By The Sea

At Currumbin Beach, Habitat Studio Architects had one clear idea: every main living space should look at the ocean. The kitchen, the dining area, the living room — all of it is arranged so the horizon is always there, just beyond the glass.

The stone island anchors the kitchen without making a fuss about it — white stone surface, a brushed gold tap, rattan pendants layered above. A stone fireplace in the living room keeps the space grounded so it does not float away in all that light. Materials do a lot of the work here. The white weatherboard exterior does the same — coastal without making a statement of it.

The courtyard is the part of this house I keep coming back to. A sheltered planted space with stone columns, palms and dense groundcover, it sits as a quiet contrast to the open ocean frontage. Stepping into it, the house feels different — smaller, more private, still generous. It is a good thing to build.

At dusk, the interior glows warm against the darkening water. The house changes at every hour of the day, and it is the kind of place you would want to be for all of them.