Our Place Second Edition

Our

P L A CE With David Reid Homes

Glamour in the Countryside

SUMMER VIBES: New Homes with Hot Design Appeal OUR PL ACE — 1 • • Outdoor Rooms to Picnic In Kitchen & Bathroom Inspiration Sustainability on the Menu

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OUR PL ACE — 3

I A DMIT TO feeling a little guilty while riding the Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail with my family in the October 2021 school holidays, knowing that Aucklanders were still stuck in lockdown. That spectacular journey from Mt Cook, past ice-blue lakes and on through the wild, wide valleys to the Pacific reinforced why I love calling Aotearoa home. But I also saw first-hand how having our biggest city cut off from the rest of the country made it difficult for grassroots businesses to keep their heads above water.

The lack of certainty brought about by Covid-19 has been frustrating for individuals and for commerce alike, and it has been no different at David Reid Homes. That said, we’ve had an active and expansive 2021. In fact, our biggest year yet. As New Zealanders turn to their homes for security, comfort and safer socialising, confidence in property shows no sign of waning.

A fantastic resurgence in the regions has been another spinoff of the pandemic. With more flexibility

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in their working lives, people are happy to commute part time and live further away from the main centres.

In Wellington that has meant growth in the Kapiti Coast and Wairarapa; north of Auckland, towns such as Warkworth are booming.

One surprise was the growth David Reid Homes achieved in the Queenstown market. Whereas hospitality and retail suffered, the crisis has pushed many to fast-forward their long-term plans, building holiday escapes they will one day retire to – or just taking the plunge and moving straight away.

Amidst all this activity, we opened three new franchises (one in Rodney, one in East Auckland and another in the Wairarapa), so that the network now operates across 20 locations. Our franchisees are, without fail, salt-ofthe-earth sorts: people with an affinity for design and professional expertise in the building industry. They’re locals too, so understand the nuances of the environment and are deeply connected to their communities.

Portrait Paul McCredie

Welcome to Our Place

“A fantastic resurgence in the regions has been another spinoff of the pandemic.”

This second edition of Our Place is a platform for the inspired work we’ve been creating. Each house embraces place and individuality. Each exemplifies our justhatched brand statement: Experience the New. After 28 years in business, we’ve updated our slogan to reflect the possibilities that new design, new technologies and new materials can bring to your home – and your life. That could be more flexibility of space, a double whammy of wow factor, lower running costs or a combination of them all. Point is, the experience of new centres on YOU. The line-up in this issue illustrates that beautifully.

In the South Island, we visit a couple who left Auckland for the alpine action of Queenstown (see above). They used a palette of local materials for a lodge-like feel and are lapping up the slower pace at Jack’s Point. Further north in Lake Ōhau, a home with a modern-rustic aesthetic is one of few to survive the devastating fires of October 2020 unscathed, for which the owners are immensely grateful. A couple who retired to Waikanae

love the guaranteed warmth their brand-new house brings, while in Taupo a young family with two energetic kids enjoy having spaces to be together – and apart – including a built-in bar. We also feature a holiday home in the Coromandel perched on the edge of paradise and a Herne Bay townhouse development that celebrates the joy of smaller, smarter design on the city fringe. Finally, in the Bombay Hills, two busy medical professionals, who return to their luxurious sanctuary at the end of each workday, now can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Ben Allan Managing Director, David Reid Homes

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CONTENTS 10 Steep & meaningful This hillside in the Bombays may have proved too difficult for some to build on, but for this busy couple, it is heaven on earth

19 Glam slam Metallics mix with pretty, pale colours and a dash of cocktail cool

22 Wild & wonderful

This Mackenzie Country home, that survived a devastating fire, stands as a testament to teamwork

29 Easy eclectic Warm tones and favourite finds capture the feeling of home 6 — OUR PL ACE

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30 Come one, come all As one Taupō couple discovered, if you move away from family, you had best be prepared for house-guests

36 An urban tale Sitting pretty in the city, there’s a lot to love about these townhouses that emphasise the positives of medium-density design

42 Room recipes Put these ingredients together to guarantee a kitchen or bathroom that hits the spot

50 Peak practice

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When these Central Otago newbies moved to this alpine playground, they wanted their home to pay homage to the mountains

57 Alpine essence Leathers, velvets and accessories to set a moody, masculine style

58 Green is the colour... of the future. Sustainable ideas for those looking to build

64 A fresh perspective

With David Reid Homes

70 Summer spaces

OUR PL AC E

When this couple moved south to be closer to family in Wellington, their reimagined home was slighter in size but greater in opportunity

Our

PL ACE With David Reid Homes

Decks, patios and sunny spots

76 Sight unseen

ON THE COVER Living the high life on this hillside section in the countryside (page 10).

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This holiday home on a spectacular site will be the fulcrum of many happy memories – when the owners finally get to move in

SUMMER VIBES: New Homes with Hot Design Appeal Outdoor Rooms to Picnic in • Kitchen & Bathroom Inspiration • Sustainability on the Menu

Photography by Duncan Innes Stylist Ingrid Schümann

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OUR PL ACE — 9

Steep & meaningful

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This hillside in the Bombays may have proved too difficult for some to build on, but for this busy professional couple, it is heaven on earth

LEFT Robust materials including Colorsteel longrun roofing in ‘Ebony’ and a spine of concrete tilt panels anchor the dwelling to the hillside.

The owners have planted Boston ivy to clamber over and soften the concrete wall.

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THIS PAGE In the living areas, Quick-Step Compact flooring in ‘Natural Oak’ has an extra-matt finish. Owners Heather and Elle chose a Valentina rug in ‘Blush’ from Coco Republic to define the lounge, where a beaten brass drum coffee table from Freedom teams with Seymour chairs and a Jasper sofa, both from King Living.

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Photography Duncan Innes

WITH ITS RUSTIC board-and-batten cladding and rural setting, where five sheep, two pigs, two chickens and a cat-that-got-the-cream roam, it’s a surprise to find how sleek and minimal this home in the Bombay Hills is on the inside. Somehow comforting too. Owners Heather and Elle Le Cocq-Estcourt are both medical professionals and Heather, a reconstructive plastic surgeon, no doubt needs both vision and precision to fulfil her role at the operating table. “I like everything to look very aesthetic,” she admits. “We are both quite organised.”

This project has been a long-held ambition for Heather who, as a teenager, watched her parents build a house on Jersey in the Channel Islands. The process inspired her. “I wanted to live somewhere that we got to choose everything − and design it exactly the way we wanted it,” she says. Moving to New Zealand nine years ago made that possible.

The couple say they instantly fell in love with the 4600-square-metre site. Tūī and whispering gumtrees welcomed them at the gate and, once they made their way halfway along the hill, hawks circling the valley below evoked a wild and magical feeling. “I felt like we’d be living in the land, not just on top of it,” says Heather. F

ABOVE Outside the main bedroom is a courtyard with bluestone crazy paving; it’s a tranquil spot for coffee if you’re up with the birds.

LEFT Shadowclad ply boardand-batten cladding and garapa timber decking have a rustic feel that belies the glamour of the interiors.

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Yet, they knew it would be a struggle to get the ground shovel-ready. The site was steep. All of it. When the house company that sold them the land started to appear out of their depth in terms of dealing with the vertiginous slope, they switched to David Reid Homes.

First, local franchise owner Brendon Hamill and Elle (a registered nurse) got to grips with the engineering requirements, working out a solution that would give them a building platform and not leave the financials in tatters. Brendon also gently persuaded Heather away from a two-storey home. “Coming from England, that was my initial plan, but Brendon said a single-level design would fit in the land really well – and he was right,” says Heather.

Today, the first glimpse of the house gives an understanding of the challenge they faced. A four-metre graduated retaining wall circles dwelling and driveway, and sets the stage for the main event. From here on in, however, simplicity reigns. The concrete anchors the 14 — O U R P L AC E

rear of a linear footprint that comprises a centralised living zone that separates two bedroom wings – one for Elle and Heather, and another for their guests. It’s contemporary, calm and exquisitely decked out.

Heather, ever methodical, had chosen every last tile and tap well in advance of the build. “I thought it was what we were meant to do,” she laughs. Her aim was for a luxe, strong aesthetic and to use ideas she’d picked up from Instagram and home-makeover shows. “I have to admit to being a fan of The Block Australia,” she says.

She enjoyed working closely with Leonie Hamill of Cube Dentro on the kitchen design. Her ‘must-have’ in the home included a smokey mirror and it was Leonie who persuaded her she needed a built-in cocktail bar to go with that wish-listed item. The kitchen is pared back, yet luxurious. A wall of glossy white cabinetry with no handles is the backdrop to the dark-stained island which is topped in Iranian onyx and lit from below so that it seems to float in space. F

OPPOSITE A double-sided fireplace separates the kitchen from the living room and bar where Lee Broom pendants hang above the cocktail cabinetry. A Tom Dixon copper pendant lends metallic magic, and a smokey mirror reflects the view.

LEFT The kitchen, designed with Leonie Hamill from Cube Dentro, has glossy white cabinetry, a benchtop of white Iranian onyx and a Phoenix Vivid Slimline sink mixer. A Lee Broom Mini Crescent chandelier is the final touch.

BELOW Art was an important consideration in the design and a commissioned work by London artist Sophie Derrick hangs on the concrete wall; above the fireplace is a piece bought from Flo & Frankie.

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LEFT A roughsawn, timber-finished concrete wall in the main bedroom and ceilings clad in American ash battens bring texture to the material palette.

RIGHT In contrast, the concrete wall in the guest bedroom is smooth but still perfectly imperfect. OPPOSITE Rose gold Progetto Buddy tapware has a modern elegance alongside the Victoria & Albert Barcelona bath and polished porcelain Verona white wall tiles.

