The Shoreline Residence
A Symphony of Sand and Sapphire
The design for the ‘Shoreline Residence’ was to understand what I often think of as a home’s “visual DNA.” Nothing should compete with the landscape—but simply frame it, quietly and with intent. The experience begins at the entry. I chose a black-framed glass pivot door for its weight and scale; it opens to a perfectly composed view of the Pacific, drawing your eye straight through to the horizon. Underfoot, I selected honed limestone that runs seamlessly from inside to out—cool, matte, and softly reminiscent of a weathered reef.
In the Great Lounge, the home reveals its true heart. I wanted walls that could hold the light, so I selected a sandy-beige Tadelakt plaster. It shifts throughout the day, creating a calm, gallery-like backdrop for a series of deep blue abstract works. The palette is intentionally restrained, but never flat. Dark walnut became my anchor—most notably in the mid-century armchairs. Their sculptural forms bring a sense of structure and permanence that I felt the room needed. Against the artwork’s fluidity, they ground the space in something quietly enduring. I designed the large rug to anchor the room and add softness underfoot.
The kitchen brings a refined sense of balance, where soft taupe cabinetry tempers the depth of the navy base, creating a palette that feels both grounded and elevated. Anchored by a sculptural island and warmed by natural timber, it opens seamlessly to the outdoors — a contemporary coastal space designed for both everyday living and effortless entertaining.
But it’s the splashback where the story really deepens. I chose a vertical Kit-Kat tile in a saturated Atlantic blue; the glossy, slightly irregular glaze catches the light much like the ocean’s surface. By stacking them vertically, we’ve introduced a sense of height and movement that balances the cabinetry’s long, horizontal lines. It’s a space that doesn’t shout for attention. It simply sits in harmony with the horizon, proving that the most successful coastal designs are often the most restrained.
The sense of retreat builds as you move into the main bedroom. Here, I let the architecture soften. Lines are lower, quieter. The walnut platform bed sits close to the floor, layered with rumpled linen in sandy tones and accented with deep teal. I let the materials do the work—nothing is overstated. A second bedroom is more playful and lighter in colour, also featuring my rug design but in soft blues and creams. The bathroom continues the home’s quiet dialogue between material and landscape, where deep ocean blues meet warm, sandy stone in a palette that feels both grounded and expansive. A freestanding bath positioned to capture the view, paired with walnut and brushed brass detailing, creates a space that is less about routine and more about retreat.
A simple triptych of ocean imagery replaces decoration, and the morning light, filtered through black-framed glazing, becomes the defining feature. It’s a room I designed not just for sleep, but for stillness.
What ties this residence together is its consistency. The repetition of walnut, the restraint of the palette, the thread of ocean blues—all working together to create a home that feels cohesive without ever feeling contrived. It isn’t trying to impress. It is designed to endure. And that, to me, is where its real luxury lies.
