To The Seaside

A 1970s beach shack on the sunshine coast has been lovingly revamped into an idyllic coastal getaway for a family of four

- Kylie Jackes

BEACHSIDE BLISS Weekends are about escaping the city and heading to the Sunshine Coast for homeowners Ian and Kim (pictured, opposite, with their six-year-old twins Max, left, and Tate, and pooches Ollie, left, and Scarlett). When the couple bought the 1970s cottage two years ago, Kim’s vision was for a light-filled retreat that combined the original architecture with the luxury of extra space and creature comforts. To unify new and old, the lower level was rebuilt and clad in James Hardie Stria cladding to match the original upper exterior, and everything was painted white – the walls in Resene Double Alabaster and the roof in Dulux Surfmist. Honed matt concrete is a sleek pool surround, and waterline ceramic mosaics accentuate the water’s reflective qualities. The TK Maxx side table is one of the many pieces Ian and Kim brought when they relocated from the US back home to Brisbane to raise their family. In the entry (opposite), the clan sits in front of an untitled artwork by Kim, who found the timber bench on Gumtree.

Come the weekend, as soon as Kim, Ian and their twins Max and Tate arrive at their beach house on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, their bags are promptly dumped at the door, their shoes are kicked off and they head to the beach, which is conveniently just across the road.