Scene stealer: Architect creates feng shui paradise perched above Pittwater

Walking along the bridge that extends from the street to the oversize front doors of this impressive Pittwater pile gives you just enough time to draw breath for a grand exhale upon entry.

Even the most jaded of visitors would have to be wowed by the magnificent scope of the Pittwater views that are captured via glass windows and doors on a grand scale.

Facing north over Careel Bay towards Palm Beach’s Snapperman Reserve and beyond to Lion Island and Gosford, the property is only two doors east of Stokes Point, home to Finisterre, the area’s most expensive waterfront property.

Architect Rosalie Stollery used feng shui principles when designing this waterfront residence in a bid to create a home where you feel relaxed, balanced and at peace, but with this kind of gobsmacking vista to process, the blood pressure can only go up.

Beyond the first encounter it’s easy to imagine living in a cocoon of contentment in a house where every room gazes over water.

“Inspiration for the design came from the site itself, where water laps over sandstone shelves and against the sandstone sea wall,” says Stollery in her project review.

“These elements have been borrowed and extended into the house, where water and sandstone are the two main elements. Ponds encircle the house, a huge wet-edge pool appears to flow into Pittwater and sandstone is used in a podium upon which the house sits.”

The painstakingly detailed build by Peter Williams Constructions took several years and was completed in 2010, and it’s a testament to both Stollery’s timeless design and the build quality that the home presents as beautifully as a brand-new property.

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Inside, the finishes reveal the owners’ interest in textured design. You’ll find silk panels on the walls of the main bedroom, a different choice of feature tiles in each of the bathrooms, Louis Poulson light fittings and linen curtains framing the large expanses of glass.

New Guinea rosewood has been used extensively and the striking, single-stringer staircase showcases reclaimed timber from the Bundaberg Rum refinery.

The main living and dining zones each feature inlaid silk and wool rugs made in Nepal, one a scaled reflection of Careel Bay. The kitchen has Brazilian granite benchtops and a combination of Miele and Gaggenau appliances. A media room is fitted with a home cinema and there’s an integrated surround system right through the house, plus a Control4 smart-home system.

There’s a large rumpus with kitchenette on the lower level, plus an adjoining multi-purpose room that could be used as a home gym, sewing room or study. Each of the four bedrooms on this level opens to the pool and garden.

The 22-metre lap pool was lined in black mosaic tiles so it would merge with, rather than float above, Pittwater.

There are plenty of outdoor areas to choose from across three levels of accommodation and at low tide you can enjoy your own sandy beach with a backdrop of native gardens.

“Without a doubt this is the best, absolute deep-waterfront estate currently available on Pittwater,” says agent Lachlan Elder of LJ Hooker Mona Vale, who is selling the home for $15 million. “Commanding unobstructed north-easterly views across the expansive waterways complemented by a stunning architectural masterpiece with heart and soul.”

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Boating paradise

The current owners of 6 Cabarita Road have kept a 20.3-metre boat here.
Photo: Supplied

Partaking in, and observing activities on Pittwater is the home’s greatest asset. Boats come and go, seaplanes deliver diners to Jonah’s, cement barges putter to Scotland Island, sailors race around the point.

Apart from birdsong, this non-intrusive ripple-riding rhythm is the only thing to break the silence. It is, in fact, ridiculously quiet when Domain makes a late morning visit, and it’s tempting to remove shoes and lower voices so as not to disturb the serenity.

Fittingly, the inclinator that runs from the carport to the waterfront doesn’t whine and grind but instead emits only a gentle hum.

Alight on the lawn by the boatshed and discover a boatie’s paradise. The boatshed has a kitchenette but is otherwise still employed to house watercraft, rather than used as an additional living space.

The wharf juts out to a deepwater, floating pontoon with power and water and while not currently in use, the original slip rails have been retained should you need them.

The current owners have kept a 20.3-metre boat here and enjoyed countless hours on Pittwater.

There’s little doubt the new owners will be tempted to follow suit.

See more photos of 6 Cabarita Road, Avalon Beach here. You can also download the Domain app to see what’s for sale on the Sydney market.