“I wanted to live somewhere that we got to choose everything – and design it exactly the way we wanted it.”

Adjacent to this, the bar is the epitome of glamour with suspended brass shelving, oblique brass detailing in the cabinetry and brass Lee Broom pendants all reflected in that smokey-glass mirror. Cocktail hour never felt so 007.

Intimate moments such as these are woven into many aspects of the design – which may be minimal but still embraces humanity. The couple insisted on three fireplaces – yes, three – and the 1.5 metre-wide throughwall one between the living and dining area brings a special ambience to both zones. There is another in the courtyard and a third in the library, where two leather easy chairs huddle around a free-standing gas fire that looks just like a woodburner. “We didn’t want the primary purpose of this room to be a study. We wanted 16 — O U R PL AC E

it be somewhere we could sit comfortably and pick up a book while drinking a brandy,” says Heather.

With floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the great outdoors as hero, there are many places to appreciate the landscape. Nine-metre wide sliding doors lead out to a deck that becomes a bridge on an ocean of green.

Heather and Elle, who got the keys to their new life in December 2019, have transformed paddocks full of thistles and replaced the 100 gum trees they had to remove to build with 130 seasonal and evergreen trees.

It has been hard yakka every weekend, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. “To wake up every day to see the view from the hill, with the sky ever changing, makes us appreciate the beauty of the house itself and the way the land wraps around to hold us.” F

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Future thinking In the design and build of their first home together, Heather and Elle tried to anticipate how the dwelling would cope with all their tomorrows. Here are their learnings: • Design rooms to be wheelchair friendly with everything on a single level and no stairs, even at the entrance.

• Open plan is useful for wheelchair access but, where there are doorways, make them extra wide and ensure everything is flush with the floor level, for example, no step to the outside or up into the shower.

• Don’t compromise on quality to achieve the ‘luxury’ of an extra bedroom that you may hardly use.

Think laterally. The home officially has two bedrooms but the library (or snug) could convert to a third bedroom for resale. And the bathroom at that end of the home is not an en suite so it can be easily accessed.

• The pair anticipate that once lockdown is over, they will receive a few more overseas visitors. The house is designed in two ‘wings’ with a central area for gathering but privacy for all.

• Use trees and shrubs to give structure to a large garden where maintenance may one day become too difficult to keep up with.

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ABOVE A painting by Elle at the end of the hallway is based on artwork used on the bottle of the couple’s favourite champagne: Gardet Raphael Laventure rosé.

LEFT Vintage chairs bought on Trade Me occupy the cosy snug.

Glam slam Mix metallics with pretty, pale colours and a dash of cocktail cool to put the accent on glamour 3 4

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1 Ferm Living Alza bowl, $299, Superette. 2 The Alchemist Cocktail Book, $40, Lamp Light Books. 3 Banana Palm linen cushion, $89, Bolt of Cloth. 4 Basil glass pendant, $249, Mr Ralph.

5 New Zealand long wool cushion (candy), $202, Bianca Lorenne.

6 Aleka table lamp, $845, Coco Republic. 7 Ferm Living Ripple champagne saucer, set of 2, $100, Slow Store. 8 Marvel Calacatta Matt tiles, $125-$155/m2, Tile Space. 9 Cenova sofa, $12999, Bo Concept. 10 Workshop leather armchair, $1999, Green With Envy.

11 Phoenix Industries Vivid Slimline sink mixer 160mm, $582.43, Mico. 12 Limon Saxony Camille Dusky Pink rug, $549.95, Luxury Linen. 13 Avoca Marble Top side table, set of 2, $349, Early Settler.

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© 2021. James Hardie New Zealand Limited 0800 808 868. ™ and ® denotes a trademark or registered mark owned by James Hardie Technology Limited.

OUR PL ACE — 21

This home in the Mackenzie Country, that survived a devastating fire, stands as testament to teamwork – and sheer good fortune

village of Ōhau for the first time, the usually garrulous engineer was speechless. “The wildness – so vivid, crisp and clean – had a sense of the untamed to it,” he says.

“Yet it wasn’t too far off the beaten track.” He thought it a good place to build.

Fortunately, his wife Marley thought so too. When Tim sent her a video of the gently sloping 700-squaremetre section, with its views of the snow fields and the lake, she said immediately: “Buy it”. So they did.

The couple had been looking for a bolthole for quite a few years, somewhere that could evolve into a place to retire when they left Auckland. The home they built fast-forwarded those plans.

It’s easy to see why. The single-level house with its modern-rustic aesthetic is set in a location that evokes superlatives, but the inner experience is just as special as the outer. It’s warm and stylish, with a personality that turns up the welcome. F

ABOVE Clad in random-width-and-depth vertical cedar board, the north-east corner of this home is wrapped in schist. The owners love to sit on the deck in the morning sun watching the world go by. RIGHT Timber panelling on the front of the island echoes the exterior cladding, and Orlando Steel Matt Black Grill pendants add an industrial edge.

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Photography Mike Langford (homeowner’s shot)

Wild & wonderful

A S TIM MUELLER drove into the stunning lakeside

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ABOVE Pattern brings a personalised touch to the kitchen, with Carpet Vestige wall tiles that have the effect of a worn Axminster carpet, and in the fineflecked Infinity benchtops in a golden-toned ‘King Sand’ colour.

While the Muellers had never built before, they had renovated extensively and trusted architectural designer Lynda Murphy to understand their dreams. “We gave her some photos of the section, contours, levels and an idea of how we would like to live, and she came up with some freehand sketches and concept designs,” says Tim. Simultaneously, they were searching for a builder and had long admired a number of David Reid Homes, both in Orewa where they used to live and in Queenstown.

They liked the style of architecture, the attention to detail and knew the business had a good reputation.

Nevertheless, when they first met local franchise owners Aaron and Nikki Mackay, they were just a tad concerned. “I thought, holy smokes – this lad is not long out of short pants,” laughs Tim. But when they asked around about Aaron’s skills as a builder, the response was unequivocal. Youth meant enthusiasm, but he also 24 — OUR PL ACE

had experience and, as it turns out, lots of patience.

It took an entire year for the couple to evolve the plans for their single-level, three-bedroom home to a stage where they could put the first spade in the ground.

Aaron was there every step of the way, remotely or directly, at all hours of the day. The couple will never forget a visit to Nikki’s mum’s place, which Aaron had built and wanted to show them. “We went along to look at her house for ideas; the creativity and use of materials were fantastic,” says Tim. Later, on a visit to Twizel just before Christmas 2018 to meet up with Aaron and Nikki who had their young twins in tow, the couple finally signed the contract. It was all go from there.

Nestled into the alpine environment, the home looks at one with the landscape. “We wanted to move away from using lots of shiny stainless steel and glass for a more relaxed, earthy feel and wanted something a bit F

LEFT Fumed oak floors (from Germany) team with the walls and ceiling panelled in okoume plywood to ensure a warm aesthetic in the living zones.

BELOW Tim and Marley planned the footprint around furniture they already owned, including the dining table and a sofa from Gascoigne Furniture which has been decorated with a huia scatter cushion from Spotlight.

“We wanted to move away from using lots of shiny stainless steel and glass for a more relaxed, earthy feel and wanted something a bit different.”

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LEFT In the hallway, doors in Resene ‘Double Foundry’ look smart against walls painted Resene ‘Napa’ and a blueprint of a ventilation system, originally drawn by Tim’s father, has been printed onto vinyl as a unique piece of wall art. ABOVE The couple wake each day to a view of Mount Sutton and the Ōhau snow fields.

different – without locals saying, ‘Oh they must be Aucklanders’,” explains Marley.

The house is clad in cedar, and the vertical boards have a textural 3D profile and are light stained to match the surrounding tussock. At first, Tim and Marley thought of corrugated iron and then weathered steel as cladding, but Aaron steered them clear. Instead, to break up the timber, there are elements of weathered steel at the entrance while, on the north-east corner of the dwelling, schist sourced from Cluden quarry features.

The material theme is picked up indoors with a wall of weathered steel behind the living room woodburner and in the L-shaped kitchen, where the island bench features the same random-width-and-depth cedar cladding. “That was Aaron’s idea; he used offcuts to wrap it on three sides,” says Tim. Marley relished the opportunity to be creative in the interiors and took inspiration from the colours of the nearby Lindis Valley: ochres, yellows and burnt orange.

In the bathrooms, she challenged the tiler to incorporate some decorative tiles gifted to her by her brother. “I based the bathroom colours and the pale blue in the laundry around them,” says Marley.

That’s not the only piece of family history woven into the scheme. In the long hallway, there’s a mural of a hand-drawn blueprint of a ventilation system. “My father was a sheet-metal worker who designed that for a hospital in California,” explains Tim, who had it printed onto vinyl.

While the tradie who was subcontracted to install it was impressed, another of the couple’s ideas didn’t go down so well. Tim was keen on storing wood beneath the floor near the fireplace and wanted a way to access it from inside. “It’s a challenge to get a builder to cut a hole in a perfectly good, somewhat expensive, wooden floor,” he laughs. Aaron’s crew relented. Tim got his hatch.

In fact, the relationships that developed over the course of the build were so close, the couple say it felt F OUR PL ACE — 27

like one big family. So, it wasn’t a surprise that at 6am on the morning of October 4th 2020, they received a phone call. It was Aaron checking up on them. Three hours earlier, they’d shut the door behind them, jumped in the car and fled a fire that was set to destroy 48 homes in the village. “The wind had kept us up all night, the fire was a short distance away and we had a sense of doom,” remembers Marley.

