Home Away From Home

A lovingly renovated bush-meets-beach property in sydney captured the hearts of its owners, a well-travelled family of four.

- John McDonald

You would never know this divine clifftop dwelling on Sydney’s Northern Beaches was once a quirky red-brick cottage. “It reminded us of a little gingerbread house,” says owner Crystal Redpath, who hails from Canada. Crystal and her husband Oliver, who is originally from the UK, moved to the area from Paddington, in the city’s east, in 2011. They thought it would be a temporary shift before relocating to the UK or US. “But you get used to the great lifestyle here and it’s really difficult to leave,” says Crystal. Especially now that the couple have two energetic boys, Hugo, seven, and Rafferty, six. “It’s a safe place for them to go wild,” adds Crystal, laughing.

Previous owners had begun transforming the cottage, engaging local architect Ian Sercombe to update the appearance of the exterior; it now has a decidedly Hamptons vibe. Ian also designed a garage with a self-contained studio beneath – it’s perfect accommodation for the couple’s frequent overseas guests.