La Palma | YSG Studio

Savouring summer all year round with its earthen glow spliced with citrus accents, this tiered seaside escape nestled amongst palm trees in Sydney’s Northern Beaches taps into carefree sun dappled adventures along remote Mexican shores with a twist of the Côte d’Azur’s refinement. Impressive views from its hilltop location may stretch across the Pittwater ocean inlet towards verdant shores, but myriad stone selections, a kaleidoscopic array of exquisite fabrics, tropical rattan and raffia furnishings, sculptural feature lighting plus salon hangs and the painter’s touch distract outward gazes with hypnotic sway.

The clients – busy Sydney professionals – had acquired the holiday house with the hopes of spending more time there with their young family, balancing working from home and embarking on extended breaks over vacation periods. Sequenced over two levels, the residence – built in the early 2000’s – required substantial revitalisation given its weathered features. Inspired by rustic Ibiza beach clubs and Cancun’s rendered coastal resorts, they wanted to create a palpably playful mood that introduced a perennial approach to entertaining and above all else invited soft landings – both indoors and out.  

Externally, we removed the heavy paving and greyed timber surrounding the pool and extended balcony that distracted views between the living areas and the open vista (also replacing the pool’s dark mosaic tiles to lighten its appeal). A new BBQ area now lines a re-clad boundary wall, whilst checkered tumbled marble cobblestones surround the pool and float in gridded formation to support the outdoor shower, adding a striking Mexican foundation that continues in the two master ensuites. Revitalising existing elements, the fence’s reflective chrome posts were powder-coated to eliminate glaring reflections and the aged timber furniture was re-booted with amiable ginger shades and adorned with upholstered cushions and bolsters. Plump rounded armchairs punctuate the orthogonal geometries, as do zesty side tables, refreshing the scene with their unorthodox shapes. New black and white striped awnings flutter above with an air of nostalgia.

We replaced all the windows and doors to lighten their mass, sanding back the worn floorboards to reveal warmer timber accents (coating those in the suites upstairs cream). Within the sun room, v-groove walls were removed, as was a mirrored wall that overheated the space in summer. Cooling rose-tinted marble pavers now line its floors, creeping up to its skirting (as do all the tiles in the wet rooms). All bathrooms were fully gutted, plus elements of the kitchen to introduce new joinery and a stone island bench that recalls the ombré shades of a freshly poured tequila sunrise.

Flipping customary convention, we transformed one of the two guest rooms into an additional master suite, furnishing ‘his’ and ‘her’ spaces  with complimentary ensuites. Enabling both to simultaneously work privately from their rooms whilst enjoying views from the upper level, we designed integrated marble and timber desks.

The painting in the living room inspired much of the home’s tonal scheme and spirit given many of its colours and motifs are integrated throughout. They include hand-painted palm trees adding fringe movements to ‘his’ bedroom door and the children’s bunk room walls (together with birds and fish), two raffia pendants hovering above the dining table like sombrero hats, plus prints of tropical fruit trays including pineapples on lounge cushions bringing to life the flattened alla prima planes that float upon the raw canvas.

Echoed in the underfoot checkerboard patterns, a naively painted rust datum extents from the top of the painting’s frame to revive the neutral walls within the living room, plus the border of the raised step leading to the dining area (artistically acknowledging a trip hazard). Amongst the sun room’s salon hang of newly sourced pieces, a checkered painting floats amongst geometric plains and rippled contours including a custom amoebic display shelf supporting ceramics.

Anchoring the deeper tones on the painting are a succession of French washed walls and ceilings scattered like a patchwork pattern throughout both levels to ground the expanses of white with their saturated sheaths. Hand-painted swirls soften the beams in the sun room, transforming them into timber-like rafters. Upstairs, in a master suite, brusque parallel lines flow from a Matisse-like nude painting, extending towards the ceiling. Her curves are loosely outlined in the adjoining ensuite’s mirror frame, easily viewed thanks to partial wall removal to extend its opening and expose the new elongated stone-framed window that draws the lush surrounds within.

Photography: Prue Ruscoe

Website: http://prueruscoe.com/