Destruction was random, and only fate and the efforts of the fire crews spared them from ashes. When they sit on the covered deck looking up at Mount Sutton, embraced by the shelter of the home, the Muellers know they are the lucky ones. “The resolution and determination of the people here sets them apart,” says Tim. Living here now, amidst a community that is drawn closer and a landscape that endures, feels even more special. P

LEFT A luxurious Vivienne bathtub with organic lines was a must for long soaks in the middle of winter. Sandstone Grey Matt floor tiles and Casero Grey wall tiles continue the textural theme.

Putting the dream in team Building a home means collaborating closely with a whole new team of people to bring a vision to life. Here are Tim and Marley’s tips on making it work:

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• Do your due diligence and check out local builders – ask for references and go to see their previous projects if you can. Talk to the owners about how the project went.

• Wherever you build, choose local people to smooth the process.

Here in Ōhau, remoteness was a challenge for getting subbies, but David Reid Homes sorted all that.

A local builder will have wellsorted supply-chain logistics, too.

• Stay flexible about your options, especially when it comes to trying to achieve a good result within budget. Aaron was sensitive to this and made helpful

suggestions, but it did mean we had to make some compromises.

• Find a builder you can trust and then…trust them! When we wanted to clad the house all in weathered steel, Aaron took us to a lunch spot in Oamaru which was completely wrapped in “the metal stuff you guys like”. It convinced us that would be over the top.

• Be prepared to agree to disagree at times. Sometimes we bowed to Aaron’s judgement, but other things we insisted on. We kept the communication honest and there were no arguments or fights.

Easy eclectic Warm tones and personal favourites are the way to feel right at home in a new-build, right away 1 3 2 4

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1 Studio roller, $330, George & Willy. 2 Carpet Vestige tile, $150.50/m2, The Tile Company.

3 Saito Wood wine rack, $325, Good Form.

4 Orlando Steel Matt Black Grill pendant, $99.90, Lighting Direct. 5 Stuv 30 Compact One freestanding woodburner, from $6700, The Fireplace. 6 Navy Linen duvet cover, $279, Citta. 7 La Chamba fruit bowl, $119, French Country Collections. 8 Steelwood coat stand

by Magis, from $1250, ECC. 9 Panama leather sofa, $3099, Freedom. 10 Phoenix Industries Vivid Slimline floor mounted bath mixer with hand shower, $2601.31, Mico. 11 Nelson platform bench, $500, Homage. 12 Buller’s Birds cushion covers, $24.95, NZ Nature.

13 Le Creuset Peruh kettle (Meringue), $220, The Homestore.

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Come one, come all As one Taupō couple discovered, if you move away from family, you had best be prepared for frequent house-guests

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After their first successful showhome was built in 2018, conceptualising their second showhome became a priority project. The Hares used their own dreams as a yardstick. The couple has two children, Sophie (12) and Oliver (5), plus live away from family who like to visit (a lot), so they designed the house for the future, with teenage antics and enough room for guests and entertaining in mind.

Wharewaka, just south of the town, is known as a holiday destination with a popular swimming beach and easy access to a boat ramp. Ngā Roto Estate (which means ‘the lakes’) is a relatively new subdivision, and when a flat, 700-squaremetre site came on the market, the Hares knew it was perfect. “The section is one step back from the main road so it’s quieter and there’s an underpass which gives direct walking access to the lake,” says Melissa. F

OPPOSITE The kitchen is designed to take the knocks of family life; it has a Pacific Stone granite bench in ‘Steel Grey’ with a forgiving leathered finish and a Dorf Inca sink mixer with a swivel hose, which makes it easy to rinse the dishes and run.

BELOW With James Hardie weatherboard cladding and a rib roof in ‘Flaxpod’, the exterior has a clean, contemporary aesthetic. Wraparound decking and a louvred roof on the northwest side means plenty of room for alfresco activities.

Photography Abby Dance

MELISSA H A R E DESCR IBES the winter weather in Taupō as “a beautiful cold”.

When she and her husband Scott moved here from Te Awamutu six years ago, they were the first and only ones in their extended family to leave the Waikato. The bitingly crisp winters were a shock. Scott, a builder by trade, had to adjust to fishing in a lake when he’s “a sea fisher at heart”, and they missed living close to friends and family.

But there were clear benefits too.

Summer evenings spent biscuiting on the lake, of course, but also better business opportunities. After two years of working in another business during the week and on their own home on the weekend – “I was painting weatherboards with our toddler in a front-pack,” says Melissa – the couple invested in the local David Reid Homes franchise. Things were about to get even busier.

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They worked with Rosetta Stone Arkitektur on a house for all seasons and reasons, somewhere everyone could have their own space but also gather garrulously. They wanted the architecture to be contemporary but nothing too stark or homogenous, and used a trio of materials on the exterior to break up the two cuboid forms.

Horizontal weatherboards, stained dark grey, clad the double-storey main body of the home, but the garage and entryway sport warm-toned vertical cedar while the side elevations use deep-grooved James Hardie Stria panelling for textural variation. It’s all very modern but somehow friendly – a house that extends an open invitation to visit.

When Scott and Melissa imagined their children grown up, they realised their ideal family home would be as much about togetherness as separation. So in the downstairs living zone, they included a media room which is closed off with a sliding barn door (“It becomes virtually soundproof,” says Melissa) and a guest suite 32 — OUR PL ACE

away from the fray. “For those with older parents, it would make sense to have a guest room at ground level,” advises Melissa.

The kitchen is a dramatic insertion in the space, with Melteca cabinetry in ‘Pitch Black’. “We originally wanted a black-and-white theme, but this looks the business,” says Melissa. The surfaces are soft touch to minimise fingerprints (handy no doubt in an all-black kitchen) and, to keep the aesthetic sleek, there are no handles, and the scullery is hidden behind cupboard doors. A Statuario marble splashback punches in some pattern and the island benchtop (in granite with a leathered finish), has an unusual tactileness: its dimpled texture is lovely to run your fingertips over.

At one end, there’s a separate bar with a fridge filled with frosty beers, and a built-in automatic coffee machine. “My dream home would always have a coffee machine and, even though Scott doesn’t drink coffee, I’d give it a good daily workout,” imagines Melissa. F

OPPOSITE Adjacent to the dining room, the bar is a standout design feature with a smoked mirror-glass splashback that adds a shot of glamour to the space.

LEFT The custom-designed steel staircase with open treads in white ash rises like a piece of sculpture, providing access to the bedroom level.

BELOW Sophie (12) and Oliver (5) hang out in the media room of the showhome, which has a generous TV built in to a timber panelled wall, although they often prefer their own devices.

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ABOVE The main bedroom gets the best view of the lake. Weatherboards on the wall behind the bed provide texture that ties in with the exterior cladding of the home. OPPOSITE TOP Metal Stone Silver floor and wall tiles key into the metallic trend in the en suite, while twin basins on the Athena Sirrocco Alumino vanity lessen any morning mayhem.

An open-tread staircase is reflected in the mirrored backdrop of the bar, a sculptural zigzag made of steel with white American ash treads. Timber screening that sections off the staircase adds warmth to the palette, as does the cedar wall in the cosy media room just made for movie nights.

Upstairs, the three bedrooms all get a snapshot of the Taupō experience. “You can see the lake but also Mt Tauhara, which I haven’t climbed yet, but it’s on my to-do list,” says Melissa. The main suite looks north towards the town. “At night it would be wonderful to watch the twinkling lights.” Melissa put a great deal of thought into the walk-in wardrobe of the main bedroom and is positive that three walls of shelves, drawers and hanging space would be enough for any busy couple’s clothes plus overflow storage. “Personally, I don’t like chests of drawers in bedrooms; I like to keep the spaces clear.”

While she is a master at closet organisation, she welcomed the input of Raewyn Mackie, who works with clients choosing colours and finishes in all the local David Reid Homes projects. When Melissa fell in love 34 — OUR PL ACE

with the shiny metallic grey tiles for the en suite, Raewyn steered her towards stainless-steel tapware and white basins to reinforce the cool-toned palette. “I also love the squoval mirrors which are a nice finish in the room.”

Although any children would need to share the other upstairs bathroom, twin basins are an investment in serenity. “Lots of my friends assume that my kids don’t bicker because of the age gap,” laughs Melissa.

In basing this showhome on the needs of their own family, the Hares seem to have thought of everything that would lead to a calmer and yet more engaged lifestyle. Since moving 90 minutes south of their childhood stomping ground, they’ve grown to appreciate the Taupō positives, and love to share them with others.

Out the back, an area with a louvred roof would make hosting friends, new and old, a possibility in any weather.

In the barbecue area, Scott could showcase his technique for cooking a juicy big, fat steak . “It’s a scientific process with him,” says Melissa. Occasionally, very occasionally, there might be a brown or rainbow trout to deal with.

But not enough to feed a crowd. P

Entertaining on the menu In the spirit of manaakitanga, Scott and Melissa have designed a home that can cater to all-comers. Here are some features they recommend: • Decks that wrap around two sides of the dwelling (for example, one facing west, another north) ensure that, whichever way the wind blows, there’s still a sheltered alfresco zone to retreat to.

• An open and closing roof over one part of the deck means a better chance of a barbecue.

• Two living zones (or one living room and even a small media room) give options for adults and children alike.

• A hidden scullery is a godsend when entertaining, as the post food-preparation mess can be bundled away behind closed doors if guests arrive early.

• If you’re a keen cook, two ovens and a hob that features both gas and induction options could be useful. Gas has the option of a wok attachment and some cooks like it because of its immediacy, while induction is more sustainable, gives precise control and the hobs are far easier to clean.

LEFT Although the home has four bedrooms, bunkbeds make sleepovers a lot more fun.

