Typhoon[reg]

Classic in Te Awamutu

12 September, 2017 by

Located 30kms south of Hamilton, Te Awamutu is often referred to as ‘The Rose Town of New Zealand’ because of its elaborate rose gardens in the centre of town.

Te Awamutu is also home to a brand new house built by Daniel Kraayvanger and the team at DK Designer Homes.

The finished home has a timeless, classic look, with shingle roof, plastered walls, deep window reveals, and copper lighting and spouting. This entertainer’s delight also features a games room and in-ground pool.

A design challenge

The biggest challenge from a design perspective was fitting a 370m² house, plus a separate 34m² games room, on an irregularly shaped, 3,200m² rural section.

The 10m setbacks on all boundaries allowed for a limited building platform.

It helped that the house was able to be positioned on site to maximise the north orientation, with outdoor living areas, the games room and the pool all located to make the most of the sun.

None to done in one

“The owner had a very clear idea of what they wanted from the outset and had done extensive research over a long period of time.” Kraayvangar says.

“It was particularly helpful for the designer and builder that they had had an extensive image library of what they were after.”

Plans were drawn up one year out, and the build was achieved from woe to go in just 6 months, transforming the empty site to a beautiful new home.

When we asked the owner if he would have done anything differently looking back on the process, he told us “No, we wouldn’t. We love it just the way it is.”

Entertainer’s delight

Clever exterior layout and design, using a covered outdoor entertaining area within view of the inviting pool, gives the owners the ultimate flexibility to make the most of their easy-care outdoor areas all year-round.

With the Waikato region offering warm, humid summers and mild winters with prevailing winds from the west and southwest, the siting of the house, planting and fencing, provide protection for the outdoor living areas in most weathers.

The 30m² covered outdoor living area, complete with outdoor gas fire, provides maximum opportunities for outdoor living in all but the most inclement weather, further enhanced by the 20m² covered barbeque area to the Games Room.

Aqua oasis

The undercover paved patio, combined with extensive north-facing tiled areas, maximise comfort no matter the weather.

All the better for enjoying the generous in-ground pool in eye-catching aqua, complemented with the large pale tiles in the same colour as the cladding.

The owner knew the type of pool and shape he wanted, and with the help of building consent drawings from a structural engineer, DK Designer Homes turned the owner’s dreams to reality.

The finishing touch of glass balustrades for the pool fence avoided visually cutting off the pool from the house, adding to the expansive resort feel.

Clean lines

CavityClad, an autoclaved aerated concrete panel cladding system, was used on the exterior, with the plastered finish painted Resene Double Thorndon Cream. Battened plywood soffits to the outdoor living areas were stained.

The roofing is CertainTeed asphalt shingles on a plywood substrate, supplied and installed by Bay Pacific Roofing of Tauranga, in colour Landmark Weathered Wood.

The clean, classic aesthetic was continued indoors, with the interior of the house painted Resene Alabaster, with wallpapered feature walls, and the walls to the interior of the Games Room painted Resene Half Truffle. The ceiling, doors, architraves and trim are Resene Alabaster.

On-trend copper

Stylish copper feature lighting adorns the exterior, with bronze water features and large pots making a design statement against the paler exterior cladding.

Marley Typhoon^® spouting and RP80^® downpipes in Copper, part of Marley’s Stratus Design Series^® range, continues the on-trend copper features of the home.

“The client liked the ‘copper look’ without the cost of real copper” Kraayvangar said.

Marley copper uPVC spouting and downpipes also suited the timeless, classic style of the home.

Marley’s Typhoon spouting reduces maintenance while still getting the elegant copper look without the risk of theft of metal copper spouting.

Captivating coastal Northland

20 July, 2017 by

After looking for more than 6 years, Shaun and Margaret finally found ‘the one’. A vacant site in Northland, perched high in stunning Tutukaka, with awe-inspiring, sweeping sea views that stop you in your tracks.

Big plans but no builder

Having built a house in 1997 in nearby Maungakaramea, the news that their trusted builder had since retired meant the hunt began for a housing company.

We approached a few companies with our design, and requested estimates. We chose Jennian Northland as they were the best to deal with throughout that process.

