural light interacts with colour and texture to enhance a space. Through colour blocking, varying gloss levels, paint finishes and natural textures, Richards Stanisich has created a home inspired by the sensory experience of being at the beach.

The clients wanted a casual and relaxed home that felt intimate despite its size. The entrance lobby at one corner of the apartment provides a sense of arrival, beyond which the rooms are laid out in an ordered, symmetrical fashion, opening to one another and to the view. Spaces are divided by timber thresholds and sliding timber panels, except for the kitchen and dining space, which has steel and glass doors. “The client liked the idea that things can be imperfect and mismatched,” says Jonathan.

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A long caterer’s kitchen becomes a wine cellar and bar, and opens to the dining room.

Image: Felix Forest

Inspired by the terracotta found in a typical Italian villa, the pale-blue hexagonal concrete floor tiles provide a surface that looks and feels cool underfoot. The high-gloss white ceilings reflect the tiles as well as light off the water, enhancing the beachside feel. Upstairs in the main bedroom, a sweeping curved ceiling and light-blue joinery evoke the feeling of being amidst the clouds.

The kitchen is a comfortable space for the family to gather, cook and eat. Green enamel cabinetry is dark and rich in contrast to the white tile splashback, and glazed lava stone benchtops have a crackled, textural feel that speaks to the clients’ appreciation for handmade ceramics. A long caterer’s kitchen in oak and Carrara marble extends behind the kitchen, becoming a wine cellar and bar where it opens to the dining room.

The clients’ love of colour continues to find expression in the bathrooms, where pale pink tiles exude playfulness and joy. The square Italian tiles cover the floor, walls and vanity, with glossy peacock-blue lining the interiors of the cabinetry. “The minimalism of the material meant the detailing had to be perfect as there was no decoration to distract,” says Jonathan. Facing west to the courtyard, timber-framed linen screens create a diffused wash of light, with the uneven glaze of the tiles amplifying the reflection of sunlight.