House Made of Glass and Oak with a View of the Great Australian Bay

The owners of this house, Lizzy and Wes Burns, moved to the Melbourne suburbs for their sons Elliott and Angus so that their childhood would be spent in silence, forests, and fresh air. Just like their father's childhood: Wes grew up on the west coast.

We have been striving all our lives to find a place in the countryside that would open new horizons for our family both literally and figuratively.

The couple searched for land to build on, and when a few years ago they saw an isolated plot of land up for sale, they immediately knew: this is what they needed. The plot was located on a rocky cliff with a view of the wild coastline, and around it were huge oaks that seemed to cling to the edge of the cliff.

We already now understand how lucky we were to find this land. Very lucky.

Currently, the house with fully glass walls reflects the sky and the trees surrounding it, while the view of the bay opens from all rooms. Large-scale glass helps the house blend into the natural landscape, become almost invisible, and float above the ground.

Currently, the house has a living room, kitchen, boys' rooms, a couple's bedroom, a guest room, two bathrooms, an office, a luxurious veranda, and even a basement. Only three materials are used in the interior: natural stone, wood, and glass. For example, all walls are clad with panels made from American oak, and the floor is laid with stone.

Interestingly, in the entire house, appliances and storage spaces are hidden behind wooden panels that open with a light touch. According to Lizzy and Wes, this makes it easier to keep the space clean.

This is a wonderful house for living in. Almost every day we walk to the beach, and we call our journey to the beach a 200-step walk because that’s how long it takes. We don’t understand what we did to deserve such happiness.