18 months later, and the empty land had been transformed into a welcoming home, built tough to withstand the elements of the elevated coastal site.

Considered positioning was needed for the house to account for the undulating contours of the site, and for protection from the high-wind exposure. Everything indoors and out was designed to make the most of those panoramic views.

Exterior echoing nature

Natural materials were chosen for the exterior, combined with a coastal-inspired colour scheme to blend harmoniously with the location.

Cladding in schist, rendered brick, and hard-wearing Linea weatherboard created a foundation firm enough to weather any storm.

Shaun and Margaret chose Colorsteel’s MAXX Trimline for the roof in the moody grey-blue shade of New Denim.

Marley Typhoon^® spouting in Titanium, with matching RP80^® downpipes, made for a sensible and stylish choice for the finishing touch to the exterior. “We liked the look of the Marley Typhoon spouting” says Shaun.

“Plus our location raised a few concerns for choosing the right spouting. We took into account our long run mono pitch roof design over four sections and levels, the salt-laden air, and long, hot sunny summer days.”

Marley’s uPVC spouting solved it all for us. No concerns about metal corroding, and it could cope with Northland’s heat and high UV at the same time.

A 3kW PV Solar System on the roof takes advantage of Northland’s high sunshine hours for generating power.

Picturesque plantings

With more work in the garden still on their ‘to do’ list, Shaun and Margaret’s clever plant selections so far have achieved a lush feel, an impressive feat given the restrictions of the harsh location.

We chose mainly native plants that could withstand the salt-laden air of the coast.

Unobstructed views

The substantial decking area, constructed from pine with steps edged in reclaimed telephone-pole cross arms, was kept low profile, providing easy indoor-outdoor flow and avoiding the need for balustrades which would otherwise interrupt those breathtaking views.

The ocean indoors

The brand-new, complex, 279sqm home encompasses four bedrooms and two bathrooms, a large kitchen, and two generous living spaces.

With inspiration at-hand through every window, the interior colour scheme was designed to take a backseat to the statement view.

Shaun and Margaret chose Resene Quarter Tea throughout for a cohesive interior colour. Quarter Tea is Resene’s fifth most popular seller, with the muted soft beige providing a warmer base and more complexity than plain white.

The expansive kitchen above is an entertainer’s dream. The luminous turquoise kitchen splash-back in Resene Hullabaloo was sourced from Regal Plus, who also supplied the kitchen, and brings the ocean indoors (for those brief moments you can tear yourself away from the eye-catching views). The granite benchtops are from Stone Warehouse in Auckland.

The bathrooms and master bedroom ensuite perfectly complement the interior colour scheme, with Crema Marfil porcelain print tiles, tapware and mixers from the Methven Aio collection, and Athena bathroom vanities and sinks.

Smartvent and additional ducted air conditioning was added to keep their home cool in summer and warm in winter for year-round comfort.

Favourite things

Now the build is done and they’ve settled in to their new home, Shaun says “It is an extremely liveable house and the living areas have the benefit of the amazing panoramic views.”

When asked what advice he’d give other homeowners trying to achieve a similar look, Shaun said “Don’t rush. Each site has its own advantages and challenges, so spending a lot of time thinking through all aspects of the design is really important prior to the start of construction. Attention to the details is a critical success factor.”

From the big picture to the finer details, like the finishing touch of Marley Typhoon uPVC spouting in Titanium, it’s obvious Shaun and Margaret’s carefully considered attention to detail has really paid off.

Copper home design trends 2017

11 July, 2017 by

All that glitters is not gold. Copper became the design trend de jour in 2016. Showing no signs of slowing down in 2017, copper in and around the home has now grown up, becoming more relaxed, natural and inclusive, moving away from 2016’s statement ‘look at me’ approach.

From interior design, to architecture and home exteriors, copper is a luxe accent colour that lifts your home inside and out.

Get inspired for your new home build or renovation, or just add the finishing touches to your home’s interior, with these home design trend ideas from cosy bedrooms and inviting bathrooms, to copper accented exteriors.

Copper in the kitchen

Interior designers made the call early in 2017; this is the year of the minimal kitchen.