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An urban tale

Photography Tony Nyberg (portrait)

Sitting pretty in the city, there’s a lot to love about these townhouses that emphasise the positives of medium-density design

THE NUMBER OF building consents for new townhouses, flats and units in Auckland reached a 10-year high in 2021, with more than 8000 consents granted in the year ending June. As more Kiwis start to experience medium-density living, it’s less a case of abandoning the quarter-acre dream, and more an opportunity to be grasped with both hands as the benefits become clear. Weekends spent weeding or sprucing up paintwork on an old, cold villa are replaced with visiting a gallery, having friends around for a long lunch, and a post-prandial stroll in the park. The lock-up-and-leave aspects of owning a home where security is no issue holds great appeal and even young families are more in tune with the buying smaller is smarter mantra.

Of course, not all townhouses are created equal.

When you’re living closer to neighbours, it pays to look for dwellings designed to balance privacy with enough light, and a build quality that is solidly crafted.

This boutique development in the seaside suburb of Herne Bay is a contemporary expression of the form.

Three standalone townhouses, oriented to capture sun F

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THIS PAGE Alister and Libby Cain found the perfect fit for their age and stage in this Herne Bay townhouse.

OPPOSITE Abodo Vulcan timber cladding, brick painted Dulux ‘Okarito’ and TRS Super Seam roofing in ‘Raven’ combine in an urban-smart palette.

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and each with a pocket of outdoor living, take their design cue from the heritage fabric of the neighbourhood. The gabled rooflines create a mini village on the site while the materials – dark-stained Abodo cladding on a brick base painted white, and steel-tray roofing – are robust and won’t need another lick of paint for many years to come. A single-car garage puts the lure of public transport in the frame.

While quality fittings, such as Poggenpohl kitchens and German tapware, inject some extraordinary into the everyday, a neutral palette encourages each owner to individualise to their heart’s content. Townhouse living may not be for everyone, but it has growing appeal.

As Brett Christie, a David Reid Homes franchisee who chooses to specialise in this realm, points out: “It’s hard to go wrong with a house that is well built and warm, with a sense of style, in a location that offers great amenity.”

But don’t just take his word for it. Here one owner in this boutique Herne Bay development shares his reasons for buying: 38 — OUR PL ACE

A LISTER C A IN

“We lived in a 100-year-old Grey Lynn villa for 26 years but once our children had grown up, we looked to downsize. The villa had been renovated but was starting to need more TLC, so we looked for a new-build in the area – a place where everything opens and shuts, and that was more compact so easier to heat.

We liked this development straightaway as we didn’t want to go the apartment route, and these were standalone townhouses which meant no body corporate fees. The location was close to our friends and the restaurants and cafes that we already knew.

I’m not a person who can visualise things and I’m also quite risk-averse, so buying off the plans sight unseen felt like a risk. But we were familiar with the David Reid Homes name, which gave us peace of mind in terms of materials, design and quality of finish. Plus, the price was within our budget, so we signed up within a week.

I work in marketing and promotions in the music industry and my wife, Libby, is a midwife, so we’re both F

OPPOSITE A Poggenpohl kitchen with a Consentino Dekton Opera Carrara Marble benchtop is streamlined and light within the open-plan living spaces.

LEFT One of the townhouses features a balcony deck, but Alister and Libby’s has outdoor living at ground level.

BELOW APL Altherm joinery in ‘Flaxpod’ along with walls painted Dulux ‘Southern Alps’ and ceilings in Dulux ‘Cardrona’ are a neutral backdrop that allows each owner to personalise their home easily.

“We liked this development straightaway as we didn’t want to go the apartment route, and these were standalone townhouses which meant no body corporate fees.”

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ABOVE A Cube wall-hung vanity in ‘Ranfurly Oak’ topped with Statuario Venato from the Smartstone Santorini Collection saves space in the bathroom, and a frameless glass shower backed by Templestone Plush tiles is easy to keep clean. BELOW Cavalier Bremworth Sandpiper carpets in ‘Oyster Shell’ ensure the bedrooms are cosy and can be teamed with bedlinen in any colour.

busy. Once we met the developer on site, he gave us some printouts of what the interiors would look like.

We made a few changes here and there in the kitchen so it could be manufactured and shipped over from Germany on time to be fitted.

During the build we had quite a few site visits and the David Reid Homes project manager Lee Greshon kept everything on track. Although there were delays with the 2020 lockdown, the crew kept us informed. Once you take everything into consideration, it all came out better than we envisaged.

We moved here in March 2021 and noticed the difference immediately. Our old villa was south facing, but here the sun pours into both bedrooms upstairs throughout the day and into the kitchen and onto the covered back deck all year round. And the house is so much easier to heat and easier to keep clean.

While we’ve downsized from a five-bedroom home, so this is much smaller, with the outdoor deck it still feels really spacious. We can’t wait to have our first proper summer here.” P 40 — OUR PL ACE

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OUR PL ACE — www.dominator.co.nz

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Room recipes Put these ingredients together to guarantee a kitchen or bathroom that hits the spot

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K ITCHENS A ND BATHROOMS are the meat and gravy

of the home-design menu – they put the guts into the design palette. As functional spaces, they take a lot of thought, but they’re also an opportunity to make an aesthetic impact.

We spoke to Rochelle Jackson from Kitchen Elements in Wellington and Leonie Hamill of Cube Dentro in Auckland to find out the latest moods and moves when it comes to these design-intentional spaces. F

LEFT This black and white kitchen by Leonie Hamill of Cube Dentro is an international award-winner with textural subtleties and luxe in full measure.

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“Black kitchens are striking, but one issue is that black is more work to keep clean even if you use the best anti-fingerprint surface finishes,” says Rochelle. So, if you want it, you’ll have to give it a lot of love.

Rochelle often blends black with timber to break up the visual impact, mixing up the cabinetry and adding in, say, a metallic-toned island benchtop. An all-black palette can be overwhelming or even boring. She also uses textured glass in some cupboard fronts as a way to bring a lightness of being to the look while shielding any clutter from view.

Leonie, too, says texture is the key to unlocking the beauty of black. “It gives it a more organic feel.” In one Auckland kitchen, a 2021 winner in the Designer Awards UK held in London (see previous page), black cabinetry with a Timberland finish mimics the grain of wood.

The sleek space has an heroic island bench in contrasting tones of black Dekton and white Primestone with big, bold veining. The black portion has a matte texture while the white side has a leathered finish.

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Loving the luxe

There’s always a way to incorporate a little luxury in a kitchen or bathroom. That could be with just one superb tap in a metallic of the moment or an all-out luxe-fest using metals and stone. Raw, real materials are naturally awesome, but manmade engineered products are also pushing the boundaries.

Dekton is one brand having its time in the spotlight.

It’s a combination of quartz, porcelain and glass, and is super strong. Rochelle likes to use it as a benchtop finish but also uses a veneer of real stone to front cabinetry; slicing the stone finely is technical and expensive, but worth it for those with a splash-out budget.

Leonie agrees the path to deluxe deliciousness is to mix up high-end materials. Even a single unexpected element can create a shot of sumptuousness. In one powder room, she used a chain-link aged-brass curtain to separate the wet zone from the dry. Large-format, marble-look porcelain tiles wrap the space from head to toe. “If the client has the budget, a full height, floor-toceiling tile is so much nicer,” she says.

Photography Paul McCredie and Kallan Macleod

Black, but not as you know it

Secret spaces

Hidden rooms, once the domain of the childhood fairytale, have moved mainstream with grown-ups rediscovering their charms.

In one David Reid Homes showhome in Pukekoke, a timber-panelled wall in the entrance hall gives no hint of what lies behind. First-time visitors are encouraged to push open the secret doorway to enter a powder room that is out of this world. With marbleised walls, minimal fittings in black and luxurious metallic tapware, it’s like stepping into an upmarket hotel. “The powder room is definitely a place where you can have fun with design and afford to be bold, combining textures or using elaborate wallpapers,” says Leonie. Expect the unexpected, then.

Secret sculleries are becoming de rigueur in upmarket

kitchens, but Rochelle says a cupboard with a workbench and open shelving that can be closed off with sliding doors might suffice when you want your kitchen to become a showpiece. “In New Zealand, where we seldom have caterers or servants, and where kids often do their homework at the kitchen bench, this might be the better option,” she says. It’s more important, she advises, to make sure the kitchen is set up properly. “Design it how you will really use it.” In one David Reid Homes project, she created a ‘baking zone’ with easy-access storage for flour and other pantry items, small appliances and a big sink for washing up the bowls at one end while at the other end is a bar. “The adults can come in and make cocktails quite easily,” she says. “And the fridge is positioned to be accessible to both the scullery and main kitchen.” F

OPPOSITE Although this kitchen in a showhome in Waikanae is predominantly black, vertical surfaces in dark timber add interest to what could be a single-minded aesthetic. BELOW LEFT A secret doorway to a powder room is a feature of a David Reid Homes showhome in Pukekohe. BELOW RIGHT When planning a kitchen, divide it into zones with a coffee station for adults and perhaps a separate breakfast station for the kids.

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ABOVE A brass chain-link curtain is an unexpected delight in this Pukekohe bathroom, and the slimline toilet seat is very in vogue. RIGHT Metallic taps have enduring style that will never date and can be teamed with other metallic accessories, such as a robe hook, for longevity.

Beauty & the bathroom

Small spaces are a real test of the designer’s skill, and bathrooms tend to pack a lot of punch per square metre.

Either go for light and airy or dark and moody but make a clear choice: a room that falls somewhere in between won’t serve either purpose well.

It’s a bit of a juggling act between form and function, so set your priorities. For example, a wall-hung vanity unit will make a room feel more spacious and it’ll be easier to clean beneath it, but it won’t maximise storage.

Rochelle uses a couple of tricks in small guest bathrooms: a kickboard drawer for storing toilet rolls – “nobody would know it was there” – no handles on drawers to bump into, and she always adds a shelf for overnight visitors to put their toilet bag on.

