Trying to encapsulate some homes can be challenging because words never quite do them justice. South Beach Retreat is one such property. Perched above the dunes, and with seven bedrooms in its 529sqm footprint, it redefines modern beachfront living. The property was intended as a hotel-style ‘home away from home’ and the design and craftsmanship ensure it’s more than up to the mark. Laidback yet refined luxury, views out to the breaking surf and features such as a pool house with a kitchen and bar… the balance of beachy and boutique hotel is perfect.

Clad in vertical timber and dry-stack stone, the property is hardy yet harmonises with its coastal environs. Visitors will be impressed on arrival by the six-metre-high glass atrium. Step inside and take the open-tread stairs (or lift) to the bedroom wings. One has the children’s spaces with a bunk-room, bathroom, snug and library retreat. In the other: bedrooms with balconies and walk-in robes and ensuites.The ground floor has a double garage, laundry, bathroom and the pool house. Along the glazed link is the vast open-plan communal space including a grand kitchen with scullery. The pool-house lounge and main-bedroom suite have two-storey cedar automated bifold screens, offering privacy without disrupting the home’s architectural rhythm. An interior courtyard anchors the house — perfect for entertaining or simply gazing out at the Pacific or Pāpāmoa Hills, wine in hand.