Houzz Tour: A Victorian Beachfront House With a Surprising Interior
A new layout has opened up this Suffolk seaside home and capitalised on the beautiful views throughout – even from the bath
When the owners of this Victorian house in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, first bought their home, it was run-down and hadn’t been updated for many years. So, with the help of Azman Architects, they gave it a complete overhaul: the interior was completely gutted, leaving only the front and rear facades and the shape of the roof untouched.
Now the interior is airy, open and understated, with clean lines and pale colours creating a serene atmosphere in keeping with relaxed beach life.
Now the interior is airy, open and understated, with clean lines and pale colours creating a serene atmosphere in keeping with relaxed beach life.
In the living room, Azman kept the fireplace in its original position, but she reconstructed the chimney breast. The fireplaces in the kitchen and bedrooms were removed.
To the left, behind the chimney breast, is a small area for watching TV. You can just see the turquoise cabinet that Azman found in a second-hand shop. ‘It’s slightly tattered, but the client loves it. She uses it as a drinks cabinet,’ she says.
Behind the staircase is the cloakroom and utility room.
Wood-burning fireplace, Stuv. Lotis recessed downlights, Modular Lighting Instruments.
To the left, behind the chimney breast, is a small area for watching TV. You can just see the turquoise cabinet that Azman found in a second-hand shop. ‘It’s slightly tattered, but the client loves it. She uses it as a drinks cabinet,’ she says.
Behind the staircase is the cloakroom and utility room.
Wood-burning fireplace, Stuv. Lotis recessed downlights, Modular Lighting Instruments.
The ground floor has been opened up to create one large space. The open cabinet and slatted partition provide some privacy, but are deliberately minimal, allowing light and colour to be shared between the kitchen-diner and living areas.
‘I personally don’t believe in completely open-plan living,’ says Azman. ‘There need to be some boundaries in any room – there’s a need to feel surrounded. It helps humans psychologically locate themselves in a fixed place and makes them feel comfortable.’
See how room dividers can boost your open-plan space
‘I personally don’t believe in completely open-plan living,’ says Azman. ‘There need to be some boundaries in any room – there’s a need to feel surrounded. It helps humans psychologically locate themselves in a fixed place and makes them feel comfortable.’
See how room dividers can boost your open-plan space
Azman chose these handmade Moroccan floor tiles over ceramic ones, which can feel flat, to create the look of brick pavers. ‘The tiles are slightly uneven and have wider grouting,’ she explains.
Glazed handmade Moroccan tiles, Dar Interiors. Rug, Ikea.
Glazed handmade Moroccan tiles, Dar Interiors. Rug, Ikea.
Colours are kept to a minimum throughout the house. Where they are used, they are bright and cheerful. The yellow and two shades of turquoise echo beach colours – something that was important to the homeowner.
The shelves to the right are made from cold rolled steel. ‘They’re heavy and difficult to install and work with, but we use them a lot because they add texture and substance,’ says Azman. ‘They feel solid and rough.’
Eames DSW Chairs, available from SCP. Raft NA2 table by Norm Architects, available from Danish Design Store. Topan VP6 pendant lights by Verner Panton, available from Nest.
Discover more ideas for swerving the familiar nautical look to create classy beach hut style
The shelves to the right are made from cold rolled steel. ‘They’re heavy and difficult to install and work with, but we use them a lot because they add texture and substance,’ says Azman. ‘They feel solid and rough.’
Eames DSW Chairs, available from SCP. Raft NA2 table by Norm Architects, available from Danish Design Store. Topan VP6 pendant lights by Verner Panton, available from Nest.
Discover more ideas for swerving the familiar nautical look to create classy beach hut style
Azman designed the light and airy kitchen to be unfussy and in keeping with the rest of the home’s relaxed style. The homeowner cooks a lot, so she chose to have the hob on the island in a position where she can take in the view of the sea.
As an alternative to under-shelf LED lighting, the retro, wall-mounted, adjustable lamps provide light for the worktop, and a welcoming glow after dark. ‘We weren’t trying to make it look retro, but there is a reference,’ says Azman. ‘And if you look at the detail, the cabinet handles look like those in kitchens of the past. It’s light-hearted.’
As an alternative to under-shelf LED lighting, the retro, wall-mounted, adjustable lamps provide light for the worktop, and a welcoming glow after dark. ‘We weren’t trying to make it look retro, but there is a reference,’ says Azman. ‘And if you look at the detail, the cabinet handles look like those in kitchens of the past. It’s light-hearted.’
This wall is clad in ceramic tiles and the shelving is beech-veneered MDF. The worktop is Caesarstone.
Prema series gloss tiles, Domus. Minta sink mixer, Grohe.
Prema series gloss tiles, Domus. Minta sink mixer, Grohe.
Upstairs there are four bedrooms, plus one in an annexe above the playroom (formerly the garage – see plans, below). The closed door on the left of the bright landing leads to the children’s bedroom, which has two beds; the middle doorway looks through to the balcony off the master bedroom, and the door on the right leads to the guest room. The fourth bedroom is accessed from the half landing downstairs, as seen in the next image.
One of the major changes made was to the staircase, which was originally a traditional painted timber stair and balustrade. Azman flipped the staircase layout to allow smoother passage through the house (see plans, below). She also added a skylight to saturate the space with light. The new balustrade and handrails are black-painted steel.
