Omaha Beach: Sanctuary from the city

The simplicity of this cedar home encourages relaxed seaside living.

This charming and unpretentious holiday home by the sea has bags of appeal, writes VICKI HOLDER.

Far from shouting its presence from the sand dunes on Omaha beach, this unobtrusive cedar holiday home reminds us of the traditional Kiwi bach.

About 30m from the rolling surf, this simple-but-comfortable, low, wedge-shaped shelter soaks up the sun, the awe-inspiring sea view and the sounds of the sea. Communing with the rhythms of nature, it's a truly laid-back sanctuary from city life.

The bach draws family and friends together in one big, open room. As well as the main house, a teenagers' escape offers separate accommodation. The two are joined by an arm of the flat roof and elevated kwila decking, which extends in front of both buildings towards the dunes and the beach.

Double doors at the main entry open from the walkway between the two buildings. They lead into a long, curved, skylit passage that straddles the open-plan living area and two double bedrooms behind. The bedrooms, with a sandy-hued carpet, have built-in cupboards and drawers to save the bother of free-standing furniture.

Just like in a boat, no space is wasted. Below the steps that leads to the living area and extending the length of the passage, a discreet jarrah locker storage system hides a host of beach necessities. A large hot water cupboard adds linen storage behind a sliding door.

The family bathroom sits right at the end and garaging equipped with a laundry opens directly into the passage.

The main living area - with honey-toned, wide, plank maple flooring - offers ample room for dining and lounging. Bulging out in a broad curve across the beach, the room has a nautical feel, like the belly of a boat. The feeling is emphasised by the low, raftered ceiling and circular dome lights around the perimeter. The arc design captures the sea breezes and magnificent views of Omaha Bay through sliding glass windows and doors with aluminium joinery.

At the northern end of the room, a practical, white kitchen offers views to Ti Point and Little Barrier. You can pass refreshments through a sliding glass door above the bench out to those on the deck. At the other end, a free-standing fireplace keeps the holiday-makers warm on cooler nights.

Even though it was built in 1987 (designed by architect Rewi Thompson), the bach is already becoming a rarity in this highly sought-after location close to Auckland. There are only 41 beachfront properties at Omaha, all of them at the northern end of the beach. Demand has driven prices along this stretch way beyond the million-dollar mark. As a consequence, many of the older homes built in the 1970s have been replaced by expensive, glamorous retreats.

There's every opportunity to redevelop this site. Architects have prepared concept plans for the conversion of the garage area into a master bedroom with en suite, plus a new garage at the rear of the guest wing. However, the existing dwelling has an unpretentious charm that the more sophisticated newcomers could never rival.

Vital statistics

ADDRESS: 27 The Southern Isle, Omaha Beach, Warkworth.

FEATURES: 1987 beachfront bach on dunes; designed by architect Rewi Thompson; two bedrooms in main house and bunk room with en suite in separate guest wing; large open-plan living area opening to expansive deck; 95 sq m could be added to existing structure.

SIZE: Land area 807sq m.

AUCTION: 1pm, November 10, on site.

AGENT: Michael Dow, Harveys, Omaha. Ph 09 425 8589 bus; 09 422 9829 ah; 021 521 505 mob.