dwell. on the Northern Beaches

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Suburb Profile. Collaroy, 2097 Photo: Mark Merton / Sydney Images Locals say there’s a generous touch of country town feel to this midpoint Northern Beaches postcode. By Kate Farrelly After 11 years heading up the McGrath Collaroy office Jill Rafferty has noticed a trend: many of her transactions involve familiar faces moving within the same neighbourhood. “Once you live in Collaroy, you just don’t want to leave,” she says. “I’m predominantly moving families from one street to another, either upsizing or downsizing.” Rafferty says many families migrate from Collaroy Plateau to “the flats” and local builder Todd Huggins, director of Collaroy Constructions, and his wife, television presenter Johanna Griggs, are a case in point. The couple recently finished building their sixth Collaroy home, a four-level stunner in Collaroy Street. While Griggs grew up on the northern beaches, Huggins led an itinerant life, including stopovers in several country towns, until moving to Collaroy in 2004. “I have a real affection for Collaroy, it’s got a good feel about it,” he says. “Everyone is really friendly to each other. After living in country towns Collaroy almost feels like one.” Rafferty has lived in Collaroy for five years now and is equally smitten with the local vibe. “It’s such a great community, everyone knows one another,” she says. “You’ll go into a local café and see a group of older guys, the surf club guys, all the mums…it’s a really nice mix, and a very safe and very comfortable place to live.” Median house price: $2.3 million Median unit price: $880,000 Population: 7870 Dwellings: 3257 To the beach! While the local bonhomie might bring country life to mind, the lifestyle is of course all about the coast. The beach offers good swimming conditions and is a great spot for beginner surfers. It’s also popular with windsurfers taking advantage of north easterly or south easterly winds. The 50-metre rockpool at the southern end of the beach is a favourite with families and is linked to a smaller wading pool following the curve of the rockface. For those less inclined towards getting wet, there are plenty of active onshore options, from the spectacular coastal walking track wrapping around Long Reef Headland to golf at the Long Reef Golf Club, one of Sydney’s most picturesque courses. You can grab a drink and a bite to eat at Merivale’s The Collaroy, the Beach Club and the Surf Life Saving Club, which all offer front-row views over the sand and surf. Todd Huggins is a fan of the Collaroy Bakehouse across the road from the beach where you’ll also find Thai, Italian and Indian eateries plus cafes dishing up smoothies, fresh juices and of course all kinds of coffee. Down the road you can’t miss the art deco cinema, a suburb landmark built in 1938, while further south, close to the tennis courts and golf course, you’ll find Alfresco Emporium’s flagship store which draws Sydney-wide clientele lured by its Hamptons’-style homewares, furniture, florist and café. Market snapshot. Jill Rafferty says buyers are finally seeing Collaroy as a preferred suburb “following in the footsteps of Manly, Freshwater and Curly”. “The blocks are bigger, it’s less congested and there’s good value for money,” she says. The most expensive properties are found in the streets closest to the beach in the exclusive enclave known as the Basin, says Rafferty, where prices regularly tip over $7 million. The entry price for Collaroy apartments currently sits around $750,000 and for houses around $1.5 million. Todd Huggins has noted a trend towards more multi-generation living in the suburb, with Collaroy Constructions’ clients including a granny flat or provision for a self-contained wing within primary <strong>dwell</strong>ings. “We’ve actually set our own new place up with the option for a two-bed apartment,” says Huggins, who has two adult sons. “It’s easy to see why kids that grew up in such a beautiful environment would want to stay!” 6 July 18, 2020 <strong>dwell</strong>.sydney
