A Coastal Cottage to Call Home

“It’s been a great pleasure visiting Rachael and Andrew during the construction of their beautiful coastal home and following their selection journey, and the final results WELL they speak for themselves! It’s a beautiful beach home that is so welcoming, and the well-considered finishes from the flooring, right through to their colour choices, cabinetry selections and accessories has resulted in a fully realised vision of their original concepts for their new Australian coastal home.” Said Treble.

Coming from New Zealand with larger home builds under their belt, the Gowlings were keen to simplify life. “We really wanted to downsize our home from previous houses we had built. We wanted to have a small home but didn’t want it to feel tiny or the space cramped. We wanted to simplify and minimalise our home life to have more time for each other and other things in life we love.”

This desire to live in a smaller, intimate space is somewhat unique in new home builds, with houses pushing block boundaries, making them some of the largest homes in the world.

There is much to be said for compact living, with carefully designed spaces combined with beautiful finishes and fixtures, the home can be a pleasure to live in while not being consumed by maintenance. “We wanted minimal upkeep and ease of living.” Said Rachael. Mission accomplished!

The home, while respectful of the neighbouring original cottages, is also striking in appearance.

With a dark exterior, it can be difficult to know what to expect from the interior.

In true Lover Dreamer style, the interiors are a blend of function and tasteful aesthetic. Each finish works with one-another, flowing throughout but providing surprises along the way.

“We chose the AquaLife hybrid timber flooring as it is water resistant, hardwearing and low maintenance, which is great for our young family.”

Living so close to the beach and having an active outdoor lifestyle, this flooring selection makes sense. Treble agrees the flooring was a well-considered choice. “The Aqua Life range from Flooring Xtra provides a wonderful rich timber texture which is so tactile, beautifully emulating the look of natural timber, but as it comes with a rubber backing it is  water resistant whilst offering great acoustic benefits, resulting in another box ticked for this open room with its high vaulted ceilings as it greatly reduces the echo effect.”

There’s a real focus on finding a balance between functionality and beauty in the coastal cottage and the evidence on this can be found throughout.

The natural palette of warm timbers, concrete-look bench tops and wool carpets ooze textural warmth while being practical and low-maintenance.

There’s an abundance of storage for a small home and a handful of bespoke items too, such as hand-carved door hardware. These details are what makes the home feel effortlessly homely and inviting while being tailored to the block, the environment and the family.

The transition from hard to soft flooring is another selection made with thought, providing visual stimulation through the contrast of colour.

“We wanted a strong colour and texture contrast from our hard floor surface to our soft, textural and comfy carpet in the bedrooms. We wanted the bedrooms to feel relaxing.” Said Rachael.

Wool carpet is the height of luxury underfoot, with 100% pure wool hard to beat. Luxury aside, a loop pile brings warmth to the beachside bedrooms which is so welcome all year round. Explore our range of wool carpet.

The sun pours into the living area in the morning, a purposeful design to position the space to capture the eastern and northern rays during the cooler months.

Environmental considerations were important to the duo, who also note their carpet underlay has serious sustainability credentials. Made from 90% recycled material and 100% recyclable, Envirotred from Dunlop flooring through Flooring Xtra is also proud to be supporters of Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week and to demonstrate the commitment $1 is donated from every Envirotred roll sold.

From the anchor door knocker on the front door through to the effortless indoor/outdoor feel of the interior, this home nails the coastal casual vibe.

Rachael reflects it was a project with many collaborators which allowed for its success.

“For us, every build has had its moments along the way which can either throw you off or bring new inspiration. We loved watching the trades get behind and embrace our design ideas and the process of watching your vision come to life is always exciting and memorable. We had a great time working with Flooring Xtra and James Treble on this build.

It was great to share our journey with them and we enjoyed them being a part of the journey for the initial plan stage to the completed home.” The Flooring Xtra team loved every moment too!

How to clean hybrid flooring

Hybrid flooring, like all flooring, requires maintenance to ensure it lasts for years to come. Residual grit, sand and dirt can lead to wear on hard flooring or stains on carpet. Ensure the floors are regularly swept or vacuumed and try to encourage a “shoe-free” home to minimise the transference of the outdoors in on shoes! For more care tips you can read our Hard Flooring Care Guide.

How can carpet underlay extend the life of your carpet?

Carpet underlay helps to keep carpet looking like new for longer by adding another cushioning layer to the floor. It helps protect the carpet pile to stay “upright” for longer. It also adds a thermal layer and aids in controlling sound travel within the home too.

What are the benefits of a professional flooring installer?

Deciding what new flooring you will install at home is a big deal! There is a lot to consider and it’s an investment which is why it’s important to get the installation done by the professionals- they know what they are doing and are incredibly knowledgable. They have all the right tools, they can problem solve, drawing on years of experience and get things done promptly. Each Flooring Xtra store has its own professional installers so you can relax while the experts get the job done!

In some states of Australia, the building regulations for Vinyl Planks, Vinyl Tiles and Hybrid flooring varies. Meaning they may not be suitable for areas requiring water resistance, such as bathrooms and toilets. We advise to always ask your local Flooring Xtra store for the correct advice regarding the local regulations. We also advise to follow the manufacturer’s recommended installation instructions and guidelines, not following the instructions could make the product not fit for purpose, for the areas being installed into and void your product warranty. To ensure you get the appropriate product for those areas, please contact your local Flooring Xtra store.