Coastal Presence – Mermaid Beach House by Maher Design

Mermaid Beach House by Maher Design lies just a few steps from the sand on Queensland’s coastline. An extensive renovation, this project demonstrates the power of a holistic and informed response to spatial planning, colour and materiality in redefining the energy of a home. The house and the beach – separated by an open, grassy expanse and sand dunes – enjoy an overt connection, which naturally prevails as one of this home’s most notable characteristics alongside its newfound sense of vigour within.

Geraldine Maher was initially engaged by the clients to conceive and deliver a light refurbishment to the existing 1980s-era two-storey home; however, the scope of work significantly increased during the project’s initial stages. “It became obvious that in order to maximise the connectivity to the beach and outdoors – and create a layout that worked really well – we needed to make a few larger changes,” Geraldine says. Removing a structural wall allowed the team to “move the kitchen further back from the beach and locate the living and dining area towards the front,” and the addition of a terracotta breeze-block wall near the entrance creates important delineation and a sense of arrival. This reimagined layout not only connects the interior spaces with the terrace, sand dunes and ocean beyond, but it allows for a fluidity of programming that reflects the clients’ patterns of living in this crucial part of the home.

Alongside other minor changes to the internal layout, Geraldine focused on removing excess and bringing clarity to the interior. As she says, “we stripped back superfluous trims and finishes, making it simple, easy to live in and relaxing.” In this pursuit, the existing terracotta-tiled roof emerged as the project’s defining element. “Architecturally, its most striking feature was the beautiful Spanish terracotta-tiled roof, but there was nothing that linked that to any other element of the home, so a big part of the approach was finding a material to consolidate the design and make it feel more holistic.”

An extensive renovation, this project demonstrates the power of a holistic and informed response to spatial planning, colour and materiality in redefining the energy of a home.

Geraldine found a fitting complement in Artedomus Cotto Manetti Arrotato Da Crudo Rustic terracotta tiles, which stretch out underfoot in every room of the home. Sourced from eighth-generation terracotta specialists in Tuscany, this specific clay variety offers a distinctive colour as well as a high level of resistance and robustness. Given the project’s beachfront location, the durability of this material was particularly important. “The Gold Coast has a warm climate all year round, but the winds can really howl through and the proximity to the beach means the salt and spray residue is incredibly destructive on the finishes.” Though bold in its earthy red hue, the extensive use of this material throughout the interior is anything but overwhelming; instead, it creates a sense of continuity and calm between the spaces.

The ethos around this continued tactility extends to the exterior where the same hard-wearing, low-maintenance Cotto Manetti terracotta tiles have been laid across the two outdoor terraces and around the pool. “Previously, there were white tiles externally, and it was glary and uncomfortable,” Geraldine says, adding, “you couldn’t sit outside because it was too hot and intense, so the terracotta works to bring the temperature down.” Cleverly, terracotta reappears throughout the project in the louvres on both the pergolas and balustrades, as well as in several breeze-block screens, which offer privacy and allow for ventilation and natural light. Not only are these elements important in their respective functions but they bring an additional layer to the materiality, reinforcing the rationale of a continued and authentic response.

Geraldine found a fitting complement in Artedomus Cotto Manetti Arrotato Da Crudo Rustic terracotta tiles, which stretch out underfoot in every room of the home.

This strong foundation also informed the rest of the palette, which includes timber, ceramic, rattan, glass and stainless steel, all of which were selected for their non-corrosive properties. Referencing the use of these materials in a humid environment, Geraldine says “there was an aesthetic objective, but it really was a form-follows-function result because the clients wanted this home to be as maintenance-free as possible.” Maintenance-free it may be, yet characterful additions and thoughtful touches elevate the interiors. One such addition is the Agape DR Bathtub from Artedomus. Located window-side in the ensuite with views to the ocean, it is a luxurious piece defined by the curvaceous, natural oak form which hugs a freestanding tap. Equally sculptural is the Agape Bjhon 1 Pedestal Basin – a concept conceived by Angelo Mangiarotti in 1970 – which neatly reflects the ethos behind the project’s dynamic yet refined interiors.

As Geraldine explains, she was determined to pursue a punchy and bold aesthetic to create a surprising response to the coastal topography. “In all my work I really love to convey the clients’ preferences, and here there was a real desire to inject their personality into it and avoid the classic white beachside aesthetic.” She adds, “there’s a lot of energy and tones drawn from the micro-elements of the beach and sand dunes, like the deep colours that occur in tiny rocks, sand grains and flora, which aren’t as easily perceptible in the overall beach vista.” Mint green and navy joinery sit wonderfully alongside the terracotta floors; vibrant rugs in deep, contrasting hues bring visual interest to the open plan living areas; and pieces from local and international makers enliven the spaces. These emotive and unexpected combinations converge to create an interior that feels sublimely energetic yet entirely fitting for the landscape.

Referencing the use of these materials in a humid environment, Geraldine says “there was an aesthetic objective, but it really was a form-follows-function result because the clients wanted this home to be as maintenance-free as possible.”

As well as these spirited choices, three different types of timber have been used which “change the mood between the spaces” and create a certain melody. “I usually like to use a consistent timber throughout, but we want ed the living spaces down low to feel different from the private spaces higher up,” Geraldine offers. As such, there is spotted gum joinery in the kitchen and main living spaces, Victorian ash in the stairwell and mezzanine and frosted oak in the bedrooms. This steady lightening in tone references the “graduation of colour seen in the nearby dunes and sand.”

Mermaid Beach House emanates an endearing liveliness that matches the energy of the coastline and the laid-back nature of the surrounding locale. Yet beyond this exuberance lies a home that balances the intimacy of a domestic environment with an overt connection to the outdoors, allowing its occupants the space to live freely in their immediate milieu.