Above: The wide veranda that runs around the Kauri Cliffs clubhouse provides a place for guests to enjoy the lodge’s clifftop ocean views. Designer Lorraine Allen from LA Imports sourced these Santorini tables and chairs from Mexico. The limestone tabletops were made locally to her specifications. As well as being durable, their look is more appropriate to the colonial architecture of the clubhouse.
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A key feature of the clubhouse is the wide, covered veranda that runs almost the whole way around the building. It adds to the colonial style, of the lodge and also provides a place for guests to relax and dine while enjoying views of the golf course and ocean below. Finding outdoor tables and chairs that could withstand the coastal environment without rusting or ageing was an important consideration. Fisher approached Lorraine Allen from LA Imports to source some suitable, hard-wearing outdoor furniture for the veranda. Square, stone tabletops were a practical choice
that was more authentic to the period than round, glass-topped tables, Allen says. After sourcing the Santorini sandcast aluminium chairs and table bases in Mexico, she commissioned Absola Stone to create honed Vilhonneur limestone tabletops. “The limestone has a strong, natural look, while the bases, made of recycled aluminium cans are low maintenance and will wear well outdoors and close to the water,” she says. With her training in architectural design, Allen specialises in sourcing products with a Mediterranean style. She can also arrange for items to be custom-designed and made in Mexico.
Above: Careful attention to detail helps give Kauri Cliffs its intimate, homely feel. To complement the subdued, natural tones of the décor, interior designer Virginia Fisher commissioned Lorraine Allen from LA Imports to supply a selection of mirrors for the clubhouse and cottages. Custom designed in Mexico, their acidetched metal frames have antique gold and zinc finishes.
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The décor at Kauri Cliff is characterised by comfort, softness and attention to detail. So as not to compete with the spectacular scenery, Fisher chose quiet, subtle shades that reflect the bush, sea and sky, and tone in with the timber floors. “The Robertsons wanted open, airy spaces with a casual look that was elegant in detail,” she says. Despite being a golfing lodge, there is no golfing memorabilia. Instead, carefully chosen decorative items and soft furnishings create the ambience of a relaxed home. Mirrors decorate virtually every room, from the large entrance foyer to the dining room and
lounge. Commissioned to source and supply these mirrors, Lorraine Allen from LA Imports says she was looking for items that reflected the colonial feel and coastal location of the lodge. “There are more than 80 mirrors in a range of sizes and finishes throughout the clubhouse and guest cottages,” Allen says. “Each was custom made to the interior designer’s specifications in Mexico and has an acid-etched frame in antiqued gold or zinc.” After tackling the challenge of having 80 mirrors made to specification, Allen then arranged their safe transportation back to New Zealand.
Location: The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, Matauri Bay Road, Northland Architects: Wade Setliff, Architectural Design Group (Lakeland, FL) and Kerry Avery, Avery Team Architecture (Auckland) Interior designer: Virginia Fisher Main contractor: Haydn & Rollett Construction, PO Box 100-141, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland, phone (09) 444 7379, fax (09) 444 2713, email: haydnrollett@hrl.co.nz Clubhouse carpentry subcontractors: Kerikeri Construction, PO Box 350, Kerikeri, phone (09) 407 7327, fax (09) 407 7328, email: kericonstruction@clear.net.nz Masonry, paving and tiling: Stonecraft Construction, RD1, Okahu Rd, Kaitaia, Northland, phone/fax (09) 408 0751, email: stonecraft@xtra.co.nz Cottage roofing: Steel & Tube Roofing Products, PO Box 58-216, Greenmount, Auckland, phone (09) 274 4056, fax (09) 274 8972 Coir mats and rug binding: Advance Flooring Co, PO Box 13-184, Onehunga, Auckland, freephone 0508 ADVANCE Chandeliers and ironwork: Ken Lawler, 67 Union Rd, Howick, Bucklands Beach, Auckland, phone/fax (09) 537 2244 or phone (09) 534 8515, mob 021 158 8104 Outdoor furniture and mirrors: LA Imports, PO Box 37-759, Parnell, Auckland, phone (09) 359 9166, fax (09) 359 9305 Yothaka armchairs and ottomans: Perfect Pieces, PO Box 11-378, Ellerslie, Auckland, phone (09) 523 3463, fax (09) 523 3292, website: www.perfectpieces.co.nz Photography by Peter Beattie
This page: Lit up at night, the Lodge at Kauri Cliffs glows with the warm, welcoming feel of a large colonial homestead. Wide steps lead up to the veranda and the lodge’s solid, timber front doors. The stairs running down the side of the building lead to the lower ground level, which houses a golfing pro shop, cart storage area, changing rooms and the lodge’s services.
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