PURPOSEFUL DESIGN

from Abode - Issue 60 - September/October 2022

THE MIGHTY MULLET

THE LOVE BEHIND THE LUXURY

THE REFINED INTERIORS OF THIS LUXURY LODGE HAVE ONE THING AT THEIR CORE, SPECTACULAR DESIGN WITH AROHA – ACHIEVED BY TWO BIRDS DESIGN AND ARCHIMATTER.

WORDS KATHY CATTON PHOTOGRAPHY PETER REES NOTHING BEATS TIMBER Timbers of New Zealand were the perfect choice for the wood flooring, ceiling and exterior cladding of Kaitiaki Lodge.

There’s something quite different about designing a luxury lodge. It’s not just about creating ‘bling’ and using super-sized furniture. It’s more about a state of mind or a feeling that is created, so that guests have a sense of being immediately at home with the distinct belief that living is easy.

Kath Preston and Jackie Stenberg are the masterminds behind the interiors of this gracious Waiheke Island residence known as Kaitiaki Lodge.

“It was during the first Covid-19 lockdown that we started to throw ideas around and figure out how we could work together,” says Jackie. “Kath has over 16 years of experience in interior design, and I’ve been doing home staging and working in the flooring industry, so it was a great blend of our different skills.”

Armed with business plans and plenty of creativity, Two Birds Design was founded, and the two got to work on establishing their brand and building a client base.

“We decided to take a stand at the home show in Christchurch in 2021, and it’s here that we met Nathan, owner of the Kaitiaki Lodge,” says Kath. “Nathan approached us and said he was looking for an interior designer for his home. He’d seen our work on Instagram, and he liked what he saw.”

Nathan had bought the 10-acre bare site while living in Tokyo. Being so far from home and living in such a big city, he was yearning for a piece of New Zealand he could call his own.

“I had visited Waiheke Island in 2014 and loved the mixture of white sand beaches, extensive native bush and wonderful community,” says Nathan. “When I saw this land on TradeMe, I knew I had to view it.” Fast-forward just a few months, and Nathan had completed the purchase.

The pandemic made it the perfect time for Nathan to return to our shores and dive into the project of creating a luxury lodge. “My uncle is an experienced property TWO BIRDS DESIGN Interior designers Kath and Jackie created the functionality and beauty behind all of the interiors of this luxurious lodge.

LUSH UNDERFOOT All the Bremworth carpets in the home are made in New Zealand with 100% NZ wool and create a luxurious feel in the lodge. developer, so with his expertise and support behind me, I felt confident we could build something truly special.”

And special it is. The lodge is a five-bedroom abode with stunning views across the Hauraki Gulf. As the Ma¯ori name ‘kaitiaki’ suggests, there’s a sense of being held and nurtured when you arrive here. With a swimming pool and spa, and set on three separate levels, the consented 260 square metre lodge is incredibly efficient with space while also allowing for 10 guests to comfortably stay.

Nathan worked with Leon Bieldt from Archimatter to design the contemporary home perched high up on the land.

“Nathan contacted me with a brief of creating a modern wood cabin or bach, without compromising on luxury. He supplied some ideas of homes he liked,” says Leon. “I like this approach of working together with the client as a team, rather than the designer dictating their personal style onto the client. Nathan has impeccable taste, so I felt comfortable that such a collaborative process would yield a successful project.”

Leon from Archimatter is conscious of the budget constraints of all homeowners in the current climate and says he works collaboratively to ensure a realistic outcome. “It’s a balance between architectural style and project cost. Simple design is essential, but the key is to avoid it being banal or boring.”

Far from boring, this home has two primary materials for the construction design. “With the material supply chain drama unfolding during construction, we had to be flexible in our choice of wood and roofing,” says Leon. “We settled on South Island Macrocarpa for the ceiling and exterior cladding with Colorcote Horoeka for the roof.”

What’s also exquisite in the design of this home is how the terrace plan form was used. Leon explains more, saying, “Given the steep slope of the section, the terrace plan form was selected so the lower level projects forward of the upper level. This allowed the lower-level roof to become the outdoor living deck of the upper level.” Even the introduction of the pool lends itself perfectly to a third lower terrace.