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This authentic weatherboard beach house couldn't be further from some of Sydney's showier concrete, steel and glass harbour-side dwellings. More congruent with its Camp Cove location, a subtropical peninsula surrounded by water on three sides, the humble fishermen's style framed timber shack is much like the ones you find up and down the coast; however, a refreshingly original interpretation by one couple sets this shack apart.
Maverick artist and designer Mitchell English and bridal designer Helen English were toying with the idea of moving from their Rose Bay bungalow to the Northern Beaches when they stumbled across this unique property. "Whereas many of the houses in Sydney don't have an affinity with the coastline they sit upon, this was sympathetic to the landscape and in keeping with the heritage of the area," says Mitchell. "This was the spot where Governor Phillip and his fleet first landed and camped overnight, hence the name Camp Cove.The whole area is unique. It was originally an immigrant fishing community with buildings built not only by Australians but by Portuguese, Greek and Chinese immigrants as well. It's the gateway into Sydney Harbour."
Undeterred by the building's ramshackle condition, and despite their friends' and families' adverse reaction, the couple dived in headfirst. The house was fraught with problems: there was no plumbing, electricity or wiring, it was infested with white ants, and it had to be propped up as it was wracked to one side. But the couple was confident, having previously fixed up several houses. "It wasn't a renovation; it was more of a rescue and repair job," says Mitchell.To top it off, the shack was clad in toxic, asbestos fibre. Once removed by professional experts, the original weatherboards were a welcome discovery.
Dating from the late 19th century, the original house had only two rooms and was used as an outbuilding for a local dairy. In the 1920s it was extended using timber from the original Watsons Bay bathing house; the proof found on close inspection of an interior wall inscribed with the baths' admission fee at the time. Whenever possible, original features were left as is. "What I love most about this house is its authenticity," says Mitchell. "We've changed nothing of the footprint of the house " a long entrance hallway with adjacent bedrooms and bathrooms fanning off, leading to the main open kitchen, living and dining room. But we've stripped the house back to its bones, starting with the verandah at the front of the house."
Attempting to accommodate two adults, two children, Louis and Ines, and two dogs into the tiny 109-square metre cottage posed a serious challenge. To create an illusion of space, customised fittings and storage solutions were pushed vertically, the 3.5-rnetre ceiling height allowing for this. Taking advantage of the height, the space-saving loft bed installed in Louis' room is reached by a set of stairs with built-in bookshelves underneath, while kitchen cabinetry is up to the eaves. "Even though the buildings lines are horizontal, the attention is drawn upwards vertically so the house feels larger," explains Mitchell. "We've even raised the fireplace. It has not only became a feature piece but it distributes heat evenly." To add further to the illusion of space and continuity, original timber-clad walls and brush box, pine and cedar floors were painted white; except for the bathroom which was stained a dark chocolate. Kitchen cabinetry and a Cararra marble workbench continue the all-white theme.
In keeping with the premise of opening the house up, windows were replaced with cedar all-weather louvres rather than glass panes. Additional greenery glimpsed through slatted timber louvres stands out all the more due to the white interior. "The house has similarities to a Queenslander. We've exposed ourselves to the elements.
By replacing the windows with louvres we gained cross ventilation and plenty of light," Mitchell says. The shack is a cross-pollination of styles with Mitchell describing it as "a mini version of the Hamptons beach house look cum international Bali style". Furnishings are a mix ind match, from the vintage teak sideboard and contemporary Norman and Quaine sofa, o a recycled Javanese kitchen butcher block and Balinese coffee table. Mitchell's own :eramics, paintings, signage, lamps and South Pacific artifacts complete the ingredients.
Their furniture and objects speak of the English's experiences; the beach and the tropics, owns and countries they've visited. "I think most Australians connect with this," says vlitchell, "Australia has become a sorting house for the world's ideas and ephemera ind is equally influenced by what's beyond its shores as what's in it."
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