W
ith louvre windows, sea vistas and
whitewashed floors, this character-filled
weekender on the NSW Central Coast
presents laidback seaside living at its
best. When Melissa and Daren bought it back in 2013,
however, its original charms had long vanished. Serial
makeovers had left the two-storey cottage neat and
serviceable but rather bland – it lacked that kick-off-
your-shoes feel of a true Australian seaside retreat.
“It was a cute 1950s stilt beach cottage, but previous
renovations had taken their toll,” says interior designer
Brett Mickan of BMID. Yet the location was postcard-
perfect and ticked every box, says Melissa, with the
beach by the door and a generous backyard where
the couple’s four children – Laila, nine; Harrison,
seven; Miller, five; and Will, three – could play.
With two bedrooms on each level, the house easily
accommodated the family but with an external
staircase, it wasn’t terribly functional. While keen to
keep the living areas on the upper level, they wanted
to enter the house from the ground floor. The layout
needed tweaking in other ways, too. A glassed-in
verandah abutting the upstairs living room contained
a cramped dining area within an airy breezeway.
“It was like sitting at a picnic table,” says Brett. And
a chunky, bright-blue breakfast bar robbed the living
area of precious floor space.
Working within a modest budget, Brett was asked to
“connect the spaces and make it feel functional, cosy
and relaxed, but also individual and special”.
“I want a holiday, too,” says Melissa. “I didn’t want to
stress out when we came in from the beach, so the
carpet had to go. And forget expensive furniture. It
had to be low-maintenance, but soft and comfortable.”
Brett ripped out the kitchen and removed internal
sliding doors, instantly adding generous metreage >LIVING/DINING A custom-made sofa by H&J Furniture can
seat the whole family. Coee table and armchairs, Dirty Janes
Emporium. Dining table, Mitchell Road Antique & Design
Centre. HAY green tray, Cult. Green vase, Dinosaur Designs.
Designer buy: Jamaica pendant lights, $280/each, Lightly.
For Where to Buy, see page 196.