Located on the Illawarra coastline in New South Wales’s South Coast, ‘The Bach’ is a one-storey home that showcases coastal living at its best. Transformed from a dark and outdated space to a spectacular coastal holiday home, The Bach effortlessly combines coastal charm and contemporary influences to create a space that feels relaxed, yet inviting.

Designed by interior designer and founder of SOUL Home, Simone Mathews and built by local construction company, Southern Edge Building, the goal for The Bach was to create a home where the clients could literally open the doors and feel like they were instantly on holiday. “It needed to cater to their young family now and for years to come, whilst also demonstrating its own unique style,” says Simone.

Working collaboratively on the building design with GUD Studios and Southern Edge Building, the layout of the home was completely transformed. “The success of this project came down to the updated floor plan – changing the layout allowed the once dark closed rooms to come to life. Working with the existing layout, what is now the bright-filled kitchen was once the garage and the calming master bedroom was once a covered unused outdoor walkway to the laundry. The biggest impact was the pitched roof in the living area, which instantly draws you in from the moment you open the door, allowing the space to feel open and expansive.”

Upon entering the home, an open living, dining and kitchen area invites you inside. A skylight shaft above the kitchen and abundant glass windows and doors help to create a bright and airy feel, while a fireplace makes the space feel warm and cosy. A key element in creating a coastal design was the oak timber flooring from Big River Group. “I selected this flooring for the tones and the texture; it’s a perfect choice for a coastal interior,” says Simone. “When selecting finishes for the interiors, I always work from the floor up. Hence, the oak flooring was the foundation of all the selections and having used this flooring previously, I was also drawn to how it feels underfoot. A beach house is one where you wear very few shoes, so how it feels was just as important as how it looks.”

Grey and Silver tones tie the coastal theme together throughout the home and can be seen in the furniture and décor as well as through the use of striking louvre doors. “We have used them to complement the kitchen in a gorgeous blue tone and en-masse in the master bedroom, allowing the wardrobe to become a feature rather than solely for practical purposes. The original louvre door from the home, which became the inspiration, is featured on the linen press – using a simple yet statement door can truly influence the style of a home,” says Simone.

Outside, the outdoor entertaining space is a place where the family can truly connect with nature and unwind. Luke Rogers, director at Southern Edge Building, brought the exterior of the home to life. “From the curved timber boardwalks with coastal plants to the circular firepit area, every aspect of the landscape was chosen with coastal living in mind,” says Luke. “To achieve a cohesive coastal design, Big River Group’s Turpentine decking was used in the front and rear decks, boardwalks and fireplace seating.”

Simone adds, “Turpentine ages so well, creating nice silver tones. It evokes the feeling of a timber boardwalk you see at the beach. It is also low maintenance when left to age, which is again exactly what you want in a holiday home.” Not only does this effortlessly blend the coastal design from the inside out but also allows the curved features to shine through and become a statement piece in their own right.

In addition to the curved boardwalk and fireplace area, curved features became a key design element in the front facade. “This was not part of the original design, but once the front deck was constructed, it lacked a focal point. The concept of softening the connection of the driveway to the deck was investigated and we created the curved wall connected to the built-in garden boxes. This creates a focal point when viewed from the street, a sense of privacy for the family, and then once on the deck or in the kitchen, a built-in seat creates an inviting space to observe and enjoy the sunshine. Sometimes you have to finesse those final details once the build has been completed,” commented Simone.

To complete the look, tropical plants were added to the landscape design to transform the home into a coastal paradise.

Project Credits:

Builder: Southern Edge Building

Design/Styling: Soul Home and GUD Studios

Photography: The Palm Co