Ambridge Brittany - Surf shack: laid-back living by the water

Bondi Beach, Sydney

Andrea Shaw and Duncan Russell-Smith

Torquay, Australia

Every surfer has a version of that story. The one about their perfect wave or the best day theyve ever had on the water. Most of these tales involve double or triple overheads, or paddling out in some far-flung locale. But thats not the case for Aussie artist Andrea Shaw. Her idea of a good time is far more simple than that: A great day at her favorite local break Point Roadknight. If theres a big enough swell, you can get this really long beautiful ride, says Andrea. You can literally catch a wave, take it five hundred meters or so to shore, walk back to the break on the beach, and start the whole circuit all over again.

It doesnt hurt, of course, that Andrea lives in one of the best surf towns on the planet. Torquay is where legendary brands like Quicksilver and Rip Curl are headquartered. But its still a telling portrait of her mellow, in-it-for-the-ride approach. Andrea started surfing just three years ago and, initially, only got into it to have a more accessible alternative to skiing and snowboarding, which shes been doing since she was five years old. For some reason, I have this obsessive need to propel myself over the Earth at high speeds, she laughs. Its a passion, though, and the fact that she could only afford to snowboard once a year was taking its toll.

So shes been filling that void with surfing, hitting the water far more often than she ever saw the slopes. Unlike most newbies, though, Andrea never took a single lesson. Instead she bought a board and went at it trial-and-error style, saying the only thing she ever really worries about are run-ins with the old sea dogs whove been surfing the same breaks for forty years. Get in their way or snake one of their waves, and its like your grandpa giving you a talking-to.

Localism be damned, at least once a week, she paddles out with a group of ladies she rides with, many of them fellow artists and creatives who work out of the same studio as Andrea and her furniture-making husband, Duncan Russell-Smith. The group texts start before sunrise. We dont even use words anymore, just emojis: Surf emoji. Thumbs-up emoji. Thumbs-down emoji. Question mark, she says. Thats standard practiceeven in the winter. All the members of her crew surf because its fun. Being in nature, on the water, is peaceful, relaxing, and centering for them.

It was this need to be outdoors that brought Andrea and Duncan to the Surf Coast three years ago. Hes originally from England, and she grew up on a farm in the country. After years of living in Melbourne together, they were ready for a change that involved a little more house and a lot more greeneryand the 1960s modernist home they ended up in offered both.

Andrea and Duncan are the first to admit that, from the outside, its a bit of an ugly duckling. Its the oldest house on the block and hasnt seen a renovation since the early nineties. But they saw past what scared off most buyers (the falling-down shed in the yard, the pinky-beige kitchen laminate) and fell in love with its potentialits open floor plan and natural light. Our vibe matched the house, she says. We could already picture ourselves in it.

In just over a year, theyve managed to turn the once-dated space into a cozy, eclectic hideaway, not through expensive renovations, but with savvy design choices that work with whats already there. The furniture, a mix of midcentury vintage finds and custom pieces by Duncan, accentuates the clean-lined architecture and retro aesthetic, while Andreas modern artwork and super-bright textile collection add vivid bursts of color.

On the whole, theyve taken a very minimal approach to decorating, preferring the laid-back feel of having a little over a lot. If anything, theyve spent more time in the garden, where theyve planted hibiscus bushes, a lemon tree, and lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, and pumpkins. Most afternoons you can find Andrea dragging a chair from one garden-view window to the next, chasing the sun across the yard and soaking in all her hard work.