Undies Beach House
Inspired design choices in this colourful home make for a fun-filled life by the seaside.
Photography Gathering Light / Styling Grace Buckley / Words Casey Hutton / Builder Mitchell Custom Homes
Architect + Landscape Architect Meaghan White / Soft Landscaping Bonnie Stacey Landscapes
Landscaper Bruce Landscapes / Home Undies Beach House
“The house doesn’t give much away from the street,” says owner Angie Alexander. But boy does it pack a punch once you’re inside!
A bronze gate, bordered by distinctive ‘Kite Breeze’ bricks, opens onto an expanse of lawn that flows to an alfresco fireplace with oversized chimney, and a circular pool with yellow-striped waterline tiles. It’s clear that fun is on the agenda here.
Angie and her husband Trent worked comprehensively with architect Meaghan White on this new build in the Perth suburb of Trigg. “I only take on clients I have a strong synergy with,” Meaghan explains. “Angie and Trent were enthusiastic, excited, and willing to do something different.”
Meaghan even helped them choose the block of land: a long, narrow lot adjoining a park. “I knew we could subdivide, and they could sell the neighbouring block to help pay for the new home,” Meaghan points out.
The unusually shaped block wasn’t the couple’s first choice, but they trusted Meaghan’s vision, which capitalised on its proximity to public green space. “The park has magnificent large trees and is in a hidden area, so the house in some ways ‘wraps’ the park and makes it part of the home,” she says. Almost every room has a view of it; even upstairs, windows are positioned to frame trees in the distance.
For Angie and Trent, who have three children – Jye (19), Evie (14), and Dash (10) – the project was deeply personal and creative. “We wanted to build something entirely for ourselves; not once did we consider resale. We wanted to choose things that we loved and that made our hearts sing, and tried not to think about what others would say!”
The entire process, from design to completion, took three-and-a-half years. During the block subdivision and the demolition of the existing house, they met with Meaghan fortnightly for 10 months to work on the design.
Creating something outstanding amidst rapidly escalating building costs necessitated a small footprint. Meaghan kept the form of the house efficient – “a simple two-storey rectangle” – and focused on integrating the outdoor and indoor spaces. A huge 10m-long bronze gate can slide open and give the kids direct access to the park next door – an embodiment of the family’s focus on play and connection. “The small wall below the gate can be used as a bench to perch on when the gate is open,” Angie explains.
The curved wall of the fireplace maintains privacy for the pool area. In the chimney’s circular flue, a family of cockatoos has taken up residence. “Angie and Trent don’t want to move their house-sitters on,” Meaghan says, “so I don’t think they’re using the fire!”
Inside the home, the good times continue to roll. “There’s lots of fun in the house – curves, round windows, colour,” Meaghan observes. “I love the pink Jardan couch on the curved wall, and the bathrooms that all have their own personalities. I love that Trent let us have a pink ensuite!”
For Angie, the appeal of this home is multifaceted – from its indoor/outdoor flow to its wise use of space, attention to detail, and bold flourishes like the green kitchen. While it’s vibey and playful, the house is far from frivolous: “I love the fact that we use every room in the home every day. There is not one bit of dead space.”
The home is named after the nearest beach, which locals call Undies because it’s accessed via an underpass. “It’s very easy to live in Undies Beach House,” Angie says simply. “It’s full of light, functional and spacious. Evie says it feels exciting!”