Trends see clutter being hidden away, push and pull cabinetry without handles, pots, pans and appliances neatly stowed out of view, hidden storage areas, and slimline benchtops.

Although white will always be popular for kitchens, 2017 sees designers and homeowners favouring softer, more muted colours like greys, greens and blues, and more natural textures and materials, such as wood and marble, moving away from glossy monochrome surfaces.

Instead of last year’s statement copper pendants and accessories boldly contrasted against stark white, copper now blends in to the kitchen, highlighting natural materials.

Like this kitchen above, with its pale wood-grain cabinetry, charcoal tile splashback and copper tapware with exposed pipes over a generous butler sink.

Copper brings a soft warmth to the kitchen compared to the industrial black metal trend, or highly reflective silver, making it easy to achieve a warm and inviting space.

Like this elegant kitchen below. A copper-lovers dream with polished copper cabinets and clever use of black negative space creating instant wow factor. The natural wood parquet floor is complemented by copper tapware and a slim, pale-grey marble benchtop and dove-grey walls.

Copper bathroom trends

With kitchens and bathrooms both being key selling points for a home, cohesion between the two is easily achieved when using copper, from tapware to handles and small accessories, to the entire bath.

2017 sees bathroom colour and material trends echoing the kitchen, turning away from stark white towards more luxurious, darker shades to create a haven – an escape from the hectic outside world.

Like this soothing bathroom below with its inviting copper bath reflecting the natural wood floors, and relaxing sage-green walls.

For budgets that don’t quite extend to the scale of a copper bath or full bathroom renovation, a change to copper tapware, basin, light fittings or accessories can instantly update your bathroom.

If you have painted bathroom walls it’s even easier to affordably embrace the latest bathroom colour trends with dark colours warmed by touches of copper. Like these two deliciously dark bathrooms, with inky wall colours paired with copper accessories, mirrors, tapware and lighting.

Bedroom trends

Bedrooms aren’t missing out on the copper design trend this year either.

Designers are seeing the same muted colour palette, from moody blues through to lighter, yet still muted pastels – washed pinks, soothing greys and nature-inspired greens. These all are perfect colours for warm copper metallic accents. Bedroom fabrics are also showing the same trends, from natural fabrics like linen to lush, textured choices like rich velvets.

Like this Norwegian inspired bedroom with linen bedding in dusky pink and dove grey, natural, pale wood floorboards, and clever copper accents in the lighting, bedside table and accessories.

Copper exterior design trends

Last on the list – but number one for that essential curb-side appeal – is copper’s popularity in home exteriors.

Copper spouting and downpipes add the finishing touch of luxe to your home.

Copper spouting blends beautifully with natural wood cladding and brick exteriors, or makes a design statement against New Zealand’s ever-popular white weatherboard Villas and Bungalows, or newer trend of grey home exteriors.

So even if you’re not building new, or doing a full renovation, it’s obvious why copper is such a popular choice when your guttering needs replacing. No need to change your home or roof colour.

Like this unique Nelson stunner by Bruce Design & Build using Marley Typhoon:

These Ellerslie apartments got the high-end finish with Marley Typhoon also:

This home by Bella Homes in Whangarei blends the classic with the modern:

Marley Typhoon spouting in copper beautifully highlights this cedar clad home in New Plymouth:

Not surprisingly, copper is one of Marley’s most popular colours in the Stratus Design Series^® range, and the perfect finishing touch to achieve that on-trend yet classic copper look that won’t date – without the cost or risk of theft that usual metal guttering has.

Get the look

Marley’s uPVC copper spouting and downpipes are available in Marley Typhoon^® spouting and RP80^® 80mm round downpipe, making copper not only affordable but also extremely hard-wearing.

Since it’s the copper look you want, you can trust Marley’s uPVC copper spouting to handle NZ’s harsh sun to protect from discolouring or tarnishing with age over time. Marley’s uPVC spouting also mean coastal NZ homes can put copper spouting back on your wishlist without corrosion concerns.

Marley is available from leading plumbing and building supply merchants nationwide.