Enduring style: Keep the design timeless with natural materials such as stone tops, oak panels or metallic taps.

Trend alert: Want to add a bit of colour? Consider one of the new freestanding basins that come in dusty pink, washed green or soft grey.

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Best bet: Specify the best you can afford because a

bathroom should be fitted to take the knocks for many years and quality outlives cost. Leonie’s design, the 2021 winner of the Trends TIDA NZ Powder Room (above), has marble-like porcelain tiles laid floor to ceiling for a beautifully clean backdrop. But lighting also delivers enormous impact, with a backlit mirror seeming to float in the space and LED lighting that washes the rear concrete wall to bring out its raw appeal.

Touch of luxe: X-shaped wall-mounted tapware in

textured aged brass mixes contemporary form with a traditional material.

Slim rims: When it comes to what’s new in the loo, slimline toilet seats keep the lines sleek and simple, and New Zealanders are increasingly worshipping at the throne of rimless pans (which are easier to clean). In decorative tile style, classic mosaics used to be the hippest kid on the block, but now art deco-influenced shapes such as finger tiles, hexagon rosettes, fish-scale and tessellated patterns offer unique options. F

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8 quick-but-slick design guidelines 1. The kitchen could be considered an item of ‘architectural furniture’ that should tie in with the overall design of the house. Repeated elements, such as slatted timber features (on the front of the island bench to reflect, say, a dividing screen in the hallway), help achieve this.

2. If your designer talks about the ‘work triangle’, they’re out of touch – kitchens no longer operate between just a sink, a hob and a fridge: layouts are far more complex.

3. Custom-made is your best friend if you dream of a truly different space, whether you want a rangehood clad in stone or Frank Lloyd Wright-style brass legs to support an extended bench that acts as a dining table.

4. Wall-mounted vanity units make the bathroom feel more spacious and are easier to clean beneath.

5. Ditto wall-mounted taps, which save space on the vanity top (which might be limited).

6. Use a slab of natural stone (marble or granite) as a showstopper on an island bench and pick out tones from its veining to repeat in, say, the cabinetry.

7. Pull handles can make a small but mighty statement in kitchens and bathrooms. Metallics are the jewel in the crown and now come with textured finishes such as knurled, fluted, satin-blasted, rolled and hammered.

8. Drawers galore keep the space hyper-organised. In the past, kitchens tended to feature just two or three sets of deep drawers for pots, pans and dinnerware. Now drawers with multiple levels are the go, so you can store your oils and spices right where you need them.

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TOP Kitchens feature multiple drawers (not just the pot drawer) so the cook can have spices and ingredients to hand rather than tucked away in a pantry. ABOVE Wall-mounted vanity units make a small bathroom feel more spacious.

With blinds that open to greet the sun, a heat pump that kicks in when the temperature drops and lights that dim down as you drift off, your home can adjust to meet your needs, whatever your lifestyle.

Discover more

pdl.co.nz/wiser

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Peak practice

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When these Central Otago newbies moved to this alpine playground less than a year ago, they wanted their home to pay homage to the mountains

LEFT The twin gables and knotty vertical cedar cladding, stained in Dryden Woodoil ‘Midnight’, allow the home to blend with the typography and colours of the landscape.

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E V ER BEEN AWAY for a mini-break and returned with a plot of land? Logan and Jane Sears have. To be fair, their Queenstown purchase wasn’t completely out of the blue.

But their change of heart was. “We always talked about spending a year in the mountains,” says Logan, “but when we came for a look around, we saw no particular reason not to live here permanently.”

The couple, who had a lifestyle block in Coatesville, Auckland decided to sell up their French Country-style home and move south for a slightly slower pace and a property that was easier to maintain. In preparation, they emailed enquiries to five building companies.

Three returned their correspondence but Carolyn McIsaac from David Reid Homes was the only one to pick up the phone.

Jack’s Point is a 1200-hectare development with a golf course, 30 kilometres of hiking, biking and equestrian trails and a limit of 500 homes. The views are large, the populace sparse. For the Searses, it offered the perfect

52 — OUR PL ACE

balance between suburbia and total privacy.

The 1200-square-metre section that Carolyn showed them wasn’t officially on the market, but she gave the Searses the owners’ details in Toronto. Buying here, with wrapround mountain views and a lake on the doorstep, was a “no brainer”. “We called up, negotiated a price and just kept on rolling with the design-and-build process,” says Logan.

Having built four times before, they were familiar with the deal, albeit this time that progress was monitored remotely. The aesthetic they easily settled on was ‘modern lodge’ and they put their trust in the professionals to deliver it.

Tim Pearce, from Pearce Architecture, devised an H-shaped plan with two pavilions – one for bedrooms, one for living – and a central link (the dining room) which leads directly to a covered outdoor dining area, sheltered in the embrace of the dwelling. “The living area steps forward of the bedrooms to offer a view of F

OPPOSITE Exposed trusses, French oak flooring and a fireplace wrapped in long, thin schist sourced from Glenorchy give a lodge-like flavour to the interiors.

LEFT Logan and Jane Sears moved to Queenstown from Auckland and are enjoying the calmer lifestyle.

Photography Marina Mathews

BELOW The kitchen features charcoal-toned cabinetry and a matte-black peninsula with a hob inset for meal preparation while chatting with friends. Through the skylight, the cook gets a peek of the Remarkables.

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LEFT Wood-look ceiling tiles in the en suite and a wall-hung Sirocco Syrtari cabinet in ‘Rural Oak’ offset the moodiness of the floor-to-ceiling charcoaltoned wall tiles. ABOVE The couple chose Elwick Paisley wallpaper by Zoffany as a backdrop to their bed and the Vernara Copper headboard by Bianca Lorenne also makes a statement.

the lake,” explains Logan. This classic layout provided the structure that works equally well for when just the two of them are in residence, or when out-of-town visitors come to stay.

Keeping the material palette low key within the magnificence of the setting was not only a dictate of the Jack’s Point covenants but also something the Searses held dear. Clad in dark-oiled cedar boards with a knotty texture, sporting black aluminium joinery and a Colorsteel tray roof in ‘Flaxpod’, the dwelling blends into the towering schist peaks, reflecting the robust, angular forms in its gabled ends. There’s a sublime minimalism to the architecture – nothing fussy or frilly – and schist chimney stacks are vertical elements that further anchor the house to the landscape. “We didn’t get too juiced about the style of the home – we just wanted high ceilings, lots of timber and glass for the views,” says Logan.

Simplicity on the exterior gives way to a welcoming, stylish interior grounded by French oak flooring. Here, Logan asked his sister, interior designer Anita Sears, and

her colleague Alana Musson, of Nextdore in Christchurch, for their insights. It was how they ended up with tiled ceilings in the en suite, a master stroke that combines the warmth of wood-look tiles with the charcoal coolness of the wall tiles.

Charcoal also features in the kitchen cabinetry, which is all streamlined efficiency with a hidden scullery to keep it that way. ‘Decluttered’ and ‘functional’ were keywords from the couple, who both love to cook. A peninsula with a built-in hob takes centre-stage and there are three ovens on the rear wall. “It’s amazing how many times you need all three ovens,” argues Logan.

Crafting culinary masterpieces in this space would never be a chore, particularly as it remains connected to the great outdoors by floor-to-ceiling windows across the living room but also from above. “The skylight here is the money shot; it gives you a view straight up to the top of the Remarkables,” says Logan.

In the living zone, an exposed roof truss helps support the soaring cathedral ceilings. Made of beech, it was battered and bashed by the David Reid Homes build F OUR PL ACE — 55

Loving the local Using elements sourced from not too far away gives this new-build a real Central Otago flavour:

team to give it character that ties in with the open fireplaces and the timber mantelpiece made from an old railway sleeper from the Northern Territory, that Logan had been lugging around for more than 10 years.

Such personalised touches have added a layer of history to the building and the Searses, who moved here in winter 2021, are slowly making the spaces their own.

They’re proud of the hand-forged candelabra they ordered from a New Zealand knifemaker which necessitated steel framing being put into the ceilings to hang it. And they already have stories to tell about fishing out the boulders (which give real heft to the landscaping) from the ground at a nearby farm.

Jane, who works as a recruitment consultant from home, and Logan, who is in the franchise services industry and commutes regularly to Auckland, feel like they’re settling into the neighbourhood nicely. “We’re trying to find our rhythm, but everyone is very friendly when we’re out walking the dog,” says Logan.

For them, the project has been seamless and wholly positive. Now this gentler pace is allowing time to enjoy the rewards. Whether that’s making mountains of paella to feed an enthusiastic stream of out-of-town guests, playing a game of chess in front of the crackling fire, or enjoying a late-afternoon drink on the deck watching the ski lifts make their lazy way down the Remarkables, what’s not to love? P 56 — OUR PL ACE

• Glenorchy stone is used on the two fireplaces as well as to clad the link between the two pavilions. There are many types of local schist, but the couple chose Glenorchy stone because it has no yellow content. “It was sourced on a private property.

When there’s significant rainfall, it washes down the river and that’s how they harvest it,” explains Logan.

• The Sears commissioned Omakau knifemaker Peter Lorimer to make the steel candelabra. It’s a monster at 60 inches (152cm) in diameter.

“When we first saw it, we thought it was too big,” says Logan. It wasn’t.

• Four massive rocks (weighing 15 tonnes each) placed as elements on the driveway, entry walkway and out the front of the property, were dug out of a farm in Kingston and craned into place. They give the landscaping a definite local feel.

• The Jack’s Point development has a rule that for any non-native planted, seven natives need to be planted to counter it. There aren’t many gardens full of roses and wisteria. Tussock grasses and beech trees tie this home, and those that surround it, beautifully back to nature.

