Whangapoa Beach House.

Renovate or rebuild? The owners of this beach house chose the latter and, with the guidance of the designer, set about transforming their original Lockwood home into a modern bach.

The client's desire for a light-filled, beach aesthetic prompted the designer to whitewash the wood on all the interior walls in a pale sea-foam colour. The character and knots can still be seen, but the wash has covered up the original golden colour.

The effect of the whitewashed walls and the new light-toned, distressed timber floor has been to create a more modern look and give a much brighter interior.

Making the most of the 'bones' of the existing house, the ground level has been pared back to a single, large, open-plan space for the living area, dining table and kitchen. Exposed beams in the ceiling were a feature of the original design, and so the kitchen has been fitted in around them.

An open staircase rises up from the centre of the ground level to the upper floor, which has four bedrooms and a second bathroom. The two bedrooms at the front of the upper level have small balconies and enjoy views out to the ocean.