South Coast Beach House

SOUTH COAST BEACH HOUSE

    3 hours from Sydney, and 2 hours from our

farm is a beautiful beach called Narrawallee

Beach. It is quieter than the nearby and

popular Mollymook Beach. Narrawallee

beach is what I can only describe as a 'cosy'

beach. This sheltered bay provides the

quintessential beach for family holidays.

Wide and level, it has lots of rock-pools for

the children and life-guard protection during

the holidays. There is a good walk down to

the other end of the beach with not a house

in sight.

During our first visit to this little town we

were lucky enough to discover an old

house, overlooking the beach, built in the

1950's and needing renovation. The solid

rectangular face-brick building, with ugly

windows and rotting timber-work was just

crying out for a make-over. The size and

structure was excellent. It called for new

windows and doors and a complete internal

refurbishment.

I still have very fond, perhaps sentimental

and old fashioned, memories of holidaying

in my Grand-Parent's beach house as

a small girl. This is the atmosphere I

envisioned for this house. A holiday house

full of nostalgia, filled with furniture and

objects which could provide memories for

my grand-children and their children one

day.

Here are photographs of the original house

and a couple of 'during' photos and the final

result. The house has six bedrooms and six

bathrooms... a great family beach house.

Having already had one family holiday, it

was voted a great success!

Most of these photos were taken very recently during our winter.  I will re-post more in the summer! There are still many blank walls and empty shelves,  but all of this will change over time.

The house before we started renovating

The new entrance

The original deck...

The new deck

The dilapidated side view

The same elevation much improved

The living room in the final stages of completion

The living room completed - taken at Christmas

The living room in the late afternoon light

We bought mostly second-hand furniture which I had recovered.. and below a couple of examples.

The wing back chair looking very smart in the striped fabric.

Two of these adorable tub chairs which swivel... much to the delight of the grandchildren!

The two swivel chairs now in blue and white

The Sunroom before

and after

The kitchen with butler's pantry behind.

The Powder room

The Six bedrooms are in different colours  - red, blue, yellow, green, neutral and the floral above for the master suite.

The downstairs TV/playroom

Bunny and Penny love the beach house and spending time with the babies!

The pool area taken on a winter's day

The outdoor oven

A windy winter's day on the beach

Evening light