Daphne House

Forster, NSW

Complete Home Renovation

The Brief

Perched above One Mile Beach with views across the coastline, this original 1980s brick home had an incredible location but no longer suited the way the family wanted to live.

The brief was to create a modern, functional family home with spaces for the children to grow up and plenty of room for entertaining family and friends, while making the most of the home's existing character and spectacular outlook.

The Project

This was a substantial renovation that saw the home almost completely reimagined. The interior was stripped out, sections of the roof were removed and the main living area was extended, with significant structural alterations made throughout the home. New windows and external doors were installed, including feature fixed-corner glazing designed to maximise the coastal views.

The layout was completely reconsidered to improve the way the home functioned. The kitchen was relocated to create a spacious open-plan living and entertaining area, with a custom-designed kitchen featuring matte black cabinetry, curved stone benchtops and a three-metre curved island. Generous concealed storage, an appliance cupboard and a dumbwaiter connecting to the garage below were also incorporated into the design.

Elsewhere, the original hardwood flooring upstairs was restored, a new internal staircase and custom joinery were introduced, and the downstairs level was also completely transformed. Outside, the front deck was extended and the rear alfresco upgraded with a new Versiclad roof.

The entry and façade were also refreshed with new flooring, a custom hardwood staircase, timber privacy screening, new cladding, tiling, glass balustrade and a larger garage opening, giving the original brick home a much more contemporary feel without completely erasing what was already there.

The result is a home that feels almost entirely new, but still retains the character of the original house.