Ben and Tess Annabell found their 2.5 acres of paradise in Taranaki back in 2008. The location was ideal; Hawera had great schools, a vibrant community, lots of nearby family and friends, excellent hunting and fishing, plus the added attraction of a beach only a salt spray away.
On site was a 1914 villa, which they would have loved to renovate but unfortunately it was well past its use by date. So, it was a case of starting from scratch.
We had a good idea of what we wanted in a home. So, we took our rough design to Location Homes in New Plymouth and they did the rest.
Made to fit right in
The choice of building materials was influenced by the surrounding buildings. Batten and board was chosen so that the house blended in with Ben’s workshop and helped connect the buildings. ColorSteel® was used as a cladding and roofing because it’s a material that’s right at home in a rural setting yet at the same time provided a contrast to the warmth of the cedar.
The cedar cladding gives a soft, natural, earthy feel to the place which was exactly what we wanted.
Wind? What wind?
Rumour has it that it can blow a bit on the Taranaki coast, so Ben and Tess built with that in mind. The house has entertaining areas on both sides of the house, so they are protected from the most common westerly and northerly winds. Large verandas also provide protection from the sun and rain as well as substantially increasing the usable living space.
Inside the house double glazing and an extremely efficient wood burner, which heats water as well as the air, keeps the comfort levels well into the cosy range.
All black, almost
It’s pretty obvious, we’re keen on black. We looked at lots of magazines for inspiration and we were always drawn to the darker colours.
From the Ebony ColorSteel® on the roof, to the Resene Pitch Black stain on the verandas, the black oxide on the driveway to the Black Marley Stratus Design Series® spouting and downpipes, the colour black is very prominent. It has the visual effect of making the house sit down in the landscape. It blends in rather than shouts out.
PVC – a plumber’s pick
Ben runs Evergreen Plumbing and he’s been using Marley product for many years. He chose the Stratus Design Series® in the Typhoon® profile for a number of reasons. Its’ smooth profile, 15-year guarantee, UV resistance, and suitability for the collection of drinking water were all factors to consider, but the number one reason is that it’s made from tough uPVC and won’t rust with all the salt spray.
We’re only 700 metres from the surf so salt spray is a real issue. That’s why Marley PVC was the only way to go. And we love it!
The black looks really stunning with matching RP80® 80mm round downpipes.
So, from both a practical and design viewpoint the Black Stratus Design Series® was ideally suited to the location and added a very stylish finishing touch to the home.
A brilliant mix of old and new
The timber from the original villa didn’t go to waste. The kitchen and bathroom benchtops are all made from Rimu salvaged from the old home and the library shelving is using the old Matai floorboards.
The lovely native timber was just too good to use as firewood.
On trend metallic touches were used throughout the home with copper lampshades in the lounge and dining area working beautifully with the exposed brick.
Despite their clear love of black, the odd splash of colour has been used around the home, like the gorgeous Studio Edward Van Vliet wallpaper (Design number 48957) on the lounge wall, coupled with a classic camel leather couch.
Ben and Tess are suitably in love with their new home and we agree it’s truly beautiful in black!
