Port Stephens House II

Located on the waterfront in Salamander Bay, Port Stephens, this two-level holiday home sits on a sloping beachfront site and enjoys direct views across the bay. The four bedroom, two and a half bathroom property originally featured interiors typical of the 1990s, with the kitchen and bathrooms forming a key part of the decorative update.

Working within a decoration-focused scope, the brief was to retain elements of the original architecture while introducing a more contemporary character. Existing circular apertures within the architecture became a guiding motif for the interior scheme, with the form repeated throughout the decorative furnishings and objects to create a visual dialogue between the architecture and the interior layers.

Operating within a modest budget encouraged a confident use of colour and painted finishes to introduce character and depth. Opposing complementary colours were used to refresh the bathrooms, taking cues from the existing tile borders, while painted dado lines in the bedrooms help anchor the furniture within the space. A deep charcoal tone was introduced to highlight structural columns and beams on the upper level, and was repeated across skirtings and architraves to create continuity throughout the home.

The refurbishment combines existing furniture with newly sourced pieces, including distinctive finds from furniture auctions. The result is a layered, textured and relaxed coastal interior that supports the informal rhythm of a waterfront holiday home.

Photography - Fiona Susanto