You Must See. On Trend. Black kitchens 6 Homestead Avenue If you like the idea of the kids hanging around well into their 20s this two-storey home a two-minute stroll from the beach could be just the ticket. It comes with a separate granny flat perfect for the extended family or to generate a little extra income. The main house has four bedrooms upstairs, the master with a walkin robe, en suite and access to a balcony where you can watch the nor’easters roll in across the ocean. There are three living spaces and an island kitchen opening onto a covered deck where you can enjoy the built-in spa and views over the solar-heated pool and manicured garden. $4.1 million – $4.5 million; Belle Property Dee Why – Brendan Pomponio 0411 845 119 11 Anzac Avenue The owners of this Basin beauty can leave the car in the double garage on the weekends because just about everything you need is on the doorstep. The golf course and tennis courts are directly across the road, the beach is at one end of the street and you’ll find a choice of eateries at the other. The family friendly floorplan is flooded with natural light and offers three living zones on the ground floor plus an all-white kitchen. There are four bedrooms plus two bathrooms upstairs and the wraparound balconies on both levels dish up tantalising ocean glimpses. $4 million; McGrath Collaroy – Jill Rafferty 0416 140 012 Can your beachside kitchens cross over to the dark side? From catwalk fashion to cutting edge cars and cool tech, black has long been a colour associated with high-end design. It can add glamour, sophistication, even sex appeal to the most mundane of objects. But black in the kitchen? Not so popular… until now. While white-on-white remains the go-to scheme for the average kitchen reno, there’s a push towards a more dramatic palette. Statistics from architecture and interior design website Houzz showed searches for ‘black’ interiors appeared in the most popular list for the first time in 2019, with ‘black kitchen’ in particular increasing 46 per cent year on year. But when you live beachside, where bright sunshine and sparkling seas are the lifestyle hallmarks, it’s the “the beachy look” that reigns supreme. It’s all about neutral tones with whites, blues, soft greys and sandy yellows. “The thinking on the northern beaches is all white and light,” says Anders Lawaetz, director and designer at Brookvale’s Seabreeze Kitchens. “I think that’s what we most often associate with this area – a light kitchen and a light benchtop.” Interior designer Charlie Cooper agrees. “There’s a tendency with clients on the northern beaches to opt for a beach look, which is light and bright,” she says. “I do get clients who approach me and say because of where we live this is [the style] we should do.” But Lawaetz says there has been a handful of local homeowners happy to challenge the status quo. “It happens more often than it used to and they can look quite stunning,” he says of kitchens with black cabinetry. “There are a lot of nice designs, often with white or concrete-look benchtops that can come up really well.” Cooper says if you love black, embrace it – and don’t try to be beachy with it. “You shouldn’t have to do a particular style just because of where you live.” If you’re still not convinced, perhaps you prefer to take style cues from overseas. Look no further than Netflix’s hit makeover show, Queer Eye. Last year interior designer Bobby Berk revealed an all-black kitchen in San Diego, a city on the Pacific coast of California known for its beaches, parks and warm climate. Showcasing black cabinets, black marble waterfall benchtops, all-black appliances and black light fittings, the only reprieve from the all-black palette was the rich timber facing on either side of ‘You shouldn’t have to do a particular style just because of where you live.’ the island bench. Berk described it as “classic yet edgy, fun yet sophisticated” and says homeowners shouldn’t be scared of black. Lawaetz reckons there are two keys to a successful black kitchen by the beach: lots of natural light and some contrast, with black cabinetry teamed with a lightcoloured benchtop a great option. Cooper says if you’re not comfortable “going full steam” with the black palette, you could have one wall of black cabinetry or black base cabinetry with a lighter choice for upper level cabinets. You can also add contrast with handles, tapware and appliances. Finishes in brass, gold or brushed nickel can provide a glamourous note, and black pairs well with timber which adds instant warmth. In the Seabreeze Kitchens showroom, Lawaetz says you’ll find an eye-catching kitchen with “some black hues, perfect for a beachy lifestyle”. His advice to locals thinking about installing a black kitchen is to “go for it!”. “It’s nice that the white kitchen is being challenged,” he says. “A black kitchen done well can look stunning.” – KF <strong>dwell</strong>.sydney July 18, 2020 7
Page 1 and 2: dwell. on the Nort
Page 3 and 4: Dwell here. By KATE FARRELLY Balgow
Page 5: Secret sales Belle Property Manly a
Page 43: Inspections This Weekend. Opening T

dwell. on the Northern Beaches

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?