New lease of life

Te Kōwhai I Waikato

When Brad Carlyon from Robust Homes Limited was asked to extend and transform this six year old rural Waikato home, he relished the challenge. The homeowners, previous clients of his, wanted a 57m2 addition, with master suite and multi-use room, to provide space for their growing family.

“Our first test was laying the concrete foundations for the new wing. We had to expose the end of the lounge, which meant building a temporary wall so the family could comfortably live on-site during the alteration,” says Brad.

A glass pivot door, sourced by the homeowner, creates a gateway from the original lounge to the modern extension. A large skylight runs the length of the home office wall, maximising natural light in the multi-use room: a bar is cleverly concealed behind a pair of floor-to-ceiling, American ash doors. “They look like a timber wall when closed,” explains Brad, “then fold away discreetly when opened.”

The homeowners brought personal flair into all elements of the renovation. “The recessed shelves in the bedroom and office, the tiled niche with glass shelving in the shower, bespoke vanities and taps, and gold fittings, all came together perfectly,” says Brad.

On the exterior, black vertical shiplap cladding used in the older part of the boomerang-shaped home continues seamlessly to the new addition. “The original plans didn’t match what was on site, so marrying the new cladding to the old required meticulous work,” says Brad. “Our team thoroughly enjoyed this project and the final result. We are always humbled to work with repeat clients and breathe new life into their homes.”