ABOVE The powder room is furnished with a striking Como concrete floor basin in ‘Midnight’ with a dash of decorativeness provided by the Iliad by Zoffany wallpaper.

A Voronoi globe, by Tala, is reflected in the mirror.

Alpine essence Cosy comfort reigns with leathers, velvets and lodge-like accessories that set a moody, masculine style 4 5

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1 Bel Ami portrait, $749, Bianca Lorenne. 2 Elysian Minimal mixer and spout set, $324.30, Abi Interiors.

3 Antler bookends, $99.90, French Country Collections. 4 Asili x Citta Whittle bowl, $379, Citta. 5 Tala Voronoi III globe, $725, Homage.

6 Ava cushion in Ochre, $89.99, A&C Homestore. 7 Vik barstool, $275, The Axe. 8 Copper ring planter, $385, French Country Collections. 9 Moda Dolcedo timber flooring, $209/m2, Forté Flooring. 10 Westminster Feather sofa, $10,139.00, Dawson & Co. 11 French Country chess set, $249, Ballantynes. 12 Poddo vase, $39.90, Folklore Store. 13 Weekend wool throw, $269, Citta.

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Green is the colour...

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…of the future. Here are some ideas we think those looking to build should consider

FOR Y E A R S NEW Zealanders, who seem born with the she’ll be right attitude to pull on an extra jumper when the weather turns chill, have put up with living at less-than-ideal temperatures. But times they are a-changing and the decision to build sustainably is no longer about energy prices, but about being responsible about the planet’s finite resources.

At David Reid Homes, we think our little corner of Earth is pretty damn fine – and we’d rather not imagine a time when melting ice floes, burning forests and general meteorological mayhem gets the better of Godzone. So, in our houses, we advocate for sustainable choices that put energy efficiency in the spotlight.

When building, the 10 ideas overleaf will ensure more in-moment comfort and an ever-hopeful horizon. F

LEFT Orient the house plan for optimum solar gain and that’s half the energy-efficiency battle won.

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1. Best face forward

Design for the correct orientation to the sun to ensure optimum solar gain and the battle is half won. Simple fact. No explanation needed.

2. Energy returns

By all means go solar now (Lorde would approve) but don’t expect payback anytime soon, says David Reid Homes franchisee Chris Leith. A $25,000 solar system helps offset energy bills and ticks the sustainability box, but you won’t recoup costs within five years. Eventually the batteries will need to be replaced but the technology is always advancing. One way or another, solar is set to be a bigger part of all our tomorrows.

3. Pump up the volume

If you don’t invest in superior insulation, you’ll pay the

price – forever. The message here is: aim higher than the stipulations of the NZ Building Code. It’s not a goldstandard benchmark. In the US, says David Reid Homes franchisee Fraser Mackenzie, 90 per cent of homes use a rigid air barrier of plywood or chipboard beneath the cladding. This not only gives the building more bracing (against earthquakes or landslides) but it stops draughts.

Use this, mask all the joins and seal around it, and you’re away laughing. Also, maximise the volume of all batts, particularly on exterior walls. “We use thicker 140mm framing compared to the traditional 90mm which means we can put the thicker ceiling batts into the walls,” says Fraser. The R Value (a measure to indicate a material’s ability to resist the transfer of heat) is R3.2 to 3.6, which is significantly higher than code at R2.6 to 2.8. More insulation makes it easier to keep heat in for the winter months and to keep hot air out in summer.

ABOVE Solar-energy technologies are ever advancing and a clear part of a sustainable strategy, but it’s a long-term planet-friendly commitment as it takes many years to recoup the costs of the system purchase.

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4. Horses for courses

The Building Research Association of New Zealand divides our long, skinny land into three climate zones which it uses to set the thermal-performance requirements of the Building Code. Fraser MacKenzie advises that, whichever zone you live in, code is not enough. For energy efficiency, build in more insulation and better heating systems. Heatpumps cut it in much of the North Island, but in places like Central Otago, sub-zero temperatures mean they can struggle to work, with units freezing and fans blowing up. He advises a central-heating system that combines in-slab heat and radiators. These can be run on gas (expensive, as it comes from the North Island) or diesel. “While the slab heating warms up slowly and keeps you snug from the bottom up, diesel radiators give really quick heat.”

5. See the wood, and the trees

Clients with an eye on sustainability may prefer cladding that goes the extra mile – or doesn’t, for that matter.

“Importing eucalyptus from Australia is far shorter haul than cedar from North America,” points out Chris Leith, “a smaller carbon footprint.” Although cedar is favoured, it’s not planet-friendly and its cost per lineal metre has tripled in the past six years. The eco-conscious should also factor in the maintenance aspects of timber cladding. Cedar needs to be oiled every three to six years, unless you like the weathered look. And, while engineered timbers such as Abodo Vulcan cladding (made from pine) appear more sustainable and are locally sourced, how it’s produced might take a lot of energy. “You need to consider the product’s life from cradle to grave.” F

BELOW Concrete floors act as a solar sink but can also incorporate sub-floor heating systems and, while heatpumps get top marks for energy efficiency in North Island climes, some may fail in the sub-zero temperatures down south.

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6. Plan for the planet

When planning your dream home, install an electric socket or two in the garage or carport for charging the car. Standard AC sockets take 8-10 hours to fully charge so if you want to cater for a fast-charge DC option, you’ll need higher-rated circuits and connections.

7. As rare as air?

Homeowners often forget about ventilation but airflow circulation, with clean, fresh air coming in and stale, damp air going out, reduces moisture. A damp home is more difficult and costly to heat. While there are good mechanical systems that operate heat-exchange technologies, don’t forget the basics. Windows with double-tongue latches for venting are an easy fix and louvres provide cross-ventilation. While extractor fans in bathrooms and laundries, and rangehood fans in kitchens,

are part of the building code, opening a window makes all the difference to air quality, and can prevent mould.

8. Foundation station

Fraser Mackenzie operates the David Reid Homes franchise in Queenstown and has seen the results of houses without the correct foundation: weeping windows and shivering owners. In alpine areas, he’d opt for a fully insulated, thermally broken Maxraft slab system as a foundation any day of the week. A reinforced concrete slab with polystyrene insulation underneath it, including around the perimeter, is an efficient thermal break between floor and ground. It’s the perfect solid base for concrete floors, which act as a heat sink to capture the sun’s warmth and slowly release it. “I remember the days when they used silver paper as underfloor insulation – 25 years ago. No wonder I was so cold!” says Fraser.

ABOVE Any new-build will benefit from a fast-charge DC electrical socket in the garage or carport to charge the EV.

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9. H2Go with the flow

Water is precious and efficient tapware, shower fixtures and loos are better for the Earth, and the monthly bill.

When choosing plumbing fixtures, don’t just amp for aesthetics, think about money down the drain. “Look for a good WELS [water efficiency labelling scheme] star rating,” advises Tim Sunderland of David Reid Homes Wellington and Kapiti. In showers, the highest WELS rating achievable is 3 stars. It likely means the showerhead has a built-in flow limiter. Apart from putting an egg timer in the shower to cut down on time spent (thinking teenagers), it’s the only way to reduce water use. It reduces flow, not pressure. “Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to have an enjoyable shower,” says Tim. With loos, target dual flush – a 4-star WELS rating means the average flush will use no more than 3.5 litres (when compared with more than 6 litres for toilets with no star rating at all). Finally, when it comes heating water, consider your situation. If it’s a holiday home that gets used by a lot of people, infrequently, over a short period of time, instantaneous gas heating will be better (no waiting for the hot water cylinder to heat up) but in a busy household, the gold star for water heating is a system driven by an electric heatpump. “Since it takes warmth from the air, you get more bang for your buck,” says Tim, “although the units do commonly need to be installed outside.” To make a gas instantaneous heater even more efficient, use an electronic controller to heat the water to just the temperature you need for a shower.

10. An invisible sandwich

Although the building code stipulates double-glazing as an energy-efficient baseline, at David Reid Homes we like to take this up a notch. Windows account for 10% of heat lost in a home so opting for higher spec makes a real difference. Argon gas (it’s inert, don’t worry) between the panes works because it is denser than air and thus slows the transfer of heat. Think of it like an invisible blanket. Low-emissivity glass effectively has an invisible coating which reflects heat back into the room instead of escaping, and heat out into space when the sun is beating down on your windows. Finally, if you are choosing aluminium joinery, opt for a product with a thermal break. No, that’s not a holiday in the islands, it means a nylon barrier has been sandwiched between the frames to keep warm and cold areas separated. P

BELOW Install flow limiters on taps to save water. RIGHT Instantaneous gas water heating may be better for a holiday home but a hot-water system driven by an electric heatpump is a prime everyday option.

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A fresh perspective

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When this couple moved south to be closer to family in Wellington, their reimagined home was slighter in size but far greater in opportunity

LEFT Russell Martin practises guitar on the deck that is sheltered between the living zone and bedroom wing of the home’s L-shaped layout.

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ABOVE Despite generous glazing, a Jayline woodburner and underfloor gas-driven heating keep the home toasty year round. The owners bought the dining table and chairs from Mango in Greytown. RIGHT In the kitchen, designed with Kitchen Elements, the Trethewey Stone tops are an exclusive limited edition named Mt Victoria. Owner Kate Martin loved the oversized pear for its knobbly, tactile shape.

RIGHTSIZING IS A term that’s inching its way into design vocabulary. It means living somewhere neither too big, nor too small. Like the baby bear’s porridge, it’s just right.

A sunshine-yellow door says it all at this Waikanae property: Kate and Russell Martin have found the perfect fit, their happy place. The former kiwifruit growers were used to lots of land when they moved here from their Bay of Plenty orchard. “We wanted something with a view and the feeling of openness and space,” says Kate. They found it at Ferndale, an eco-conscious development set on 15 hectares of rolling land on the Kapiti Coast. “My brother-in-law brought us to this subdivision and, as soon as we drove in, we thought, ‘This is it’,” says Kate.

