HIA Eastern Victoria Home of the Year
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Portsea Residence Awarded HIA Eastern Victoria Home of the Year
Our Portsea residence has been awarded 2026 HIA Eastern Victoria Home of the Year, the highest honour of the evening and a proud achievement for Lowe Design & Build. Announced at RACV Cape Schanck Resort before an audience of leading residential builders, designers and manufacturers, the award celebrates a home shaped by its coastal setting, thoughtful design and exceptional craftsmanship
Alongside Home of the Year, the residence received three further awards:
- Custom Built Home of the Year
- Custom Built Home over $2 million
- Residential Design
The kitchen also received Highly Commended recognition in the New Kitchen over $50,000 category.
“This is an outstanding, sophisticated home, and a fantastic example of luxury coastal living,”
In its assessment, HIA highlighted the team’s careful eye for detail and commitment to craftsmanship, recognising the home’s seamless indoor-outdoor connections, earthy material palette and standout helical staircase.
A celebration of craft and coastal living
Set within the coastal landscape of Portsea on the Mornington Peninsula, the residence was designed as a holiday retreat for a growing extended family. Generous spaces bring family and friends together, while quieter rooms offer privacy and retreat.
On the ground floor, expansive stacker sliding doors connect the alfresco with the kitchen and dining area, continuing through to a sunken lounge. A private main suite sits at the rear, while three further bedrooms, two bathrooms and a retreat occupy the upper level. This considered arrangement allows the home to accommodate larger gatherings while retaining a sense of intimacy.
Timber, concrete and natural stone establish a grounded material palette, selected for their enduring character and connection to the coastal surrounds. Marble, granite, oak joinery and expressive crazy paving introduce warmth and texture, balancing refinement with the relaxed demands of a family holiday home.
Crazy paving extends from the driveway through the garage living space and into the sunken lounge and main bedroom. Its continuity softens the transition between exterior and interior, while timber flooring brings warmth to the kitchen and dining spaces.
Craftsmanship in every detail
At the centre of the home, a helical staircase rises beneath a circular skylight, drawing natural light into the interior. The judges singled out its exceptional polished plaster finish as a standout example of the team’s craftsmanship.
The kitchen is anchored by a sculpted marble island, while the sunken lounge is defined by off-form, in-situ concrete and centred around a cast-iron fireplace. In the privately positioned main suite, reeded glass, bespoke tiling and stone surfaces create a calm, tactile retreat.
Externally, timber cladding is designed to weather naturally to a soft silvery grey, reflecting the surrounding coastal landscape. Operable timber screens on the upper level allow privacy, light and outlook to be moderated throughout the day.
Ironbark decking and structured planting frame the pool and spa, extending the home’s material language into the garden and supporting an easy transition from beach to pool to interior.
A home to enjoy for generations
This recognition celebrates the collective expertise and care that brought this Portsea residence to life. Throughout the home, meticulous detailing and durable, expressive materials support a place designed to age gracefully and welcome family and friends for generations.
We thank our clients for entrusting us with their family holiday home and for welcoming the HIA judges to experience it. We also acknowledge our team, trades, suppliers and collaborators whose contribution made this achievement possible.
Interiors were developed in collaboration with SCID Group, with landscape design by Plume Studio and furnishings curated by SCID Group.