The Surf Yamba Opens in Coastal New South Wales
The Surf Yamba is a contemporary Australian hotel that marries relaxed coastal style with Mediterranean influences, its laid-back interiors courtesy of the Design King Company
When architect Jon King of Design King Company was first approached by the Mayne family to build a hotel in Yamba on the coast of Northern New South Wales, he was fairly underwhelmed with the location. ‘I didn’t immediately sense that this would be the site for a unique boutique hotel, but when I got a glimpse of Yamba from the air on my way home to Sydney I suddenly realised the magnificence of the place, with the river, stretches of beaches, headlands and national parks. It completely captured my imagination,’ King says.
As he spent more time in the area, he says he began to ‘see below the surface, to get the subtle rhythm of life and the special qualities of the place and its people.’
The Surf Yamba was to be the town’s first boutique accommodation and the idea was to merge a relaxed coastal style with a beachy Mediterranean atmosphere. The goal was to create a place where guests would feel as comfortable barefoot as they would on the rooftop deck with its classic European influences. King and his team sought inspiration from traditional romantic seaside accommodation, Yamba’s 1950s lighthouse and the iconic oceanfront Pacific Hotel nearby. There’s also a nod to the nautical, with the curved building calling to mind an Art Deco ocean liner.
The hotel embodies a ‘check in and chill out’ philosophy. In the guest suites, materials like Italian terrazzo in hues of strawberry gelato and pistachio are paired with warm timbers. In the communal areas, glazed ceramic breezeblocks provide privacy and protection from the salty air while conjuring ephemeral light. ‘Most importantly, they encourage the passage of sea breezes through the walkways and main stairway,’ says King. The interiors are detailed with striped canvases, grasscloth, modern metal balustrades and colourful mosaics in the bathrooms.
Inspired by Australia’s rich surfing culture with a contemporary twist, the hotel is decked out in pieces from Scandinavian brands Muuto and Hay and Australian outdoor furniture brand Tait, and features amenities from Leif. All of the interior details, King says, ‘complement and reinforce the tones, textures and light quality associated with living by the sea. Together, they are timeless and uncomplicated, and combine to become the relaxed and sophisticated building you see today.’
Text / Carli Philips
Images / Elise Hassey