A David Reid Homes showhome on top of the hill also captured their imagination. The Martins liked the way the natural wood cladding allowed it to blend into the landscape. Low-key but high quality appealed to them.

The couple, who had previously built 30 years ago – a much bigger, double-storey home for their family of five – relished this opportunity to reinvent themselves.

When they met with the architectural designer, Peter Davis from AD Architecture, they asked for a home that

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was simple, easy-care, connected to the outdoors, but most of all warm. “Russell has a medical condition that means he can’t tolerate the cold, and has to spend the entire winter inside,” explains Kate. Views and heat retention might sound like polar opposites, but the generous windows are double glazed, and the underfloor gas-driven heating keeps the dwelling at a comfortable 20 degrees Celcius year round. Well, comfortable for some. “We tell the neighbours to wear their shorts when they visit,” laughs Kate.

Wardrobe dictates aside, the house, at 213 square metres, is a good size for just the two of them, but expansive enough to host family and new-found friends.

Clad in dark-stained vertical and horizontal cedar, it has a smart yet demure presence on its 1600-square-metre site. The cedar continues internally in the entrance as well as the hallway, warming up the welcome.

The L-shaped footprint comprises a linear, open-plan living zone that looks east out across kohekohe forest to the Hemi Matenga Scenic Reserve and a bedroom wing that juts out at right angles. Decks that wrap the north and east elevations with alfresco options mean that on F

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sunny mornings, the couple can enjoy breakfast outside while watching the birds or entertain at night in the north-facing covered outdoor room, where a carpet of lawn runs into the native backdrop.

Inside, the couple aimed for a modern-rustic aesthetic using engineered oak flooring to anchor the scheme made contemporary with floor-to-ceiling glass sliders and a streamlined kitchen. Kate, who worked closely with Kitchen Elements, had firm ideas about the layout of this space and eschewed the now-popular ‘secret’ scullery for a pantry behind doors. “I mostly have it open because I keep it pretty organised, and I like to be able to grab things immediately,” she explains.

Last time around, Kate and Russell had a white kitchen, but this time opted for tones that were darker and moodier to meld with the oft-cloudy sky. Three galvanised-steel pendant lights that Kate had bought at a French shop became the cue for colours: blue-grey for the cabinetry and antiqued brass for the tapware. A dropped ceiling differentiates the space from the living zone, where grooved boards and an exposed-beam ceiling enhance the rusticated look. Just off this area, a nook containing a built-in desk is ample for their needs.

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“In the old house we had a separate study, but no one ever used it,” says Kate. “It works well as you don’t feel you have to shut yourself off to catch up on emails.”

With Kate involved in the decisions and Russell her sounding board – “We’d have a discussion and then he’d say, ‘Well, over to you’” – the design-and-build process ran smoothly. Trouble was, they had already sold the orchard. During the nine months the dwelling took to build, they went house-sitting, paid a long-term visit to their son in Australia, and had the loan of a friend’s holiday home. “It always seems like ages when you’re looking forward to something,” recalls Kate.

The wait was worth it; the house is the fulcrum for a lifestyle they have taken to like the ducks in the nearby wetland. Their two grandchildren pop in often, there are bushwalks nearby, and the community is so welcoming.

Russell practises guitar on the deck while Kate indulges her gardening passion. “It’s quite a challenge after my former English cottage garden,” she says.

But the best part is… freedom. “Moving here gave us the impetus to get rid of a lot of stuff we didn’t really need. Now we can head off in our motorhome and leave the house knowing it’s perfectly safe.” P

Photography Paul McCredie (exterior)

ABOVE Three pendant lights in French grey provided the colour cue for the kitchen, which is in a moody tone matched to Resene ‘Nocturnal’, in contrast to the cheery yellow front door. OPPOSITE The house, clad in dark-stained cedar and partially hidden by a bund, is low key within the environment.

Going native Kate Martin faced sandy soil, constant wind and feral rabbits when establishing this garden. Here are her tips: • A bund (made from soil removed to flatten off the building platform) is a nice way to provide some privacy from the street without sectioning off the home from the neighbourhood.

• Hardy bronze and red-coloured grasses and flaxes (Anemanthele lessoniana and Carex testacea) withstand the wind and add some dynamism as they move in the breeze.

Also try golden Libertia ‘Taupo Blaze’ and silver tussock.

• Rabbits don’t enjoy eating flax so they’re a good solution if these pests

are a problem. For interest, plant a mix of colours such as Chatham Island flax and Phormium ‘Emerald Gem’. Hebes and coprosma also work well but protect them with temporary netting until the plants establish.

• Natives are also suited to a steep slope.

On the eastern side of this property, there are larger flaxes and tussock grasses such as Chionochloa flavicans interspersed with mānuka, the glossy leaves of Griselinia lucida, and bronze and green akeake.

• Consider planting varieties that will meld into the backdrop. Here a mix of kōwhai, pittosporum, pōhutukawa, puka and kohekohe will gradually blend with the trees in the reserve.

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Summer Spaces During the pandemic, our decks and patios became essential connectors of people as we were compelled to shelter in place – with picnics

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NEW ZE A L A NDER S A R E a nation of campers, trampers,

fishers and hunters: we love being out in nature. Perhaps the only thing we embrace more is harnessing that feeling of freedom in our own backyard. When building with David Reid Homes, basic hard landscaping, such as decks and driveways, is included as part of the package – a requirement for a code compliance certificate.

When working with your architect or designer, discuss how the layout of the home will wrap around the alfresco living and vice versa so they weave together in a way that enhances how your family likes to relax and entertain.

This done, remember to budget for other landscaping needs including plants (this cost can be significant).

Often our homeowners choose to get their hands in the dirt to nurture a garden themselves but, if not, we can recommend a landscape designer to work with.

In our opinion, summer spaces shouldn’t be limited to the great outdoors: bring sun-blessed areas inside too and capture the lightness of being this season brings.

View finder

When a Kiwi/American family came across this picturesque section in Point Heyward, Dunedin (opposite) they snapped it up and who can blame them?

They removed an existing old farmhouse on the property (actually, it was burnt down as part of a fire-training exercise) and built a new home which faces the harbour and has outdoor living on two sides.

While the sunken deck on the southern elevation does receive the full force of the weather, it’s worth it, because built-in seating captures a million-dollar vista down the peninsula towards the royal albatross colony at Taiaroa Head. A protected tree, sculpted by the wind, is a vertical focal point and huge boulders dug out of the site were used to bring a sense of the local to the landscaping.

A water feature in the rockery alongside the benches adds a pleasant ambience to the serene scene.

A summer painting

Framing a landscape is a given when that tableau takes in a lake, wetlands and pastoral greenery, but this house in the Karaka Lakes subdivision in South Auckland, a contemporary combination of concrete tilt-panel, flat-tray profile cladding and Abodo timber, does it masterfully. Including custom-made joinery that is pushed into the apex of the roofline allows a full-height picture window that ushers in a sweep of sky too.

It takes advantage of the gable form and turns this corner of the living room into a snapshot of summer.

On days when the covered deck is still too exposed to be enjoyable, a built-in bench seat that stretches the length of the window becomes an ideal spot to take a load off.

The feeling of a perfect summer is brought indoors, and the owners can enjoy watching the birdlife on the water whichever way the wind blows. F

LEFT A water feature within the rockery adds an aural aspect to the visual experience on this harbour-front deck in Dunedin. BELOW Custom-made glazing which stretches right up into the gable, allows the owners of this South Auckland home an incredible aspect over the wetlands enabling them to enjoy the outdoor scene even when the weather doesn’t play ball.

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Sporting sorts

This impressive, pavilion-style property in Chartwell, Hamilton was initially built as a showhome. The section featured a gully to one side that dropped away steeply and, to take advantage of the natural drama, the alfresco entertaining area was designed to nestle down into it so that this outdoor ‘snug’ feels part of the land, rather than a structure sitting on top of it.

Steps that lead down from the main living area follow the natural ground contours and the gable extends six metres to provide the luxury of cover. The vision was to create the ultimate gathering haunt for friends to hunker

down in and watch sporting events – sometimes for hours on end (Bathurst 1000 was mentioned). The area is furnished with a built-in TV and a centralised firepit to keep off the chill as the evenings draw in.

Bench seating caters to a crowd and, after dark, LED lighting beneath the banquettes gives them the appearance of floating above the floor. Garapa was chosen for the decking because it’s a material that, unlike kwila, doesn’t bleed tannins and the underside of the gable is clad in cedar, bringing the warmth of more wood to the experience.

ABOVE When the big game is on, what better place to gather with many friends than this covered area in a Hamilton property that comes complete with an outdoor TV. Let the fun begin!

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Escape to the everyday

An alpine environment is blessed with the ever-present mountains to focus on, but it does mean warmth and shelter are pushed to the top of the priority list. This Jack’s Point home features the classic Central Otago palette of knotty cedar and schist, with gabled forms to mimic the peaks. An outdoor living space, slotted between the two pavilions of the dwelling, is well protected from the elements on three sides. The owners chose composite decking for its low-maintenance

qualities and an operable louvred roof can be closed off when it rains – or snows. This has allowed them to furnish the space as a genuine outdoor room with a modular sofa, a rug to make it more homely and even art: one of the owner’s own designs, inspired by a Māori kite, laser-cut from steel and allowed to weather and rust. The magnificent backdrop of the Remarkables is ever present and griselina hedges pop against the cladding oiled in Wood-X ‘Foundry’. F

BELOW Mountains are magnificent to look at but they do tend to put a crisp chill in the air: this well-appointed outdoor room in Queenstown has all the comforts of an indoor living zone.

