Husband-and-wife team Bowen Jessup of Cotter Reid Architects and Irene O’Sullivan of Mokk Studio knew exactly what they wanted in their Ocean Grove home on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula.

Designed for a subdivided block, the home needed efficient planning to ensure no wasted space and bloated floor plans; a balance of intimacy and scale; privacy, robust materials and landscaping; and a sense of fun.

‘Playful elegance is a good way of describing what we wanted to achieve,’ says Bowen.

The couple decided on a two-storey floor plan reminiscent of architect Nino Sydney’s beachcomber design that positions utility spaces below and living areas on the upper level, which became a way of creating privacy and security for the home from the busy street.

The garage itself gets its own design moment, particularly at night, when its polycarbonate cladding (inspired by Cotter Reid Architects’ work in the educational sector) is lit from within by an RGBW LED lighting system.

Bowen explains the design intent, ‘The polycarbonate is an extremely robust, prefinished cladding. Being the garage, there is no requirement to line and insulate the walls, so it was also very cost effective.

‘We use the garage for a lot more than parking cars: a home gym, [space for] kids to do basketball dribbling drills, surfboards, and a bike workshop. Polycarbonate means that the space is flooded with natural light,’ Bowen says.

‘The idea of illuminating it with an RGBW LED lighting system was an added bonus and some fun that just reflects our personality. Architecture does not have to be serious all the time.’

The remainder of the house exterior features concrete blockwork, fibre cement weatherboards, and grooved fibre cement sheets.

‘There is a bit of timber at the entry on the soffit and main front door, but this is south facing and undercover, so protected from the weather.’ says Bowen. ‘Being so close to the ocean it was important we used materials that would hold up in that environment.’

The grey-green used externally and internally throughout references the fibro shack beach house that Bowen’s grandparents previously owned. ‘The orange and mint was really just a bit of retro fun, using bright accent colours in small ways to make a big impact.’

Complementary internal finishes are all about the textures: more timber, grooved panels, carpet, OSB panels, terrazzo tiles, stone.

‘It was important that the main green colour be brought through the interior,’ says Bowen. ‘Having a coherent dialogue between inside and outside is important to us.’

Bowen and Irene are most proud of the playful energy they’ve been able to inject into normally utilitarian spaces throughout this house. Coming home at night to a bright pink garage, and a monochromatic orange laundry, provides them with everyday moments of joy.

There’s also a surprising level of privacy for a home located on a relatively busy street.

‘Opening all the doors in the main living space during summer, you just feel like you are in a private green oasis,’ says Bowen. ‘Likewise, the lower courtyard on a hot day is a lovely spot to relax and hang out.’