The colour and material palette draws from mid-century influences and the retro beach culture that defined New Zealand summers in the 1940s to 1960s, when the humble bach became a coastal icon.
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Colour is used as an architectural device, defining space, rhythm, and movement throughout the home. Bold moments of yellow and blue are balanced with warm timber to create cohesion, turning everyday rituals into playful, intimate experiences grounded in mid-century influence.
This Northland bach was reimagined as a home for Marie and Charles, illustrators and designers with a love of mid-century design. With a modest coastal footprint, the home celebrates colour, pattern, and materiality, reflecting their personalities and the Kiwi bach tradition. Drawing on mid-century influences and the retro beach culture of 1940s–1960s New Zealand, the palette balances calm neutrals with blocks of yellow, blue, and warm timber. Colour defines spaces, creates visual rhythm, and brings joy to everyday routines, turning ordinary moments, making tea or doing laundry, into playful, intimate experiences. Colour is integrated into the architecture. Kitchen cabinetry in a subtle coastal blue complements timber tones, while the laundry is boldly displayed in sunny yellow, paired with matching tiles. Bathrooms feature durable linoleum in vibrant colours, adding tactility and mid-century charm. Timber grounds the interiors, softening white walls and ceilings, and repetition of colour across cabinetry and architectural elements establishes cohesion. Every choice reflects the clients’ personality. Marie’s playful eye for pattern meets Charles’ quiet, considered sensibility, resulting in a home that feels calm yet joyful, personal yet timeless, a home that celebrates heritage but is unmistakably theirs.
Drawing on mid-century influences and the retro beach culture of 1940s–1960s New Zealand, the palette balances calm neutrals with blocks of yellow, blue, and warm timber.
Creative Director: Kate Pilot
Created during KANAT in collaboration with Natalia Glucina
