H U N T E R H O M E S

Taking in the natural beauty of its location, this unique home represents a

lifestyle we would all love to lead.

Photography: Flashback PhotographyLife on the Lake

T he owners of this stunning home, located on the southern end of Lake Macquarie, are semi-retired and divide their time between Sydney and their lakeside

address at Summerland Point.Mark Lawler Architects of Charlestown were commissioned

to design a contemporary, four-bedroom house with open living spaces to gain lake views and natural light. The owners’ wish list included a study/guest room, open-plan living, dining,

kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, courtyard, external decks and boathouse. The lakeside location provided a blank canvas once the existing, freestanding weatherboard cottage was demolished.

The main constraints were the two existing houses positioned close to both side boundaries. There was also considerable slope over the site, particularly as it fell away steeply to the waterfront.

As seen in

MAGAZINE

The new single-storey house was designed to optimise the views to the north over Lake Macquarie, with open planning on a single level to maximise the connection with the Lake.

A bedroom wing separate from the house forms an internal courtyard, making best use of the level portion of the site and providing areas protected from unfavourable weather. There are views through the house from the courtyard to the Lake.

The site is long and relatively narrow, with the house sited as close as possible to the lake.

Entry to the property is along a broad driveway which �rst leads to a freestanding double garage. The garage has

been planned so that the doors are not visible from the street, improving the street presentation and affording additional privacy for the owners.

The garage is separated from the bedroom pavilion by a small service courtyard. This courtyard contains a number of water storage tanks which collect roof water for recycling.

A path and ramp then lead visitors beside a privacy screen and gardens towards the entry porch and front door. The privacy screen protects the courtyard from unwanted intrusion. From the entry, the house, courtyard and bedroom wing are all on a single level, promoting easy indoor-outdoor access from

the bedroom wing and house to all external spaces. It is only after passing through the entry and entering the

main living and dining space that the visitor �rst gains views of the lake.

The living and dining rooms are a generous rectangular space with high sloping ceiling rising to a skylight. This space opens at one end to a large deck overlooking the lake, and at the other end to the landscaped courtyard.

The house is organised with the master bedroom on the lake side, taking full advantage of the views. It opens onto a deck via sliding glass doors. The master bedroom has an

en-suite bathroom with spa bath, double shower and double vanity. There are views from the en suite through the master bedroom to the lake.

Both the en-suite bathroom and the main living and dining space receive northern sun via a large skylight that runs across the full width of the house. This skylight allows northern sun to penetrate deep into the house during winter and the roof overhangs ensure summer sun is excluded.

The main house also contains a guest room-come study, laundry and guest bathroom, as well as the living and kitchen area, which features a large pantry.

The house and bedroom wing have been designed so that they can be used independently. The bedroom wing is comprised of bedrooms and bathrooms serving as over�ow accommodation for friends and the extended family of children and grandchildren during their visits. The separation of the bedroom wing gives a greater degree of privacy when the house is fully occupied by the owners and their guests. When unoccupied, the bedroom wing can remain closed.

The courtyard is as an outdoor living space, an area that can be enjoyed in all weathers, protected from the natural elements while remaining private from the neighbours. The courtyard is surrounded on three sides by verandahs. These verandahs not only provide shade during hot summer months, but also allow protected access in inclement weather.

The courtyard is enclosed on its fourth side by a masonry

colonnade with an in�ll of timber screens, giving the impression that the courtyard is an internal space formed within the centre of the house. This creates a very different spatial perspective when compared with a typical rear yard or garden.

Gates have been located to enable the courtyard and the house to be secured when unoccupied.

The slope of the site results in the main �oor level being a full storey above natural ground level on the lakeside of the house. This elevates the deck to take maximum advantage of the views. There are views from the main bedroom and living area to the lake in the foreground, and beyond to the various inlets and headlands.

External stairs lead from the deck down to a paved terrace. Part of this terrace forms the roof of a semi-underground boatshed. The terrace has been constructed with garden

beds which surround its perimeter, forming part of the safety balustrade. The terrace is an intermediate level, breaking the journey from the house down to water level.

The boatshed was built into the slope of the site to disguise its height and size. It was designed to accommodate the owners’ boat and provide storage space for other recreational watercraft.

The boatshed is adjacent to the adjoining neighbours’ boatshed and has been made as inconspicuous as possible to minimise the intrusion onto the waterfront.

There are stairs on the east side of the boatshed which follow the natural slope of the ground and provide convenient access from the terrace to the waterfront.

The house has been designed to comply with current energy conservation legislation.

This includes fully insulated walls and roofs, shading windows

from the summer sun, ample opportunities for cross-ventilation, a solar hot water system, and collection and recycling of stormwater.

Stormwater tanks have been located in the service courtyard between the garage and guest wing and also underneath the �oor of the main house.

The orientation of the site was also a positive factor, enabling the main living spaces to open towards the favourable northern sun and cooling north-east summer breezes.

The house was constructed to a high standard throughout by Dean MacPherson of MacPherson & Willott Constructions.

By adding their personal touch to the décor of this home, the owners have achieved the perfect end result. This is something that not only works from a design and architectural aspect but, most importantly, enhances their lifestyle as well.