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Personal expression Design influences are many and varied. But no matter whether you prefer a traditional or contemporary-style home, masonry construction offers many advantages, says Mark Wilson of Masonry Design Solutions
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Preceding pages: Masonry homes are designed to suit your family’s lifestyle. This Italianstyle home from Masonry Design Solutions features a traditional loggia. Above: This Spanish-style house in Whitford, designed by Masonry Design Solutions, was built by Tribro Construction Ellerslie. Traditional elements include a portico, wrought-iron detailing and a clay tile roof.
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veryone has a different vision when it comes to house design – but we all want the same attention to detail from a designer. Masonry Design Solutions specialises in the design of Firth Masonry Villas that reflect your family’s tastes, aspirations and lifestyle. The house featured here is a good example. Director Mark Wilson says the owners wanted a large home with a strong Spanish theme. “The thick-walled masonry construction lends itself to this look,” he says. “It conveys a sense of solidity and permanence. It also provides deep reveals and allows for textured, plastered walls.
In addition, the owners benefit from all the other masonry advantages, such as the thermal and acoustic insulation.” Special design features of this home include a traditional Spanish portico, a double-height foyer, arched windows and imported clay tile roofing. The depth of the masonry walls also enhances the Spanish look by allowing decorative wroughtiron features. For further information, contact Masonry Design Solutions, PO Box 300-252, Albany, phone (09) 448 1101, mob 021 597 347, or visit the website: www.themasonrygroup.co.nz.
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ith any new home project, it’s important that the landscaping complement the style of the house. For this home, on a large lifestyle block, landscape designer Mike Jack of Natural Habitats had an even greater challenge. “The landscape plan had to deal with the entire two hectare site,” he says. “This included positioning the driveway and motor court, planning the pool and spa pool areas, building a large retaining wall, and incorporating a BioCycle field – an irrigation system that recycles household waste water.” Mike Jack says the owners were keen to introduce Spanish elements into the landscaping. Large
Phoenix palms and blue-grey Butia palms provide this Mediterranean ambience. “The owners wanted the entrance to have an avenue effect – a formal layout with some lush, tropical planting. Along with the palms we have included box hedging, grisellinias and magnolias.” Other species planted in the BioCycle field include Windmill palms and a variety of flaxes and grasses, all of which tolerate damp conditions. For further details, contact Natural Habitats, 240 Orakei Rd, Remuera, Auckland, phone (09) 529 0190, fax (09) 524 1266, or visit the website: www.naturalhabitats.co.nz
Above: Landscaping of the Whitford property reflects the Spanish influence. Natural Habitats was commissioned to undertake the landscaping, which included planning the driveway and motor court. The driveway is lined with box hedging, magnolia trees and palms.
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Above: The Spanish clay tile roofing is a significant feature of the Whitford home. La Escandella clay tiles in the colourway Lucentum were chosen to replicate the traditional, aged look of a typical Mediterranean homestead. The tiles are imported by Espana Ceramica, an Auckland company based in East Tamaki.
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long with the architectural design, the choice of building materials reflects the home’s Spanish influence. One of the most significant features is the imported clay tile roof. To provide a traditional, weathered look, Masonry Design Solutions specified La Escandella Spanish clay tiles imported by Espana Ceramica. These tiles provide the typical colour variations of Spanish roofing. They also have an aged look that replicates traditional Mediterranean buildings, says Mark Wilson of Masonry Design Solutions. “For this reason, we specify La Escandella tiles for many of our projects,” he says.
Alan Rolston, managing director of Espana Ceramica, says the tiles never lose their colour and therefore do not need painting. “The weathered look simply improves over time,” he says. Rolston says Espana Ceramica began importing the range seven years ago, to meet the demand for an affordable clay tile. And despite their old-world look, the La Escandella tiles are manufactured using up-to-the-minute technology. “Spray-drying the clay is a key process in producing the quality and texture of the roof tile,” he says. “The processing methods ensure a clean,
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evenly coloured and textured product. It has no impurities or small pieces of lime, which could cause cracks through expansion caused by dampness or frost.” Rolston says the tiles can withstand temperature extremes and are guaranteed for 20 years. “Many international architects are using this tile, including a recent project on a resort island in Dubai, which can be viewed at www.thepalm.ae.” For more details, contact Espana Ceramica, PO Box 51-910, Pakuranga, phone +64 9 271 7325, fax +64 9 271 5201. Email: info@espana.co.nz. Website: www.espana.co.nz.
Left: La Escandella Spanish clay tiles complement the plastered exterior of the house. The colour variation of the tiles is a large part of their appeal, says Espana Ceramica managing director Alan Rolston. The roofing incorporates matching ridge and cap tiles.
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Top and above: In keeping with the home’s Spanish look, an overlay flooring system was specified for the ground floor. Joanne Donovan of Artifications says the handpainted flooring is a cost-effective way to individualise your home. Above right: Artifications’ skilled artists created a matador poster for the flooring in the entrance.
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he sense of arrival conveyed by the front portico of the house is further enhanced by the entrance foyer. This features an elaborate handpainted floor from Artifications – customised to reflect the Spanish theme. Joanne Donovan of Artifications says the company painted a replica matador poster onto the floor, which was handpainted and finished to create a large tile effect. “The overlay flooring system is a threecomponent product developed by Artifications for interior use,” she says. “The mix incorporates a cement compound and is poured on site.”
