The Bay House
The Bay House is a material-led transformation of a 1990s waterfront home in Auckland, designed by Sonya Cotter to create a warm and inviting interior that contrasts with its original white-box condition. The renovation layers natural surfaces to establish continuity and flow throughout the home, thoughtfully enhancing both aesthetic and lived experience. Each element was considered to promote a cohesive interior language that feels resolved, purposeful, and deeply connected to daily life rather than trend-led design.
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At the heart of the home is a sophisticated kitchen anchored by a double-sided stone wall that defines the central island while cleverly screening the scullery. A sliding timber and glass panel introduces tactility and movement, creating a refined transition between preparation, dining and social spaces. The layout carefully balances separation and integration, enabling distinct functional zones without disrupting the overall sense of flow and cohesion
A double-sided stone wall anchors the kitchen and defines the central island.
A double-sided stone wall anchors the kitchen and defines the central island.
Natural surfaces continue to shape the experience of the bathrooms, where the kitchen’s palette is reversed to hero materials in new ways. Throughout the home, stone and timber are calibrated to introduce warmth and tactility without ornamentation, reinforcing a quiet material intelligence and depth of craft. The result is a waterfront interior that feels simultaneously grounded and inviting, with each surface and junction thoughtfully resolved.
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Waterfront family home with layered natural materials, where bespoke interiors shape warmth and flow.
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Designed collaboratively during lockdown through real-time digital engagement, the process invited meaningful client participation while maintaining design rigour and clarity of purpose. The Bay House exemplifies an approach to residential interior design where material strength, spatial flow and client intent converge to create an enduring home that supports everyday living with ease and confidence.
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