PICTURE PERFECT

FAR FROM YOUR AVERAGE GRANNY FLAT, MERRILYN’S BEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED BACKYARD COTTAGE IS A MAGNET FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FAR-FLUNG GUESTS

- KATHRYN MADDEN

Set foot in this wonderful sun-drenched weatherboard on Sydney’s northern beaches and try to resist unleashing your smartphone. There’s a pastel-pink front door just begging to be snapped; a perfectly positioned hanging chair swaying gently on the deck; statement bathroom floor tiles that read more like graphic artwork; and a luxurious outdoor shower framed by a baby frangipani tree.

And yet for all its obvious aesthetic appeal, there’s more to this cottage than a series of carefully constructed photo opportunities.

Homeowner Merrilyn’s parents, John and Barbara, first bought the property 20 years ago, lured by its location just five minutes from the beach and its crowd-pleasing credentials; the block of land boasted a main two-story house at the front, plus a two-bedroom granny flat out the back. “My dad was all about looking after the family,” explains Merrilyn. “He purchased this place so my grandmother would have somewhere to live.”

Over the decades, the main house has enjoyed various refurbs and renovations (including a memorable one that was featured in the August 2015 issue of Home Beautiful), but only recently did attention turn to the cottage. “I moved into the main house after both my parents passed, but I wanted to continue their legacy and keep the cottage for our family,” says Merrilyn. With grown-up daughters – including one who lives in New York – visiting regularly, plus a sister in Queensland and friends dotted across the country, it seemed only fitting that she convert the flat into a fulltime guest quarters. And, Merrilyn decided, should there be a gap in the calendar, she would throw open the doors to Airbnb visitors.