Newport Home by Samantha Eisen Interiors

On a lush avenue overlooking Sydney’s Newport Beach sits a home by Samantha Eisen Interiors that echoes its bright and breezy locale. Newport Home is inspired by its coastal surroundings and reflects the boathouses, sailing boats and tranquil waterways that enliven the shoreline.

In a bid to give the original architecture a coastal aesthetic, founder and principal Samantha Eisen drew inspiration from the beachside, using micro-cement and stone to lend tone and texture to the once pared-back interior. “The owner has a minimalist style, and though he was open to new ideas, we were entrusted to create something that was not overly decorative,” says Eisen, who infused warmth and character into the dwelling through subtle detailing and pattern. In the kitchen, for example, she mirrored the tropical landscape with micro-cement benchtops, a terracotta-tiled island bench and an oversized rattan palm.

“The house had to strike a balance – relaxed enough for holidays yet refined enough for full-time living.”

With the sea, sky and surrounding rock formations as a guide, Eisen oriented the building toward nature through thoughtfully framed views and openings. Introducing a veil of privacy without sacrificing sunlight began with the construction of dwarf walls between the residence and its neighbours – an intervention that allows the balconies to remain light-filled throughout the day. Eisen echoed the soft curves of the shoreline with curvilinear layouts that soften the home’s harder architectural lines.

The brief called for significant architectural overhauls, including a new guest bedroom and office, a redesigned primary suite, reconfigured bathrooms and kitchen, a replanned ground-floor games room and landscaped balconies, pool and barbecue area. It also included the addition of a gym, sauna and kitchenette. Reselecting indoor and outdoor tiles and finishes also fell within Eisen’s remit, and the installation of Danish White oak floorboards by Royal Oak Floors lend warmth and elegance throughout. “The house had to strike a balance – relaxed enough for holidays yet refined enough for full-time living. We rethought everything, from joinery and the fireplace to tapware and a feature wine bar, to ensure it worked just as well for entertaining as it did for everyday life,” says the designer, who commissioned custom joinery from Attards Kitchens & Cabinetry.

“The owner is planning to retire here, so the home needed to be sophisticated while also being a restful haven.”

Eisen extended the coastal touch to the furniture, opting for a custom console from Lex Williams, a vase from pépite and a round American oak dining table from The Wood Room. “The owner is planning to retire here, so the home needed to be sophisticated while also being a restful haven,” she says. The result is a home that feels effortless yet intentional – an elegant retreat where laid-back beachside living meets year-round comfort and considered design.

Interior design by Samantha Eisen Interiors. Build by Integrity Build. Landscape design by Lindfield Landscapes.