1A Eliza Street

Presenting a distinctively discreet and sleekly streamlined face to the world from its approx 633sqm beachside block, this design-focused and highly-detailed 40sq 3 bedroom, 2 study, 3 bathroom home is a worthy winner of Bayside's Best New Residential Building Award for 2011. Master-built by Lowe Construction as the home of a leading Interior Designer, this clifftop property brings together leading-edge finishes across a cleverly zoned design. Gently marking the transition between inside and out, private and shared, and parent and child, the home showcases a flawless flow of natural surfaces and a seamless interplay of spaces marked by sliding solid and glass walls. Oriented to the sun with a wide northerly aspect and a central walled courtyard, two side-by-side north-facing living zones include a quiet sitting-room plus an airy casual space - each opening to an undercover al fresco area... and, beyond, to a fully-tiled self-cleaning solar-heated pool behind an invisible glass fence in a low-maintenance casual coastal garden. Cleverly zoned with flexible suites upstairs and down, there's a dedicated master level comprising bedroom, ensuite and dressing area plus a flexible retreat adding home-office (or gym) space additional to a ground-floor dual-station study. On the ground-floor, the secondary bedroom wing stars two double bedrooms around a sleek two-way ensuite (with stone "egg" bath) and a walled courtyard is linked to the interior by an uninterrupted flow of hardwood panelling which extends through the building as a "spine". Showcasing an eclectic mix of textures, this exceptional home has polished concrete floors meeting the outdoors at every turn, timber eco-veneer cabinetry and monumental Bianco Carrara marble benchtops for kitchen and bathrooms. All the expected prestige appointments are here (including ducted vacuum, video-intercom, alarm and 3-car garaging), while a 5 Star Energy rating is enhanced by climate-controlling double-glazing, 20,000L underground water-storage and a clever mix of heating and cooling options with sub-floor and panel hydronic heating plus three zones of ducted heating/air-conditioning. There are also some very unexpected design elements including a floating Grey Ironbark staircase, a spectacular rotating suspended French fireplace for casual living, unscreened walk in/walk-out showers with rainwater heads, and a "chequerboard" brickwork feature wall. Full height windows ensure endless natural light and a seamless flow between inside and out, while the interaction of materials and textures offers perfect harmony between the interior and exterior design. One door from the Red Bluff clifftop at a prized Golden Triangle address, this designer's dream project represents a unique opportunity to live with cutting-edge design excellence on the edge of the bay.