Maitland Bay House by Studio Bright

Designed for a family looking for a tree/sea change from Sydney, the Maitland Bay house also benefits from being on an escarpment bordering Bouddi National Park. A short walk to the beach, the house appears relatively remote, in spite of being hemmed in either side by neighbouring homes. “We’re in one the highest bush fire zones which made our task considerably more complex,” says Bright.

Considerably less complex was the original rudimentary timber house from the 1960s that had seen better days. “The practice is known for recycling houses and bringing them into the present but the former house featured balconies that were rarely used due to the high winds and the searing heat during the warmer months of the year,” says Bright. So, rather than design a similar model with wall-to-wall glass and exposed terraces, Studio Bright created an indoor-outdoor room upon arrival, one that could be opened up to channel the ventilation or closed during the colder months. “You get a sense of the water views from the street but they’re more orchestrated and controlled,” says Bright.

Constructed in a terracotta-coloured brick that captures the hue of the bark of the numerous Angophora trees on the sloping site, the two-storey house is relatively modest for a family home (approximately 250 square metres in area). The home’s U-shaped plan also steers away from the traditional footprint, with the open plan kitchen and living areas located on the northern wing and feeling more akin to being on a terrace, but inside and protected from the elements.

Deep window reveals and strategically placed window vents further add to the strong connection to the site, as do the blackbutt timber walls that frame the spaces, the latter adding texture and warmth. As with a number of Studio Bright’s designs, the interiors are pared back and relaxed – allowing the views of the Angophoras and the broader water views to be the ‘heroes’ of the design. Having several nooks to retreat to, whether it’s a corner of the living area or feeling snug in the conversation lounge, further adds to the experience of being away from the ‘big smoke’ – less than one-and-a- half hours away.

Studio Bright also included special moments on the first floor, such as curated views from the main bedroom and adjacent study on the first floor, and from the children’s bedrooms. Given the fall of the land, there was also the opportunity to ‘carve’ a rumpus room into the site – with its ensuite allowing the space to be used by guests coming from Sydney.

For those fortunate to have stayed, the initial images suggest a house on its own – away from neighbours. However, from the outset, Bright was keen to turn the house in on itself and make the spaces feel protected and distanced from adjoining buildings. “There is that sense of enclosure and protection but it’s also quite ‘porous’,” adds Bright.

See more of Studio Brights's work on their website and Instagram. Words by Stephen Crafti. Images by Rory Gardiner.