The challenge with the Cape Retreat was to design a home for Telethon that overlooked the golf course and married in with the coastal community of Dunsborough.

The theme of the house is quite simple. It breaks into three elemental parts: the first incorporates the garage and home office/home theatre and is quite separate and private. The second, the main living space, is attached to a bedroom wing, while the third, the upper level, includes the master suite and balcony. Separating the lower level elements is a foyer with views through the home past the stairwell and to the outside at the rear.

The home’s aspect maximises the possible outlooks that one could have over a canal or over the coast from a block that falls off the road - so typical of our coastal environment.

The elevation treatments were a mix of very simple gables and hips. The central staircase provides a tower over the stairwell that creates a unique volume which acts like a chimney to pull any hot air out of the home. Double gable treatment on the bedroom wing is cleverly reflected with a double gable treatment over the balcony.

The Cape Retreat was inspired by the old coastal buildings on Australia’s southern coast. The tower, a memory of Brighton, Victoria, the weatherboards a memory of coastal Tasmania, are all mixed in subdued greys and blues. The two rear gables are semiotics of the bathing shed of the 1900s.

The home office allows access from the foyer or garage without involvement in the home itself - perfect for a home business. The home theatre was also isolated and is of very generous proportions. You could almost bring the full footy team around to watch the Grand Final and the noise is contained in that area.

The free-form living area is the real core of this home. A massive space that allows total flexibility in the way that it can be furnished. A pyramid ceiling towers over this room. The semi galley kitchen incorporated into this space was designed on the same principles as all Rural Building Company display homes, and that is to engage the chef with their visitors while preparing a meal. There is an appliance cupboard as well as a battery of overheads with a window between them at bench height to allow natural light onto the workspaces.

The bedroom wing has rooms that would be master size in other houses and can quite easily take a king size bed. The laundry and bathroom are both large, the toilet positioned so access can be gained from the outside without walking into the home. The shower is in an alcove so as not to intrude into the space of the bath and large vanity.

Walking up the stairs you come upon a landing that allows access to the balcony without entering the master suite. Double doors in the master suite also open on to the balcony. At 4.5m x 6m the master suite is of very generous proportions - bigger than most games rooms! The dressing room flanks the 6m wall, the ensuite again is of a size that is proportioned to the balance of the home.

The design of the home considered the lot orientation, cross ventilation and GreenSmart principles to ensure it fitted the environmental principles that The Rural Building Company subscribes to. For a detailed specification ask for one of our specification brochures.

The Cape Retreat was not only one of the most successful Telethon homes, bringing the highest donation to Telethon of any home up to that date, it also won a Housing Industry Association award, successfully competing against some of the larger homes from Eagle Bay and Dunsborough.