Whangaparaoa stunner

26 May, 2017 by

Spouting: Typhoon^®
Colour: Ironsand
Bracket Type: External
Downpipe: RP80^® 80mm Round Downpipe
Location: Whangaparaoa, Auckland

Black home design trends 2017

2 May, 2017 by

No other country in the world loves black as much as New Zealand does. Some might say we’re obsessed with it. It’s one colour that’s never gone out of fashion in clothing, cars, and sports teams.
And now it’s the turn of architecture and interior design.

Black design inspiration

From statement street-appeal to stylish, sleek interiors, black is a stand-out colour trend in 2017.

It’s the architecture and interior designer’s equivalent of fashion’s little black dress, instantly transforming your home and adding a touch of glamour.

Get inspired for your new home build or next renovation with these black home design ideas, from stand-out exteriors, to sleek interiors.

Black street appeal

The strong black timber cladding exterior of this beach house is balanced with lighter wood decking and pale grey cobblestones. Monochrome outdoor furniture echoes the house’s modern shape and colour scheme.

Mid-century modern gets moody

Black is also making its mark on the Mid-Century Modern trend this year. This trend shows no signs of slowing down in 2017. Taking cues from the 1930’s to 1960’s, this minimalist movement combines grid-like elements and a ‘less is more’ philosophy.

Black in the kitchen

The kitchen above takes direction from the Mid-Century Modern trend, using black to bridge man-made with organic. The black and natural wood cabinetry and island delineate this open-plan kitchen, contrasting against the grid wall of concrete tiles. The paler-wood floorboards direct the eye to the view, with black steel framing the picture window.

Add a touch of industrial

All white and bright at home but missing a bit of drama? Adding black accessories anchors your space without the cost of a full makeover. This kitchen’s industrial-style black pendant lights, black metal stools, and black tapware, provide an affordable way to reflect the trend.

Black bedrooms

A light, bright bedroom like this scandi-inspired haven make black interior walls an inspired choice. The soft, matte black walls make a perfect back-drop for the gold side-table and ornate mirror. Glossy white cabinetry, white-washed floorboards and clean white ceilings and windows frame the black beautifully.

Black spouting for the perfect finish

From modern to traditional, residential and commercial roofing can now be stylishly defined, and underlined, in rich, glossy black.

An innovative design statement from Marley, black is the latest addition to the Marley Stratus Design Series^® range of uPVC spouting and downpipe systems.

Gloss Black is available in Marley Typhoon^®, Stormcloud^® and RP80^® 80mm Round Downpipe systems.

Available from leading plumbing and building supply merchants nationwide.

Oakura, Taranaki

24 January, 2017 by

From Taranaki to the Tasman Sea

You’d be forgiven for missing Nigel and Linda Barbour’s 2016 Taranaki Regional Supreme Renovation Award winner, down a driveway off the main road to Oakura Beach. Once you see the unobstructed views, soaring out across the Tasman Sea, this Master Builders winning house won’t be one you’ll forget.

For a decade prior, Nigel and Linda lived in the adjacent street-front house. When their friends next door decided to downsize, they took their chance to buy it.

Architect Glenn Brebner and Builder David Fabish transformed the house, reshaping a bitsy exterior and boxy interior.

Subtle rather than stand-out, the exterior combines a Sto plaster system finished in Resene Wan White, concrete block and tiles finished in Resene Double Foundry, natural Kwila rain screens and cedar clad carport. Typhoon^® spouting and RP80^® 80mm round downpipe from the Marley Stratus Design Series^® finish the look. Nigel and Linda wanted copper-coloured spouting to match the wood used.

We chose Marley Typhoon^® for the durability and ability to handle heavy rain, which we sometimes get in the Naki. For ease of cleaning we went with the exterior brackets so no interior brackets get in the way

The unusual double staircases were retained. The interior was opened up with skylights added, walls removed, increased door heights and a widened hallway to funnel the eye towards that spectacular view. Yellow-white Resene Rice Cake was used to complement the warm cedar and cool grey tones inside.

To achieve a similar look, Nigel advises “Engage a good architect, designer and builder and involve them early in the process. The greatest amount of value is added at the front end.”