Set just a few steps from the sandy shores of Queensland’s coastline, Mermaid Beach House demonstrates the power of terracotta in a holistic response to spatial planning, materiality and colour in redefining the energy of this home.
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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.
Geraldine Maher was initially engaged by the clients to conceive and deliver a light refurbishment to the existing 1980s-era two-storey home. However, “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 kitchen to be moved further back from the beach, with the living and dining areas moving toward the front. A terracotta breeze-block wall near the entrance creates delineation and a sense of arrival. This reimagined layout connects the interior spaces with the terrace, sand dunes and ocean beyond, and allows for a fluidity of programming that reflects the clients’ living patterns.
Geraldine also focused on removing excess and bringing clarity to the interior, stripping 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.
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… you couldn’t sit outside because it was too hot and intense, so the terracotta works to bring the temperature down,” says Geraldine.
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. This strong foundation has also informed the wider material palette of timber, ceramic, rattan, glass and stainless steel, all of which were selected for their non-corrosive properties.
Geraldine notes that the clients wanted their home to be maintenance-free. However, there are plenty of characterful additions and thoughtful touches to 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.
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.
Words courtesy of The Local Project
Interior design by Maher Design
Build by Ultra Building Solutions
Landscape by Maher Design and LDG Landscape Architecture
Artwork by Derek Swalwell and Simône Serle
Project photography by Andy Macpherson