This family home in Avalon is defined by two things: views and stairs. It’s built on a steep block and takes advantage of the Careel Bay views by incorporating levels. Each level has a water outlook, making for a pretty ideal northern beaches vibe.

The design aesthetic is mostly contemporary, and multiple timber decks ensure that the home takes full advantage of the outlook. One of the best parts of the home, though, is its quirky details, which can be perceived both in the décor and in the architecture. An example of this is the top floor of the house, a hidey-hole study at the home’s tip that, again, presents a glorious view.

The home is on the market, and I can see how it’s a pretty appealing package for home-buyers; views, architectural interest and a price around $1.325 million that seems spot on. The stairs up to the home also make a pretty decent exercise option, if you’re the kind of person who’s into running stairs (I am, and always seem to be identifying new stair-run locations…).

I love this wall sticker. Plus, I am significantly taller than the tallest height on it, which, even though it's intended for children, I take as an achievement.

Quirkiness rarely goes astray in my books. This children's bedroom also had an interesting second level/deck.

Light and space is well-incorporated into the master bedroom, which has this sitting area.

Paul and Kerrie Carroll had a connection with their Federation house in Sydney’s northern beaches from the start; they bought it from family friends. When their friends decided to sell, it was an easy decision to buy – “We had always loved it and the area. At that time, we had a third child on the way and lived just two streets away,” Paul explains.

The house is a great exercise in bricolage – heritage charm is juxtaposed against colourful collectible and antiques sourced from all over. The 1917 facade was not altered during the renovation. The couple’s interest in contrast is most obvious in the sitting room, where an eye-catching assortment of artefacts sit amongst the room’s classic period detailing. The result is a playful space. The couple notes that the fusion of contemporary and historic didn’t come easily. “The greatest challenge was deciding to add a modern design to quite an old house and making sure it worked, so that the old flowed into the new,” Kerrie says. The pressed metal ceilings are decorated with delicate plasterwork of Australiana rosettas and Special pieces – like the tiger head and rocking horse – were picked up by the Carrolls from vintage stores and markets.

“We wanted to open up the living areas and let the light in,” Paul says about their new living area. “When we renovated the back of the house, the living areas had become too small and pokey for a growing family needing space.” The area now combines with the kitchen to make a light-filled space ideal for entertaining.

The kitchen was a large part of the couple’s renovation, and is strictly contemporary in style. The space shows off their appreciation of clean, uncluttered spaces.

The living space leads out onto the back deck through bifold doors, creating an easy space to entertain guests. The backyard is the couple’s work in progress – their next project to tackle. Paul and Kerrie note that they are still working on the garden landscaping, but their preference for farmhouse style elements is already apparent.

The couple worked with Team 2 Design to remodel the back of their home. Paul was impressed with the architects’ work, noting that they “came up with a great design that works well and looks great” while suiting the house’s Federation heritage.

 

 

“We nominate our bike racks as the house’s weirdest feature,” Kerrie says. Since it’s an older home, the couple decided to maximise the space underneath the stairs as an efficient storage solution.

 

 

Paul says with a laugh, “If our walls could talk they would probably ask ‘Where are you?’ because we’re never home. When we are though, we love it.”

 

The couple is continuing to improve on the house, turning their attention to the original bathroom, and plan to stay in the area. “The natural beauty, swimming and surfing at lovely beaches or in the harbour are too incredible to leave behind.”

 

Trinkets

This is a particularly exciting post as it’s the blog’s first on a house in the northern beaches. I was lured into the region for a visit due to the promise of prettier, more private beaches than their eastern suburbs counterparts, and the image I had of weathered beach shacks lining the shores. I knew this image was slightly idealistic – beachfront mansions now appear to be more common than their holiday house ancestors. I was lucky, though, in that I happened to find the perfect place to write about – a heritage-listed beachfront beauty in Freshwater now known serving up Italian cuisine as Pilu.

I ended up in Freshwater with no clear direction – I drove east from Mosman in search of the beach, and followed signs ad hoc before spontaneously deciding on the suburb just north of Manly. I could just have easily ended up in Dee Why or Newport, and was even considering the trek out to Whale Beach. It was a good choice – its cute village leads to a beautiful, if small, beachfront, and it is covered with attractive, historic buildings. The significant number of charming buildings is evidence of the suburb’s long history – it began development in the late nineteenth century. Nevertheless, many of the suburb’s prime landholdings are occupied by contemporary masterpieces with glass frontages perfect for scoping the view. I was looking for something different, though – an old-school beach house.

While this building is now set up as a fine dining spot, it was once a house, and it stands on one of Freshwater’s best spots, mere steps from the sand. The house’s weatherboard construction complements its location, and the pale blue and bone white shades, wooden floor boards, high, beamed ceilings and curved, soaring windows combine to make it an ideal getaway destination. Standing within the building, walking through its charming gardens and tracing the aged pathways surrounding it conjure images of long summers spent on the beach. It’s the best type of beach house, where perfection gives way to perpetually sandy floors, fans trying to beat the Sydney heat, and coastal breezes offering sweet respite.