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This guesthouse works its magic on the smallest of footprints

Opening out to outdoor entertaining areas, you won’t want to leave.

There’s something about the little pool house in Hannah Williams’ backyard that’s instantly relaxing. As soon as guests walk past the palm trees and the pool, they feel like the best vacation version of themselves.

This tiny house, which Hannah created for guests and as a holiday rental, opens perfectly to outdoor entertaining areas, while a loft bedroom overlooks the greenery that hugs the beachside section. Hannah, who works in property development, spent six months designing the building.

“I wanted to make the most of the sunny climate and blur the lines between inside and outside,” she says.

Despite the fact that the house sits on a tight footprint of 30sqm, the vibe is fresh and relaxed, and the space feels generous despite packing a lot in. “Let’s face it,” says Hannah.

“You know you have it good when your hardest decision in the morning is between a swim in the ocean or in the pool!”

What’s cooking?

Like the slimming powers of an all-black outfit, this black-on-black kitchen feels streamlined yet still makes a statement. Hannah bought the Smeg Victoria oven first and used it as inspiration for the rest of the kitchen design. “I decided to use all black cabinetry and benchtops so nothing would compete with the oven,” she says.

The porcelain benchtop has a slim 10mm profile, which helps to visually shrink the space, while rough timber floating shelves and a limewashed recycled brick wall with a custom render give an organic casualness to the dark appliances and joinery.

Wash & wear

In the spa-fresh bathroom, an understated colour palette is elevated by a confident mix of materials. An open shower  helps to create an easy flow from bedroom to bathroom and makes the small space feel airy and calm. Hannah paired white Carrara marble tiles on the floor with a concrete sink and a custom timber vanity.

“I think natural stone is timeless and luxurious,” she says.

In an adjacent dressing-room, floor-to-ceiling cupboards accompany a leather hanging rail. Hannah understands the power of minimising clutter to maximise Zen levels.

“I wanted to make sure there was plenty of space where bulky items like suitcases could be hidden out of sight,” she says.

Loft ambitions

Hannah’s style direction was “New York loft with a coastal twist”. Her goals were achieved with the help of her builder cousin and his construction team.

Industrial materials such as polished concrete and reclaimed timber are layered with natural elements like log side tables that come from her father’s firewood pile. A mezzanine bedroom gives the living area a double-height ceiling – this vertical space is maximised by books and favourite objects, and is accessed by a ladder.

Colour and texture were added in the form of a Freedom Dahlia sofa, an Armadillo&Co rug and a Kara Rosenlund print.

The breakfast club

This little house is big on outdoor entertaining and living. A breakfast bar sits in a nook of the al fresco dining area, creating a top spot to enjoy a morning coffee or a cheeky afternoon cocktail.

The generously proportioned gas strut window allows for unobstructed views of the pool, and the flow of a porcelain kitchen benchtop from the interior to the exterior ties the spaces together.

The use of black Axon cladding through to the kitchen further reinforces the indoor/outdoor feeling, and Indonesian-made Lale bar stools add rustic charm.

Sleep easy

“I made a conscious effort to use a mix of old and new materials and vintage pieces,” says Hannah of the layers of decor and depth in the tiny bedroom.

The barn door was found in a shed at her grandmother’s house. Bonus points for the door being an ingenious space-saver in such a tight space as well as fitting the loft feel Hannah was working towards.

“It is over 100 years old and from my dad’s childhood home, which makes it special to me,” she says.

A pendant light by the bed was picked up by Hannah on a trip to Indonesia, while the walls, as for the rest of the interior, have been painted white.

Words by: Jessica Bellef  Styling by: Hayley Jenkin Photographyby: Toby Scott

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