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Coastal living space / New Zealand

Herne Bay

Space to gather. Room to breathe.

Custom double-sided cream sofa beside sea-facing windows in Herne Bay.
A custom double-sided sofa gives the family a choice of outlook, making space for both the ocean and the fireplace.

The story

One thoughtful furniture design changes the way a room works.

ProjectCoastal living space
DesignShanly Simpson

The existing layout was not making the most of this Herne Bay living space. The family wanted generous seating for friends and family, without interrupting movement through the room or turning away from the view.

Shanly designed a double-sided sofa and bench seating to respond to both the fireplace and the ocean. The arrangement gives people a choice of outlook and makes gathering together feel natural.

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A closer look / Herne Bay

Pale sofa and cushions with a side table beside the window.
Soft cushions and a neatly placed side table bring everyday comfort to the generous seating without crowding the windows.
Close view of the custom double-sided sofa and its central backrests.
The central backrests let one sofa serve two directions, helping the room work as a connected gathering space.
Living room seating arranged around low pale coffee tables.
Low tables and generous seating create an easy place to gather, with pale upholstery lifting the darker surroundings.
Long upholstered bench beside the Herne Bay living room windows.
A long upholstered bench adds seating along the windows while keeping the middle of the room open.
Herne Bay house exterior beneath a dramatic evening sky.
The home’s strong architectural lines form the backdrop to a softer, more flexible living space inside.

A room with more than one view.

The custom seating is the heart of this project. Pale upholstery, layered cushions and simple tables keep the composition calm, allowing the architecture and changing light to remain part of the room.

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