Hidden Haven

Overall Winner, National Design Excellence Award, New Residential Buildings ($1.0m to $1.5m)

Designer: Reece Keil

Practice: Reece Keil Design Web: reecekeildesign.com.au

DESIGN

Led by Reece Keil, Reece Keil Design is a boutique, progressive and adaptive design firm located on the Gold Coast.

Focussed on bespoke residential design & aesthetics we treat every project as a challenge to produce the best outcome for our clients and their sites. Addressing function and form with equality, we have honed our skills and fine tuned our craft by obsessing over presenting and delivering high quality projects accross all levels of budgets.

Overall Winner, National Design Excellence Award, New Residential Buildings ($1.0m to $1.5m)

HIDDEN HAVEN

Reece Keil Design

Reece Keil Design's client wanted a uniquely designed home in both layout and aesthetic to stand out among the 'on trend' homes in a gated community on the Queensland Gold Coast. The home was to respond to its aspect and outlook in order to maximise its desirability for resale on the luxury real estate market.

While retaining privacy, the home was to be welcoming of northern light while drawing the eye to the golf course view to the west. Budget was tight and needed careful management to prevent overruns.

A row of tall pine trees bordering the golf course offered the possibility of respite from harsh western sun and, following a shadow study, the design developed from there – arriving at a C-shaped floor plan that hugs the northern aspect and distributes all the qualities of a north-facing home but on a west-facing site. The central courtyard with pool is protected from the south by the bedroom/utility areas of the home.

The home's minimalist form features a mixed palette of textural, moody finishes that extend from outside to inside, including Weathertex Weathergroove Woodsman which is used extensively throughout the exterior and into the interior to provide a timber textured appearance across vast wall surfaces. The painted Weathertex product was specified for it usability, longevity and characteristic aesthetic to enhance the efficiency of the build and the finished appearance of the unique home.

“When painted Weathertex looks like timber,” says Reece Keil, “but far outweighs it in longevity. Builders like it because it's easy to use and it can be joined in various ways to suit an aesthetic. If I'd used a different product at quadruple the cost it wouldn't have looked any better.”

When painted Weathertex looks like timber, but far outweighs it in longevity. Builders like it because it's easy to use and it can be joined in various ways to suit an aesthetic.