Framed by the pool, the Aireys Inlet lounge chair by Kett for Cosh Living draws the eye outward— its woven frame and deep olive upholstery resonating with the native garden beyond. Beside it, the Tribú Mare side table offers a considered tempered, coloured glass counterpoint to compose a moment that captures the threshold between architecture, water, and landscape that defines Somers Beach House.
Perched on a steep beachfront site overlooking Melbourne’s Westernport Bay, Somers Beach House by Wellard Architects responds to its coastal context with confidence. Composed across two levels of timber-clad volumes that seemingly float above the native bushland and beach beyond, the home reimagines contemporary seaside living, creating a multigenerational retreat that feels effortlessly of its place.
In this conversation with founder and architect Huw Wellard, he reflects on the design approach, the site’s influence, and the subtle gestures that make Somers Beach House so engaging. From the brief to the material palette and the flow of spaces, every decision was shaped by the surrounding landscape—resulting in a holiday home that feels both generous and connected to the coast.
In partnership with Cosh Living.
In this conversation with founder and architect Huw Wellard, he reflects on the design approach, the site’s influence, and the subtle architectural gestures that make Somers Beach House such a captivating retreat. Huw speaks to how the brief, material choices, and spatial moves were each carefully considered in response to the surrounding landscape — resulting in spaces that feel generous yet deeply connected to the coast.
Alongside the architecture, we turn our eye to Cosh Living‘s latest outdoor collections by Melbourne-based furniture brand Kett—Addis Bay, Shoreham, and Aireys Inlet—arranged across the home’s outdoor zones. Each new Kett piece defines and anchors its space while remaining integrated with the landscape, revealing how considered design and elegant, Australian-designed furniture come together to create a lifestyle that feels both aspirational and livable.
Kett’s Addis Bay collection from Cosh Living and Tribú Monsieur Tricot lighting pieces sit on the upper deck of Somers Beach House, overlooking the ocean beyond.
“The adaptability and customisation within Cosh Living’s range is exceptional. Coupling different powder-coated frame finishes with beautifully textured fabrics offers flexibility and lends itself naturally to working across varied architectural material palettes.”
-Huw Wellard, Wellard Architects
The Addis Bay sofa by Cosh Living anchors the upper deck at Somers Beach House; its textured boucle upholstery and warm ochre-toned cushions echo the coastal palette.
The Wye dining chairs and Wye dining table by Kett for Cosh Living sit effortlessly within landscape designer Fiona Brockhoff’s coastal courtyard garden, creating a seamless dialogue between indoors and out.
The Shoreham armchair, informs part of the Shoreham collection designed by Kett for Cosh Living, settles naturally in the front deck garden landscape—its solid timber frame holds its own alongside the pampas grasses, native plantings, and weathered stone of the coastal garden.
Your projects often blur the line between indoor and outdoor. How do you approach the integration of architecture and landscape?
Huw Wellard: It’s always front of mind when I first put pen to paper. The thresholds in any building are natural tension points, and I’m always mindful of subtly trying to calm those interfaces. I’m a firm believer that landscaping and access to the outdoors is fundamental to healthy living.
Restraint and rhythm are recurring principles in your work. How do these guide your decisions in shaping planting, built elements, and outdoor furniture to create spaces that flow?
Huw Wellard: We often refer to the ‘livability’ of a building, which relates to simple circulation between zones, and more directly to how furniture is positioned, both internally and externally. We love integrated planter boxes as a more controlled, formal landscaping response, but generally try to couple these with a variety of potted plants. That balance often informs decisions around the positioning and selection of outdoor furniture depending on the space.
How did the Somers’ site inform the layout of the garden, furniture placement, and overall outdoor design?
Huw Wellard: Somers Beach House is constructed on a steep site, and we were very conscious of breaking down the building mass so the house didn’t detrimentally overshadow the lower garden area to the south. We worked with garden designer Fiona Brockhoff to create a meandering pathway connecting the house with the lower garden and boatshed. Fiona’s design included custom-built timber benches, vegetable planter boxes, and scattered fruit trees positioned according to where they would thrive best.
The outdoor areas at the upper levels are oriented to the south to take advantage of the magnificent views across Westernport Bay, and to the north, where they’re sheltered from the strong southerly breezes. The transparent building form ensures view lines are maintained from both areas.
When selecting and positioning outdoor furniture, how do scale, texture, form, and materiality contribute to cohesion between the home, garden, and surrounding landscape?
Huw Wellard: Outdoor furniture obviously needs to be robust, but it also needs to be comfortable. Materiality matters enormously — as does how a piece reads from every angle. You might only catch a glimpse of the back of a sofa from certain vantage points on a balcony, but it still needs to hold up. The adaptability and customisation within Cosh Living’s range is exceptional. Coupling different powder-coated frame finishes with beautifully textured fabrics offers flexibility and lends itself naturally to working across varied architectural material palettes.
A pair of Wye lounge chairs in warm terracotta sit before the timber-clad pavilion at the lower garden level; their slender stainless-steel frames align with the rhythm of the vertical batten screen and the weathered textures of the beachfront location.
“Each piece should serve a purpose — defining spaces, encouraging interaction, and creating a sense of ease.”
-Huw Wellard, Wellard Architects
A selection of Domani textured pots available from Cosh Living later in 2026 adds the perfect sculptural touch to the front deck of Somers Beach House.
Architect Huw Wellard at Somers Beach House