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Splash happy

For some a dream home would not be complete without a pool. The owners of this Westmere, Auckland property have three daughters who range in age from tweens to teens. Come Labour Weekend, the covers come off and the pool is at the heart of the action.

Designing for a pool is a never an afterthought: it’s to your benefit to include it with the house plans so there is only a single submission to council. Depending on the layout of the site, putting the pool in first can be the canny option.

When it comes to pool design, there is a plethora of considerations: how will it be used; what engineering is required; will it be heated; will it use natural or salt water – and what colour will it be?

Then there are regulations galore to adhere to; it’s

definitely territory for the design experts. In a rural backyard on a flat site, the options will be extensive, but if you’re building in suburbia, like these owners did, things can get tricky with how far away a pool can be located from the boundary. There are also other hidden constraints (such as stormwater drains that run beneath the ground). Finally, fencing can make or break the aesthetic. An experienced designer will locate the pool in an area to minimise the impact of fencing, using tricks like disguising it behind greenery or incorporating weirs and stone walls that meld in with the architecture but comply with the rules.

In this example, the pool is a minimalist geometric slash of blue inserted in kwila decking and backed by a travertine wall with glass fencing that allows the backdrop of bush to create a lush, resort-like feel.

ABOVE If you have your heart set on a pool, be prepared to navigate the myriad regulations that come with the territory. Getting the experts involved and talking to each other from the get-go is a good idea. In Westmere, Auckland this minimalist pool is at the heart of family life.

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Take your Meds

Classical elegance and sharp-lined modernism combine in this home in Beachlands, Auckland which boasts a VIP view over the harbour. Although the lines of the house are contemporary and sharp, and the owners have a centralised outdoor room with a built-in barbecue and bar to retreat to, this east-facing courtyard that runs off the master bedroom gives them a secluded, private place to enjoy morning coffee. Using gravel lends a Mediterranean flavour which the owners have enhanced

with potted dwarf citrus and bistro-style metal furniture. Gravel courtyards are fairly low maintenance if you keep on top of things. Weed regularly, rake the stones every now and then and remove any leaves that fall onto the surface. You will probably need to refresh the gravel every two to four years. Gravel is also better for the environment than, say, concrete since it is a porous surface allowing water to permeate into the ground and preventing runoff for better stormwater management. P

BELOW Transport yourself to France or Italy with a gravel courtyard and citrus in pots. The owners of this home in Beachlands, Auckland also have a wonderful view of the sea.

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Sight unseen

This holiday home, on a spectacular site, will be the fulcrum of many happy memories – when the owners finally get to move in

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OPPOSITE A jaw-dropping vista towards Slipper Island gives this home a holiday flavour through and through. ABOVE On the kwila deck, a Horizon gas fireplace with an aerated concrete subframe extends alfresco dining into the cooler evenings. BELOW An i02 long rectangle shade follows the form of the kitchen island with its Silestone top and Decoform panelled front. The custom-designed splashback is a single large-format tile from Tile Space.

Photography Stefan Zander

TA IRUA IS A town that many only drive through,

hurrying deeper into the Coromandel Peninsula as fast as permitted along the main road, never getting any real sense of the beach and the estuary and the picturesque hill that lies between them. That’s why Patrick Stafford and Melanie Neish were pleasantly surprised when an enthusiastic real estate agent ferried them around the area. The very same day, they were convinced of its charms – and bought a section.

Situated on top of the Paku hill, with views across to Slipper Island (Whakahau) and, in the far distance, Mayor Island (Tuhua), the 860 square metres of land was dead flat. “We thought that would be easy to build on,” says Patrick. It was…and it wasn’t. “We hadn’t factored in the volcanic bedrock or the fact the site was in New Zealand’s highest wind zone,” adds Melanie.

As first-time builders, the pair took their time deciding on who would construct their holiday retreat. Initially, they considered buying a standard bach design off the plans. But although the site was rectangular, it was facing an awkward direction: the views were to the short side.

This called for a bespoke solution to provide a panoramic punch to the lounge and main bedroom, one that would F OUR PL ACE — 77

wrap the house around the outdoor living to save them from the devil wind. The Auckland-based pair also knew they’d be building remotely so full project management was a must.

Enter Ben Green from David Reid Homes who, on a weekend, drove over from Matarangi within an hour of receiving the couple’s call. “He was really great to deal with. He talked us through absolutely everything and gave us the confidence that no one else had done up to that point,” says Melanie.

A three-bedroom home to make the best of the views was on the agenda, but although the elevation delivered a sweep of blue as far as the horizon, Patrick felt they were missing out on the action in the foreground. He had the idea to raise the house 1.3 metres off the ground, so at night the twinkling lights of nearby Pauanui dot through the dark. “Being in a high-wind zone, that effectively created a kite,” he laughs. “It meant a lot more concrete, reinforcing and structural steel to hold it together.”

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That was a big call, but the team went with it, and it has done the business. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors put the hero landscape in the picture and the L-shaped footprint allows a sheltered outdoor entertaining area on the north-west elevation.

Externally, vertical cedar cladding and a dark-toned steel roof is a subtle palette that gifts the scenery and greenery top billing. Internally, the couple was bolder yet still disciplined, choosing neutral tones with black accents and finishes with a sense of verticality. That includes slender finger mosaics for the bathrooms and laundry, a long rectangular plywood pendant for above the engineered stone bench, and timber strips (vertical of course) as decorative detailing on one side of the island. They also opted for wallpaper as a feature in the bedrooms and the laundry, where a tropical print in metallic amps up the vacation vibe.

Design decisions made, and supply issues sorted, the construction process was off and running. Patrick and F

OPPOSITE. The team at Hostess Kitchens in Hamilton helped the owners with the design of their kitchen, which features a beautifully minimal Greens Luxe pullout sink mixer. A Frankie Oak dining table from A&C Homestore allows a primo view across the ocean during meals.

LEFT Quickstep Impressive timber flooring gives a casual coastal feel to the interior while a Regency GF1500 gas fire keeps things cosy.

BELOW In the living room, where double-glazed joinery from the APL Architectural and Metro series slides right back for full connection to the landscape, an L-shaped Sorrento sofa from Freedom wraps around a Jena coffee table from Republic Home.

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LEFT The owners chose a Progetto Vista mirror cabinet as a statement piece in the en suite. It is mounted on a wall of glossy Yubi Sake finger mosaics above an Odessa Urban vessel basin. Elementi Uno tapware in brushed nickel is a finishing touch. ABOVE The main bedroom is positioned at the front of the home and the CurtainStudio team in Whitianga suggested the floaty white drapes to emphasise the holiday feel.

Melanie, who live on Auckland’s North Shore, received regular Facetime progress reports from the builder and made the two-hour journey to see it for themselves on weekends. But then. the big C. Covid, that is. Nine weeks of lockdown meant they couldn’t travel. “We were just hitting the point when all the finishing details would be done,” explains Patrick. “We didn’t see the flooring go in, or the bathrooms. We didn’t see the decks built.”

Superlative communication from Ben and the team lessened their disappointment and Patrick is pragmatic.

“There’s no point worrying about it; we try to keep everything in perspective.” And when the couple heard the house was up for a photo shoot, they even generously agreed for their furniture to be trucked in from the city for the occasion. “We had a dining table and chairs, the sofa, three beds, a coffee table and fridge-freezer, even the bedside lighting, already stored in a warehouse and ready to go,” says Patrick.

All things considered it has been a wholly positive experience. “Everyone we worked with, including Matt the electrician, Jess at CurtainStudio, the team

at Hostess Kitchens plus our project managers Jason and Mark, with Ben holding the whole thing together, was great,” says Melanie.

At the time of writing, the couple could only give thanks for a Christmas miracle: a chance to host family, including Melanie’s parents, in the holiday home. Patrick, who hails from the UK, was looking forward to testdriving the Belling oven he personally picked out, with roast beef, Yorkshire puddings and all the trimmings on the menu. Melanie couldn’t wait to put the tree up and sit outside by the fire. “For me that will be a highlight; I’ve never owned a home with a fireplace.” They’re both keen to see the fireworks display that the town invests in. It’s launched from a barge in the middle of the estuary, an incredible light show to see in the new year.

A room that started out as a lock-up storage zone (in case they use the house for holiday lets) has since had two windows added so it’ll make a good work-from-home office. Sounds like a prescient plan. Because, when the couple finally do get to experience their summer escape in the flesh, chances are they may never want to leave. F OUR PL ACE — 81

The digital experience Patrick and Melanie are first-time builders who lived remotely and took on the project in the middle of a pandemic.

Here’s how cyber tools helped: • At the design stage, the couple was shown a 3D flythrough visualisation of the concept. “It was amazing – it went through every area of the house and allowed us to shuffle a few things around,” says Mel. • Keeping in touch with the project manager through video messaging apps such as Facetime allowed them to make decisions and maintain a sense of excitement in the journey when they couldn’t be there to see it in person.

• Another app – Buildertrend – was a godsend for continuity. It is a construction management system that owners and the project manager communicate through. There are sections for the plans, all written documentation, and the billing system. “It’s excellent, as you can see exactly where you are financially,” explains Patrick.

• David Reid Homes also used the Buildertrend app to provide Patrick and Mel with daily log updates.

They would upload photos of the day’s progress and write notes about what had happened on site (e.g. the electrician has been today).

RIGHT Wallpaper from the Vivid collection by Aspiring Walls (featuring palm trees) and finger mosaics bring a touch of luxe to the laundry.

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“Being in a high-wind zone, that effectively created a kite. It meant a lot more concrete, reinforcing and structural steel to hold it together.”

DRYDEN.CO.NZ

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