Displaying posts labeled "Beach"

Take me away. Lift me out of my desk chair and fly me across the world to this white wonder in Aldeburge, Suffolk by Azman Architects. To a Victorian house on the pebbly beach with views over the North Sea. To a white world contained in blue shell. To another house captured through the lens of architectural photographer extraordinaire Jim Stephenson. Perfect. Perfect house, perfect shots, perfect daydream for me. Now back to work!

By now many of us have seen (and admired) the Shingle House by NORD. A beautifully simple house in tune with its environment. What could be better? Enter architectural photographer Jim Stephenson. A house that I like becomes a house that I want. His deep love of the built environment and his ability to interpret how people interact with a space make his photos come alive. So often a space is depicted as cold and clinical but architecturally perfect. By including people the home becomes more intimate, more real, more wonderful.

I was fortunate to be able to escape the dreary winter weather for a bit, but for those who aren’t so fortunate, I’ve got a virtual vacation for you. This is CasasNaAreia, a magical holiday rental located in Alentejo, Portugal via Welcome Beyond. CasasNaAreia is a gorgeous retreat taking old masonry buildings and turning them into new, contemporary structures. The property with 4 double bedrooms is about the experience of living almost in an extension of the natural environment, especially when in the kitchen/dining area – which is laid out with a carpet of fine sand. Surrounded by rice paddies and umbrella pine forest, CasasNaAreia looks out onto the Sado estuary famous for its stunning sunsets, salt pans, flamingos and flocks of dolphins.

Welcome Beyond – Luxury vacation rentals

I love the New Zealand bach. The beach side cottage, the seaside shack, often painted black, pared back, perhaps even a little rough. Somewhere to escape, to interact with nature, to relax, to retreat. The Storm Cottage by architectural firm Fearon Hay with interiors by Penny Hay displays a robust exterior to the world but once inside it is warm, cocooning with a simple luxury. A stylish shelter in the wilds.

Surf’s up and so is my pulse. Beautiful white boxes punctuated by large expanses of glass, the house is by Sweden’s Arkitektstudio Widejdal Racki (work completed while the firm was Arkitektstudio WRB). Open it up to the beautiful site or close it up and shelter inside when wild weather rolls in. Casual, stylish and perfect for a surfing weekend. What am I saying? Just surfing? You would find me just sitting on the patio being hypnotised by the ever changing sea.