It takes a pretty special new modern house to make me weak at the knees. If you have been reading House Nerd a while you've probably noticed that I usually gravitate towards old houses and the traditional features of character homes! But when I walked in the front door of this utterly beautiful new house in Cottesloe, it just blew me away.
Right by the ocean on Marine Parade and completed just five months ago, this three-level house is the current and very, very nice home of Oceanwest Projects owner and builder Jamie Kyrwood, his wife Katherine and their son Cooper, 11. It is modern, big, commanding - and stunning. And when you step inside, it just feels good.
BLUE: There's an uninterrupted wall of ocean beyond the upper floor balcony. Pretty nice spot to watch a sunset with a glass of white wine...
LOTS OF COOKING SPACE: Lacquered cabinets in the kitchen were teamed with CaesarStone benchtops and a built-in timber table of American oak. I love this. Nearby is a built-in laptop desk.
ABOVE: The infinity edge pool is backdropped by an uninterrupted vista of ocean.
ABOVE: Sliding doors open the living area up to the balcony, where Jaime and Katherine love to watch the ships and kitesurfers. Photo by Maya Anderson.
The oceanside site Jamie built on is small – only 280sqm. But its corner block locale, wide verges and endless ocean views give the house a sense of openness. Yet it’s so high above the street that there’s a feeling of privacy, like you are high above everyone else in the world.
I loved the infinity edge pool that appears to almost disappear into the ocean beyond. And I also loved the balcony, with sliding doors that open up the open-plan kitchen, living and dining to the sea breezes. When you stand in the living area and look out to the balcony, it’s like looking at a sheer wall of ocean. You could drink white wine and imagine you are living in a Greek abode in Santorini, or in a holiday house down south in Bunker Bay. Or hey, just in Cottesloe which to many people would be heavenly enough! The house is on the market with Justin Davies of Space Real Estate.
Jamie worked on the floor plan with renowned designer Peter Fryer and true to the designer’s signature style, the house is light-filled and open, with modern clean lines teamed with a pared-back earthy colour palette that links the interiors to the shore just metres away. “The house has a very relaxed feel,” says Jamie, who is super-pedantic about all the homes he builds. “The pool tiles were flown out from Italy because I just had to have the exact right one to match the beautiful blue colour between the shallow water and the deep water of the ocean directly in front of the house.” Fair enough if you are building a house on a multi-million dollar location like this. Maya x
ABOVE: The Cottesloe house is spread over three levels on a 280sqm site on oceanside Marine Parade.
ABOVE: The entrance foyer flows down into a lounge that connects to the alfresco overlooking the infinity edge pool and the ocean beyond. The interior colour palette was carefully chosen to link to and complement the sand of the shore and the colours of the ocean. The floor tiling is Turkish limestone to link to the colour of the sand while artworks feature cerulean tones. The staircase has American oak treads.
ABOVE: An Escea fireplace warms the living area on cold blustery nights. Would be so nice to watch a storm rolling in over the ocean! Beyond the lounge area you can glimpse the winter balcony facing the north - and with an ocean view.
ABOVE: The ensuite has a freestanding tub by an internal window designed so one can bathe and enjoy the ocean view.
ABOVE: The alfresco looks across the infinity edge pool to the ocean and Rottnest Island beyond.
ABOVE LEFT: A gate gives direct access to the beach road - and there's an outdoor shower nearby, for rinsing off after a swim in the saltwater.
HOME LOWDOWN
THE OWNERS
Oceanwest Projects owner and builder Jamie Kyrwood, his wife Katherine and their son Cooper, 11
THEIR HOME
A newly built, three-level house by the beach
LOCATION
Overlooking the Indian Ocean in Cottesloe, Western Australia
BUILT
2013
THE DESIGNER
Peter Fryer of Peter Fryer Design, 9388 9963
THE BUILDER
Jaime's building company Oceanwest Projects. Phone 0419 859 597
FEATURES
Infinity edge pool, balcony with 180 degree Indian Ocean views, open-plan kitchen, living and dining, alfresco kitchenettes, winter balcony, outdoor shower, wine cellar, parents retreat with freestanding bath, beach road access
PHOTOGRAPHY
Professional photos from Space Real Estate, amateur photos by me
THE SELLING AGENT
The house is on the market with Justin Davies of Space Real Estate