Skylight, Velux.
Skylight, Velux.
As you walk into the master bedroom, through the area seen on the left of the image, built-in wardrobes fill one wall. The panels for the headboard were chosen for their differing widths as part of the laid-back feeling the homeowners wanted.
A pocket door (visible to the right in this photo) separates the en suite from the bedroom. The narrow internal window to the left of the bed allows the bathroom to borrow lots of light.
DLM side table, available from Nest. Hector wall light, Original BTC. Timber headboard painted in Dulux 11BB 64/135.
A pocket door (visible to the right in this photo) separates the en suite from the bedroom. The narrow internal window to the left of the bed allows the bathroom to borrow lots of light.
DLM side table, available from Nest. Hector wall light, Original BTC. Timber headboard painted in Dulux 11BB 64/135.
The homeowners left most aesthetic decisions to Azman, but did pick out the wallpaper in this room and in the living room. ‘The homeowner found the wallpapers and asked us to find a place for them, so we suggested here and in the living room,’ she says.
Cotton Tree wallpaper in sage grey, Miss Print. Reclining chair by Robin Day, available from Twentytwentyone. Grashoppa floor lamp by Greta Grossman, available from Houseology.
Cotton Tree wallpaper in sage grey, Miss Print. Reclining chair by Robin Day, available from Twentytwentyone. Grashoppa floor lamp by Greta Grossman, available from Houseology.
The homeowners get a great view of the beach from several spots in this room, including the Juliet balcony and the reclining chair – and even from the bath, through the glass wall panel behind the bed.
The back of the blue timber headboard creates a feature in the master en suite. This image shows how much light floods through the vertical internal window from the bedroom.
As there’s already a shower cubicle in the family bathroom, the homeowners wanted to play up the relaxed feel of the house with a freestanding roll-top tub in here.
As there’s already a shower cubicle in the family bathroom, the homeowners wanted to play up the relaxed feel of the house with a freestanding roll-top tub in here.
The large mirror and pale colours allow the light to bounce off each surface. Minimal fixtures and simple finishes help to create a fuss-free look and the ‘beach spirit’ the homeowners so wanted.
Tessera PC white mosaic tiles, Reed Harris. Cast iron roll-top bath, Aston Matthews. Ego 500 basin, No Code. Talis S tap, Hansgrohe.
Tessera PC white mosaic tiles, Reed Harris. Cast iron roll-top bath, Aston Matthews. Ego 500 basin, No Code. Talis S tap, Hansgrohe.
The guest bedroom benefits from a large bay window that looks out across the beach to the sea.
A gap between the built-in wardrobe doors hides a second glass slit, mirroring the one in the master bedroom, and gives the guest en suite a view of the sea, too.
Be inspired by more beautiful bedrooms with a view
Calvo side table in walnut by Lee Kirkbride, available from SCP. Hector table lamp, Original BTC.
Be inspired by more beautiful bedrooms with a view
Calvo side table in walnut by Lee Kirkbride, available from SCP. Hector table lamp, Original BTC.
The coastal palette continues in the children’s bedrooms.
Light ash bed frames, Muji. Rug, Ikea.
Light ash bed frames, Muji. Rug, Ikea.
This is the fourth bedroom, which is off the half landing.
Fairford bunk bed, John Lewis. Rug, Ikea.
Fairford bunk bed, John Lewis. Rug, Ikea.
The family bathroom, which has both a bath and a shower (to the left), is decorated with soft colours, minimal fixtures and simple finishes to allow the light from the skylight to bounce off the surfaces.
Rotondo tiles, Domus.
Rotondo tiles, Domus.
BEFORE The rooms were self-contained and closed off from each other, and the living room was upstairs. The space labelled ‘Hall’ is now the utility room and cloakroom.
AFTER The living spaces are now all on the same level, and there’s a separate area for watching TV. The garage has been turned into a play/TV room, as well as a space for storing bicycles.
BEFORE There were only two bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs (and another bedroom and bathroom downstairs).
AFTER There are now four bedrooms and three bathrooms upstairs in the main part of the house. The room above the former garage has been turned into another guest bedroom with an en suite.
The house is the blue one in the middle of this photograph. There’s a decked area area for outdoor entertaining in front. It’s not hard to see why the homeowners were so insistent on making the most of their beach frontage.
TELL US…
What do you think of this serene family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you think of this serene family home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here A couple and their two children, aged 9 and 6
Location Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Size 5 bedrooms, 3 en suites, 1 family bathroom
Completed Late 2012
Architect Ferhan Azman of Azman Architects
The owners of this Victorian house wanted to capitalise on the stunning sea views they get from their double-fronted beachside home. Before the renovation, the rooms were dark and dingy, so Ferhan Azman set out to design the space in a way that not only made the most of the large windows in the main rooms, but minimised any internal visual barriers, too.
Though the facade was maintained, most of the internal structure was completely rebuilt. Azman removed some internal walls to open up the space, which meant a steel frame needed to be inserted into the external wall to maintain the building’s structural integrity.
Birds n Bees wallpaper, Timorous Beasties. Elan sofa, Jasper Morrison. CH28 chair by Hans J Wegner, available at Twentytwentyone. Lamp, vintage. Rug, Ikea.