The Cabin: Rustic aged bricks meets coastal living

Webb & Brown-Neaves latest display home, The Cabin, located in Peet’s Burns Beach Display village is a contemporary beach cabin that challenges coastal design normalities. A unique coastal home intended to be a stand-out in the street, The Cabin creates a distinctive contrast in a coastal environment.

The ground floor of The Cabin features Brickworks’ ‘San Selmo’ Aged Red bricks, complementing the brave charcoal external render. We spoke to Brickworks’ Business Development Manager, Darlene De Jong about the use of this brick and why it works so well for the design.

“During The Cabin’s concept stages, WB Designer Joseph Calasara was initially drawn to Austral Bricks’ San Selmo Reclaimed Range. The textural characteristics of the Italian bricks made them a natural fit to the home,” Darlene said.

“The timing was perfect because we had just added two variations of the original brick to the range. The new additions possessed the same texture as the original but with the advantage of slight tonal variations that fitted well with the theme.”“Once the team had experienced the Aged Red, there was no going back!”

"We were seeing a national and global shift towards reclaimed bricks based largely on the unique nature of each component. No two bricks are the same,” Darlene said.

“With recycled bricks, we can encounter issues with verifying things like structural adequacy and lead content from old paintwork. So the Brickworks Innovation Team went on a mission for WB and found these beautiful Italian bricks that are not only genuinely hand-made, rustic and truly unique but meet all current standards and construction compliance.”

The Cabin challenges traditional coastal design and the San Selmo bricks aid in ensuring it is a stand-out home.

"This home is entirely unique,” said Darlene. “For some time, we’ve been seeing a very generic interpretation of ‘coastal’ theming – flat painted rectilinear forms in shade of white and grey.”

“The San Selmo Aged Bricks stand out by adding dimension and texture to the home. The tone is warm, yet still soft and natural in its setting.”

“The Cabin provides a sense of comfort and escapism – a warm retreat to envelope and nurture you. That’s why the San Selmo Aged Red Bricks are such a perfect fit. Robust, yet warm and engaging.”

Creating continuity from the home’s façade to the landscaping was important to Joseph when designing The Cabin and the San Selmo Bricks were the perfect choice for this reason.“There is a lovely, seamless transition between the two zones,” Darlene said.

“Incorporating the bricks into the landscaping ensures your experience doesn’t simply finish at the façade… you spill comfortably into the outdoor space because those simple, natural finishes are right there with you."

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