6 Belmore Terrace

Sunshine Beach QLD 4567

It blurs the borders between inside and out, captures salty breezes and oozes a chic contemporary air.

Orientated towards the Pacific Ocean at Sunshine Beach, renowned architect John Mainwaring's design concept for the two-storey beachfront home on Belmore Terrace was to maximize space yet avoid building a large glass box that framed a solitary view. The overseas based owners wanted a living space that offered a variety of moods. It was conceived in two main zones: the children's wing, a tapered shape, comprises bedrooms on the ground level and an informal lounge, bathroom and guest bedroom upstairs.

The second wing has the main bedroom downstairs, the kitchen, dining area and formal living area are upstairs with the kitchen and dining focusing on the ocean. With scale-like polycarbonate awnings framing the space there's a feeling of protection. On the walls of the entrance area are clear opaque panels of corrugated polycarbonate sheeting, like a patchwork which manipulates the views while the numerous doors, windows and louvres pull prevailing breezes into the interior. Throughout the house a volcanic material consisting of mostly silica shards called Hinuera stone has been used. "Barefoot it feels as though you are walking on sand," says Mainwaring.