Banool House — Modern Beach Shack for Relaxed Australian Getaways
Banool House opens to the sea from a modest clifftop plot in Fairhaven on Victoria’s Surf Coast, Australia. Lachlan Shepherd Architects transform a dilapidated two-bedroom structure into a robust weekender that leans into modernist beach shack ease, with timber-lined rooms framing long ocean horizons. The house stays low-key yet precise, tuned to relaxed days, changing weather and easy maintenance for extended family visits.
Salt air moves past the glass while pale timber glows in the afternoon light. Long panes frame the horizon so the living room feels tethered to the surf below.
This compact house on Victoria’s Surf Coast reworks the footprint of an old two-bedroom home into a modernist beach shack weekender. Lachlan Shepherd Architects keep the plan simple and the palette tough, using warmth and texture to balance the raw exposure of the clifftop. Interior surfaces, joinery and outdoor decks lean on durable timber tones, bringing a consistent, calming rhythm to days spent watching the ocean.
Framing The Ocean
In the main living zone, two oversized sliding glass doors pull back to dissolve a corner toward the sea. When they are open, breeze and surf noise wash straight through the room, and the internal area connects directly to a terraced yard that steps down toward the beach. A broad timber ceiling and continuous floorboards run from dining to lounge, so furniture and people sit within one clear, open volume. The view stays uninterrupted, but the room feels grounded by the quiet grain underfoot.
Timber As Interior Thread
Walls, ceilings and built-in joinery rely on warm-toned boards that read as one continuous lining. This material constancy gives the weekender its understated calm, even when the ocean outside turns restless. Black-framed chairs, slim steel table legs and a compact fireplace cut a sharp contrast to the timber surfaces without overwhelming them. In the kitchen, pale wood cabinetry pairs with a solid, light-toned island, where a trio of black stools and open shelving keep the room casual yet hardworking.
Rooms For Family Weekends
The brief calls for two full-time bedrooms with ensuites and a third adaptable room for grown children returning to stay. Each bedroom keeps to the same restrained palette, so moving between them feels easy and familiar for guests. One room opens straight to a narrow balcony, where sliding glass doors draw the ocean into the foreground of the bed. Simple bedding, a ceiling fan and timber walls keep the focus on breeze, light and unhurried mornings.
Courtyard And Coastal Decks
At entry level, a north-facing courtyard deck gives a sheltered outdoor room away from the main exposure of the cliff. A pass-through window from the kitchen lands on a slim bench, turning the courtyard into an easy spot for breakfast or evening drinks. Further toward the water, layered decks step down through coastal planting, using simple timber platforms and glass balustrades to maintain clear sightlines. Each level feels robust enough for sandy feet, wet towels and constant salt spray.
Quiet Details In Daily Use
Bathrooms use a cooler register of materials, with smooth concrete-toned walls, rounded basins and slender black frames around mirrors. The contrast to the surrounding timber rooms adds a sense of retreat without breaking the project’s overall restraint. Light cuts in from high windows, sliding across the surfaces during the day and giving even these compact rooms a gentle dynamism. Robust fittings and simple forms mean maintenance stays low, which suits the weekender rhythm.
By reworking an existing footprint rather than extending further along the cliff, the house settles into its site and lets the landscape stay dominant. Timber linings, sheltered courtyards and open decks are expected to weather and silver, folding the architecture deeper into the coastal vegetation over time. In the meantime, Banool House keeps its promise: a comfortable, reliable beach shack with rooms tuned to the constant change of sea and sky.
Photography by Nic Stephens Photography
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