In this two-bedroom Karitane beach house, the living areas on the top floor and the guest suite below are all fronted by sliding doors that face towards the sea. The owners didn’t want the house to be as big as their previous home and didn’t want to... : Life’s a beach

Life’s a beach : Life’s a beach

Yvonne and Andrew Chadwick stumbled across Karitane while driving from Christchurch to Dunedin. ‘‘Andrew had a friend who used to spend summers in Karitane when he was at university and when we saw the Karitane sign, we drove in,’’ Mrs Chadwick says. ‘... : Life’s a beach

The owners’ spoodle, Suli, peeks around the corner at the top of the stairs. : Life’s a beach

In the guest bedroom, wicker baskets and a shell-patterned duvet cover reference the home’s seaside location. Mrs Chadwick took the photo of the historic wooden piles at St Clair. The adjoining deck offers expansive ocean views. : Life’s a beach

In the guest bedroom, wicker baskets and a shell-patterned duvet cover reference the home’s seaside location. Mrs Chadwick took the photo of the historic wooden piles at St Clair. The adjoining deck offers expansive ocean views. : Life’s a beach

Contrasting with the lighter timber and wall colours, the dark kitchen has a long island where both owners can be working at once, without getting in each other’s way. : Life’s a beach

The view from the deck off the living area. : Life’s a beach

Screened by plants, the outdoor bath and shower serve two purposes: the owners can bathe under the stars and their grandchildren can rinse off after being on the beach, keeping sand outside where it belongs. : Life’s a beach

The private outdoor area at the back of the house. : Life’s a beach

The master bedroom has ocean views in one direction and opens to the garden on the opposite side. : Life’s a beach

Life’s a beach : Life’s a beach