DAPTO

This Dapto project holds a special place for us. It was one of our flagship builds of 2025 and one of those projects where every element came together to create something truly special. For the design we worked in close collaboration with Breana Graham Landscape Architecture, we took a steep, challenging block and transformed it into a multi-tiered Mediterranean coastal retreat with breathtaking views across the Illawarra escarpment.
 

From the very beginning, the brief was clear, Mediterranean coastal with warmth, texture and a sense of arrival at every level. What made this project so technically demanding was the sheer scale of the civil and structural work required before a single plant went in the ground. The steep slope meant extensive excavation, drainage engineering and multiple tiers of retaining walls, It was the kind of foundational work you don't always see, but it's what makes everything above it possible.
 

At the heart of the design sits a stunning free-form pool, constructed by Pinnacle Pools, with a beautifully sculpted arched entry feature and soft curved steps finished in a render that perfectly captures that Mediterranean coastal feel. The pool is enclosed with curved frameless glass and non-conductive spigots by NCS, keeping the views completely unobstructed from every vantage point. Flowing around the pool, wide Savona Limestone pavers by Cinajus create a generous sun-drenched terrace that feels both refined and relaxed. The Malina Batten tiles from Gather Co continue from the retaining walls onto the pool surrounds and staircases, weaving a consistent material story throughout the entire space.
 

Perched off the home and elevated above the pool terrace, a custom-built Luxe Cantilever Pergola installed by Life Outdoors, with signature arched openings and a fully lined ceiling, creates an outdoor living room like no other. Sitting beneath it with those valley views in front of you, it genuinely feels like a private resort. The arched detailing carries through the entire design language, echoing the pool entry and tying the space together beautifully.
 

The planting palette brings the Mediterranean theme to life at every level thanks to our partners Exotic Nurseries. Architectural agaves and columnar cacti sit against the batten-tiled retaining walls, pebble and gravel garden beds frame the pool, fan palms add tropical softness, and rows of Italian cypress create rhythm and privacy. Lower down the slope, large garden beds bordered in Corten steel are planted with olive trees, silver-leafed groundcovers and native grasses, all mulched in rich black to contrast the warm tones above.
 

Tucked into the lower terrace, a natural firepit area with timber stump seating provides the perfect spot for cooler evenings, while the expansive lawn gives the kids plenty of room to run around — trampoline and all. This project is a celebration of what great design and quality construction can achieve, even when the land pushes back. We are incredibly proud of what the team delivered here.