In a small coastal town on Victoria’s east coast, Hong Kong-based architectural and interior design firm Beauty Bloody Bonza turns a modest beach cottage into a charming holiday home for a large family.
Abutting a coastal reserve on a 1,900-sq.m. property in Victoria, Australia, the 140-sq.m. cottage is blessed with sweeping views of the Snowy River and surrounding wetlands. The house has stayed within the family for many years and in keeping with its original heritage, Beauty Bloody Bonza imbues the house with alluring modern updates and new structures so it can be enjoyed by the family for many generations to come.
“The region’s pastoral heritage is a key influence and the architecture take cues from the slatted barns dotting the landscape from the road into the town,” says Greta Mak, Founder at Beauty Bloody Bonza.
A breezeway bridges the old and new, seamlessly transitioning to the main entertaining area, where an open kitchen and dining space leads onto a generous timber deck and the landscape beyond. The interior is a translation of the expansive outdoor landscape: the green, warm, and tonal palette captures the native trees and lush surroundings.
The exposed timber ceiling brings texture to the main living space’s pristine walls, while the use of dark terrazzo finishes in the wet areas create a soothing calmness. Inside the kitchen, grooved paneling on the door faces and island subtly reference the slatted barns that inspires the architecture.