Donovan says the flooring is then handpainted and finished with a durable clear coat that won’t yellow or deteriorate in sunlight. “The flooring is completely seamless and has no grout. It also feels warm to the touch.” Special decorative effects can include sleek stone and tile patterns, antique mosaics, modern metallics and murals. The flooring in this home features an inset wood inlay. For more details, contact Artifications, PO Box 37-970, Parnell, Auckland, phone (09) 828 1860, fax (09) 826 1640. Email: artifications@xtra.co.nz. Website: www.artifications.co.nz.
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n a traditional Spanish villa, a large fireplace is the heart of the home. For centuries, family and friends have gathered around the fire for comfort and warmth – and also to cook. Today, the cooking facilities have become a lot more convenient – and so has the fire. For this home, a Warmington 1100 wood-burning fireplace from Fires By Design was specified for the formal living room. With its black iron firebox, the fire complements the wrought-iron detailing in the home. But while the fire provides all the cheer and comfort of those traditional fireplaces, it has the added advantage of modern technology. As with
all Warmington Fires, this model is designed for maximum energy efficiency. Standard Warmington fires range from 440mm to 1500mm wide and come in a wide selection of finishes, both traditional and contemporary. Alternatively, Fires By Design can custom-design a fireplace to suit your decor. The company’s technical consultants can also help you choose the best gas or wood fire for your project. Contact Fires By Design, 47 Sir William Ave, East Tamaki, Auckland, phone (09) 273 9227, fax (09) 273 9241. Email: sales@firesbydesign.co.nz. Website: www.warmington.co.nz.
Above: A large open fire from Fires By Design warms the formal living room on cool winter days. The Warmington 1100 wood-burning fireplace was chosen to complement the traditional Spanish theme.
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Above: Padova light fittings from Lighting Direct resemble traditional candle torches. The light amber glass is highly textured and matched with a rusted steel and bronze bracket. Right: Lighting Direct also supplied 20W halogen step lights for the stairs. Although a modern design, the step lights cast pools of light in keeping with the feel of a Spanish villa.
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he Spanish influence extends to the choice of lighting fixtures in the home. To create the right ambience, Padova wall fittings from Lighting Direct were specified. These fittings feature rough-textured Scavo glass in light amber, paired with rusted steel trim and bronze brackets. Dean Fulford from Lighting Direct says the fixture is designed to provide the traditional look of candles burning in torches. “An incandescent light source gives the illusion of a subtle-burning candle,” he says. “It’s a very rustic European look, which is particularly
well suited to the Spanish flavour of this home. It is also a good complement to the decorative wrought-iron work.” The Padova lights feature in the main entrance foyer and the mezzanine area at the top of the grand staircase. Stair lighting was also provided by Lighting Direct. Here, 20W halogen step lights are placed above every third riser, creating pools of light in keeping with the overall ambience of the entrance. For more information, contact Lighting Direct, phone (09) 273 3444, fax (09) 273 3993, or visit the website: www.Trendsideas.com/lightingdirect.
Above: The use of incandescent bulbs in the Padova lights ensures the light is both bright and ambient. Chosen to complement the home’s traditional wrought-iron detailing, the Padova lights from Lighting Direct feature in the main entrance foyer, which opens to the formal living room.
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Above: Details make the difference. To enhance the Spanish look, the kitchen features handpainted cabinetry from Fyfe Kitchens, a butler’s sink, and decorative wood and iron shelving. The granite benchtops are honed for a natural, matt finish, which is more in keeping with a traditional look, says designer Sarah Waite.
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aking the new look old is not always easy. It requires the skills of a good designer and talented craftspeople with the ability to think laterally. The kitchen in the Whitford home is a good example. Designed by Sarah Waite and manufactured by Fyfe Kitchens & Cabinets, it reflects the owners’ desire for authenticity. “The owners wanted a rustic look that would be in keeping with the traditional Spanish style of the rest of the house,” says Waite. A large wood island, imported from Mexico, is the focal point of the kitchen. But its attractive,
aged appearance belies the work involved behind the scenes. “The island was extensively modified by Fyfe Kitchens and now incorporates integrated cabinets and drawers with ball-bearing, soft-close systems,” says Waite. “Two Fisher & Paykel DishDrawers are also integrated in the island.” Other traditional features in the kitchen include the large hood over the oven, designed as a mantle. “In a traditional Spanish kitchen, the pillar supports would fully enclose the cooking space. In this kitchen, we have pushed them back to provide
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useful bench space either side of the cooktop.” Cabinetry throughout the kitchen was handpainted to avoid a modern, new look. Handles are also pre-aged, thanks to a painted rust finish, which has been sealed. Several cabinet doors have mesh doors – another traditional feature. The granite benchtops are honed to provide a matt finish and further enhance the rustic look. Fyfe Kitchens has been designing and manufacturing custom kitchens for more than 30 years. For more information, contact Fyfe Kitchens, 225 Great South Rd, Greenlane, Auckland, phone (09) 520 4752, fax (09) 520 4751.
Above: The large, wood island was imported from Mexico and extensively remodelled by Fyfe Kitchens. It provides storage and a second sink and food preparation area. Two imported wood doors (at right) open to a walk-in pantry, which accommodates an appliance benchtop. Left: The Rosières double oven was lowered to make cooking easier.
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