Sometimes you know instantly when you’re onto a good thing. When Carl and Carlu Seaver spied this block for sale on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, they acted quickly – properties like this by the ocean don’t come up every day. “It’s a very unique location, as no one can build in front of us,” says Carlu, an interiors and food stylist.

The existing fibro cottage was nothing special, but the location was perfect for the family home they planned to build from scratch. Six years on, the couple, who live here with daughter Ella, 11, and their two dogs, are thrilled with their new home.

Despite the glamorous location, there were some design challenges for architect Richard Cole. The block is narrow and compact – just nine metres wide and 220 square metres in total – and Carl and Carlu were insistent that the home maximise both light and space, as well as be sympathetic to the environment.

The resulting home is a triumph of form and function. Clad in high-performance yet cost-effective steel and fibre cement, with timber touches for warmth, it also sits lightly in the landscape. Sliding glass doors and louvre windows allow abundant light and breezes into the home.

It’s designed as two pavilions around a central courtyard. The front door opens directly into the large open-plan living/dining area. A galley kitchen leads to the second pavilion, which includes a small entertainment area, one bedroom and a bathroom. Upstairs are two more bedrooms, one with ensuite.

Inside, the feeling is fresh – the all-white walls are a perfect backdrop for Carlu to show off her favourite pieces. Sea tones and red bring life to the space. And with the beach just a short stroll away, there’s a casual functionality to the interiors. “We didn’t want anything too precious,” says Carlu. “We chose materials that were really robust, like commercial-grade flooring. It’s not a fragile home.”

While compact, the home’s layout provides great flexibility for the family. Separate living spaces and connecting indoor and outdoor areas offer plenty of options when they’re alone or entertaining. “Everything slides, all the doors and windows,” says Carlu. “It can be one big open space or several smaller ones. If Ella has friends over, we can section off a part for her.”

Carl and Carlu know how they lucky they were to land a block in such a good position. But they feel luckier still to have worked with an architect who understood exactly what they wanted in a home. “It has an organic quality, but definitely a beachy feel as well,” says Carlu. “It’s our dream home, really.”

Richard Cole Architecture, Avalon Beach, NSW; (02) 9918 3843.

Story Jodie Thomson
Photography Robert Reichenfeld