You'd expect an architect and a landscape architect to come up with a special home and Fran Bremner and Vince Abela have achieved exactly that with their big Omaha beach house.
Partly inspired by the villas and bungalows of central Auckland, it's a few steps away from the typical beach house, set on an elevated site overlooking the 7th and 9th fairways of the Omaha golf course. You don't have to be a golfer to appreciate the position.
"With the beach, the golf course and the Taniko bush reserve, our views are protected forever," Fran says.
They discovered the area when Vince was designing a bach there for friends. It quickly became their favourite "go to" place and they often thought how nice it would be not to have to go home at the end of the day.
They started looking for sections, found this location and began the process of designing a small house.
"But it grew into a great big house," Fran says. "And actually that's worked really well because we've had loads of people here -- there were 10 or 12 people staying here at New Year. It was a cool night so we had the outdoor fire going and all the neighbours around. It's a great party house."
The open-plan kitchen is ideal for entertaining crowds of people. "Three or four people can cook in there at once, and over Christmas that big butler's pantry was just loaded with food," Fran says.
Image 1 of 10: Surrounded by a golf course, ocean and reserve, this cool architect-designed beach house is a superb entertainer
Most of the eating and socialising happens in the central covered courtyard, which is protected from the wind and has the living areas open out on to it.
At the edge of the deck Fran has planted three large nikau palms which contribute to the tropical look. They're backed by an easy-care griselinia hedge against a timber wall which gives privacy from neighbours. She grows tomatoes and herbs in pots in the courtyard because there's not been time to establish a serious vegetable garden, but that's on the wish list for the next house.
Fran did the interior design and followed a relaxed coastal theme. "But I wanted everything to be sturdy because there are always people with sandy feet, and we have a dog. So we used bamboo flooring in the living areas, which is very tough and doesn't fade or scratch."
The main palette is off-white, with splashes of blue and green. There's lots of space, and no clutter. The open-plan kitchen, dining area and lounge run the width of the house and open up to the westerly deck via over-height stacking sliders. The golf course is just steps away and what Fran calls "backyard golf" is always on the agenda -- as it would be with one of their sons a golf pro. "There's time for a few holes between dinner and dessert," she says.
A second living area/media room, guest bedroom with en suite, powder room, office, laundry and double garage complete the downstairs area. Upstairs, the master bedroom with en suite and walk-through wardrobe also has a spectacular outlook. It shares the upper floor with two more bedrooms and a third bathroom.
The wish list for the next house -- apart from being smaller -- is more edibles in the garden, a private guest wing and ... an enclosed courtyard.
