Project Info
Project Name: Isola Gerroa
Interior Designer: LOWI Interiors
Location: Gerroa, New South Wales, Australia
Gabled ceilings and textured brick flooring guide views toward ocean horizons beyond
Perched along the headland above Seven Mile Beach in New South Wales, Isola Gerroa appears less like a house and more like a quiet pause in the landscape. LOWI Interiors approached the project as an exploration of mood rather than a simple exercise in form. The result is a coastal sanctuary that captures the softness of Mediterranean retreats while recalling the familiar comfort of Australian beachside summers. Every element has been shaped to slow the pace, ease the senses, and deepen one’s connection to the coast.
Brick headboards and sheer curtains create serene bedrooms bathed in soft light
The design begins with a palette drawn directly from the shoreline. Gentle neutrals echo the calm of weathered sand, muted pinks recall the interior of seashells, and olive greens reflect the vegetation that sweeps across the dunes. These colors are not used for decoration alone; they help the house settle into the terrain. Textures play an equally important role, with pale brick and natural stone bringing a quiet depth that supports the interior’s overall serenity.
Decorative steel balustrades frame expansive coastal views from the upper terrace
As the threshold is crossed, the architecture opens itself gradually. A soaring gable roof draws light upward and outward, giving each room a sense of clarity and calm. Sightlines frame the horizon so that the Pacific Ocean becomes part of the interior. Daylight travels across the home through clerestory windows and overhead openings, creating a choreography of brightness that evolves from morning to evening. This gentle movement of light gives the house its atmosphere, a reminder that the landscape is always present.
Furniture contributes to the feeling of ease. Curved forms soften the transitions between spaces while sculptural silhouettes add a sense of quiet refinement. An oval timber table becomes the centrepiece for shared meals. Sofas with generous proportions create places for long conversations or silent reflection. These rounded shapes offer comfort but also create a subtle emotional rhythm, allowing the spaces to feel both open and intimate.
An infinity pool and daybed pavilion capture the essence of Mediterranean coastal living
The material palette becomes richer in the kitchen, where Taj Mahal quartzite introduces delicate veining that glows warmly in the afternoon sun. Brushed brass fittings bring a subtle sense of touch, grounding the space in craftsmanship. Timber flooring and finely detailed joinery add to the home’s gentle luminosity, carrying the light from one room to the next.
Curved furnishings and pale tones soften living spaces overlooking Seven Mile Beach
The private spaces on the upper level are conceived as havens of quiet luxury. Brick headboards introduce a handmade quality that contrasts with the softness of sheer curtains drifting in the breeze. Bedside lighting in spherical forms adds a sculptural note, while deep burgundy linens provide a surprisingly rich counterpoint to the otherwise pale interior. Artwork and ceramics appear like collected memories, each one chosen to enhance the intimacy of the rooms.
Pale stone and sculptural seating surround a minimalist hearth beneath exposed beams
Outdoors, the architecture dissolves into the landscape. The upper terrace offers a place to watch the sky shift throughout the day, with slim steel balustrades framing expansive views. Striped loungers and terrazzo stools create an atmosphere reminiscent of a relaxed coastal lodge. On the lower level, an infinity pool extends toward the garden where succulents and palms sway in the salt wind. Built in seating invites moments of stillness and quiet gatherings during long summer evenings.
A white gabled form clad in timber screens announces the home's coastal sanctuary identity
Isola Gerroa is more than a polished coastal house. It stands as an expression of how architecture can evoke memory, emotion, and place through the simplest gestures of light, texture, and form. LOWI Interiors has shaped a retreat that encourages its occupants to slow down and reconnect with the rhythms of the natural world. The house does not perform or posture. Instead, it settles gently into its surroundings and invites anyone within it to do the same.
PHOTO CREDIT: Nat Spada
Save this story. A free account keeps your reading list and the 07:00 email in one place.
CREATE FREE ACCOUNT →SIGN IN
