The fun ship
Stepping inside, ‘Long Reef', you could easily be mistaken for thinking you were at sea. Located close enough to the beach to hear the waves roll in and smell the sea breeze, ‘Long Reef' is the flagship home in an exclusive seven-dwelling estate located on Sydney's Northern Beaches. But location alone is not the only reason for giving you sea legs. When it comes to style this stunning property takes its design cues from the ocean.
Resembling a luxury liner with nautical style balustrades and lights, portholes, enormous expanses of glazing, faceted milk glass panels, curved lines and a green-grey colour scheme, ‘Long Reef' is a four-year labour of love for developer and designer Phillip Franks.
The connection with the ocean is felt throughout the whole property, from the imposing curved concrete roofing to the elevated wave-inspired deck facing out to sea. Frank's striking and bold visualisation is realised throughout every aspect of the expansive home.
When intelligence meets elegance
What makes this property unique is not just its striking and original design but the technology that has been incorporated throughout the property. Simplicity, security and convenience were lifestyle elements Franks wanted to maximise and that is where customs installer, Dean Storey from Inhome Automation stepped in.
"Phil has always been developing very up-market houses and wanted the latest technology, including structured wiring, home automation, home theatre, integrated security …the whole lot," says Storey.
In order to meet these needs Storey chose to use the iCONTROL Home Automation system developed and engineered by HPM Technologies Pty Ltd. "The benefit of the iCONTROL automation is that HPM delivers flexibility to the system. It is future-based so it sets the client up for anywhere down the track, future upgrades can be made easily, reprogramming is not a problem and anything can be changed within the house," he says.
The overriding concern of the client was that the technology being installed be kept inline with the contemporary design of the house. "The client wanted stainless steel throughout the house. He wanted a modern look, the latest technology and the latest aesthetic," says Storey.
Elegant, flush stainless steel keypads were used to create a modern look as well as provide protection against the harsh elements that come with living so close to the sea.
