The soulful home of Bernadette Cross and her family is a trove of travel stories that rejoices in its beachside environment.

Words Casey Hutton / Photography Tanya Zouev

Bernadette Cross and her husband Connor have spent two decades in their house at Redhead, a small beach town between Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. In that time, they’ve extended and transformed the home to accommodate three children – Scout (19), Jack (14) and Skip (6) – and their beach lifestyle. “Our free time is spent by the sea and in the sea,” Bernadette says simply.

This synergy with the seaside is at the heart of their home’s airy, romantic aesthetic – reminiscent of dreamy holidays and barefoot wanderings. “It has a white, light and bright palette like a blanching heat on a summer's day, with echoes of blush and natural timbers so that the bush and nature never seem far away,” says Bernadette. “Sand is always edging its way in, and my garden is a natural coat hanger for wetsuits and beach towels.”

The home is bordered by greyed timber decking and lush tropical gardens. A Shaker-style front door opens to reveal a lovingly curated entryway plastered in Mineral Fox Ibiza Plaster, with Moroccan clay tiles underfoot. “Our entryway is small, so I wanted it to pack a punch,” explains Bernadette.

In the living space beyond, an all-white backdrop is warmed by natural tones and textures in pendants, rugs, ceramics and textiles. Greenery on all sides of the Mediterranean-style kitchen eliminates the need for window coverings, and a servery opens onto the deck for late barbeque dinners in summer, when the family lingers on the beach until after dark.

A generous 10-seater teak table and a collection of white sofas set the tone for casual socialising and relaxation. For Bernadette, creating a welcoming and soothing atmosphere for her children is important, “so that they want to open up and talk here, invite their friends over, and feel their home is their sanctuary”.

A guest bedroom downstairs has recently been re-styled as a retreat for Scout, with her own access via the back deck. The other bedrooms are upstairs, including a parents’ retreat with a shared study, a reading room, and a secluded veranda with views out across rugged Redhead Beach.

The home’s styling artfully combines multiple influences. “You can travel the globe in one of my rooms,” quips Bernadette. “There’ll be an antique altar from China, doors from India, an Indonesian daybed, Aussie Queenslander VJ panelling, Ibizan plaster, British brass light switches, a rug from Morocco, linen from Italy, a pendant from Mykonos, a wall hanging from Bangladesh, and a ceramic dish from a small studio in Newcastle.”

Bernadette describes the home as “a living memory of our travels”. It also changes with the elements: furniture is moved to catch the sunlight, outdoor dining shifts around the verandas to shelter from wind or sit closer to blossoming plants, hammocks find shady spots, rugs are added and subtracted depending on the weather. “I live seasonally,” she explains.

The mindfulness with which Bernadette approaches her home is echoed in her work as a clinical psychologist. She likens the therapy process with patients to “a storytelling that brings clarity”. Similarly, she muses, designing a home weaves together experiences and messages in a creative way. “I think that interior design is another form of playing with mood and emotions and storytelling.”

The family’s cherished beach house continues to evolve – a communal canvas that both reflects and shapes the lives of its inhabitants. “I am very mindful that this is our home and it’s important that we all get a chance to create a history of this home,” says Bernadette. “I also like to think that if our house and all that’s in it tells a story, then it is a living thing like us.”