With a brief that called for an internationalism seldom seen in coastal New Zealand homes, the foundations were laid for an interior that would present something entirely unexpected but perfectly resolved.
The brief was delivered to design duo Kelly Gammie and Sean Monk of Rarebirds Interiors, who approached it with their penchant for the eclectic; for a layered contemporary expression that resonates far beyond geographical boundaries.
On a waterfront site at Snells Beach, the context could not have been more inspiring.
“Our clients wanted something adventurous; a home that stepped outside the norm — something more international. They had both lived in South Africa and throughout Asia, so that became our starting point. The idea was to create a strong universal indigenous feel, but one that was ambiguous and not related to any one culture,” Kelly explains.
What emerged is an immersive response to site and brief — the coastal setting anchoring a series of woven layers, textures, and motifs.
The entrance sets the scene for the experience to come: intricately carved timber doors open to a sequence of tactility and sculpted forms. One of the first is a structural post in the entryway, transformed into a work of art. Solid timber elements were carved, charred, and slipped on like beads, creating totem-like markers that also appear in the kitchen and living spaces.
“They feel a bit mid-century, a bit brutalist in a way,” Kelly says.
Against a wall of glazing overlooking the sea, the kitchen, living, and dining area is the undeniable hero of this home. Here, the materiality comes into its own: underfoot, a sandy-toned coloured concrete floor grounds the space in warmth, while the island — a sensuous stone form edged in vertical oak — undulates like the dunes.
“We took a lot of inspiration from the water’s movement over sand; the ebb and flow of the tide,” Sean explains.
That sense of motion is carried through every element of the kitchen: the cabinetry curves inward at the centre, as if drawn in by the tide; a stone benchtop and splashback in Taj Mahal granite was chosen for its rippling veining.“The colours all speak to the coast; sun-washed and sandy,” Kelly says.
Above, raffia pendants of Kelly’s own design evoke the grass-covered dunes in front of the house. “There’s a gentleness and softness to the kitchen; when you first walk in, there’s an awestruck moment, but it’s not imposing,” she says.
The living area layers furniture and objects from different eras and styles, unified by another timber totem and a palette of rich materials.
In the bedrooms and walk-in robe, grass cloth reinforces the natural tactility, its subtle weave perfectly attuned to the coastal lifestyle.
The bathrooms extend the language of tactility and abstraction: charred timber reappears in wall sconces that resemble stylised seaweed fronds, while deeply textured wall tiles echo the ripples left on sand by the retreating tide.
An indoor hot tub was a key part of the clients’ brief. “They use it every night, and they didn’t necessarily want to sit on the deck as people wandered past along the beach, so having it inside was a must. Placed in front of the ensuite window, it’s a place where they can sit and take in the views that stretch the length of the bay and the cliffs at the end,” Sean says.
This is a home that draws on diverse influences yet resists being defined by any. There’s both ambiguity and clarity; it is intriguingly untethered to a style or reference, which is, perhaps, precisely why it resonates.
Words: Clare Chapman
Images: Aaron McLean
Judges’ citation
This home interprets a brief for internationalism in a coastal New Zealand setting. Inspired by the clients’ travels through South Africa and Asia, the design accomplishes an organic, ocean-inspired interior that relies on eclecticism toward a loosely ‘indigenous’ vocabulary. Highly tactile, imaginative, and unique.
