Undisturbed sea views across Buffalo Beach and Mercury Bay attracted Richard and Hannah to buy this Whitianga property in 2018. Stacks of potential for the family home of their dreams! No wonder it won Gold in the Auckland, Northland & Coromandel region of the Registered Master Builders House of the Year competition.
With 20+ years in the building game, Richard (HAMR Home Building Contractors) had a strong idea of what he wanted to build to replace the 1950’s dwelling and take full advantage of the location.
He picked up his pencil and drafted plans for a spacious two-storey home. Designs were developed alongside Studio 77 Ltd and a 9-month build followed.
Now that it’s a reality, the family are even more delighted with the location than they had expected. The extraordinary views are a stand-out from almost anywhere in the house.
Bright and spacious living
From the open plan kitchen/dining/living area, high stud ceilings and huge windows flood the room with natural light and frame the view. They open out to a substantial deck built using FSC certified Kwila with a frameless glass balustrade for a seamless view.
Sliding doors from the living area also open wide to an internal deck with louvre roof for shelter from the elements if needed. Good old kiwi BBQs no matter what the weather. 
The furniture throughout is stylish, yet comfortable and inviting, meaning there are lots of spaces to relax and enjoy balmy Coromandel summers. Come winter, they can tuck themselves in with the usual features to keep in the warmth: double-glazed windows, heat pumps and Hotwire electric underfloor heating in the tiled areas.
Family kitchen with entertaining in mind
Our whole family enjoy cooking together and we love entertaining, so we needed a large kitchen to do that.
The island is solid oak – which is mainly used as a servery. The benchtops are pure black granite, with a honed finish – plenty of space to work in. The high ceilings, low hanging pendant lights and red stools at the breakfast bar create a very inviting space.
A walk-in pantry allows the small appliances to be handy without cluttering up the main kitchen. All hardware is Blum soft-close, and Blum Tandembox drawers give a quality touch in everyday use.
A striking exterior
A mix of cedar weatherboards and plastered AAC panel gives a clean-lined, solid appearance. The dark stain of the cedar (Wood-X Foundry oil) against the lighter colour of the plaster in Dulux Whakarewarewa contrast perfectly. Not to mention the choice of black Marley Stormcloud® spouting to frame the whole exterior and connect it to the roof.
As builders we try and specify cedar into all of our houses, if we can. In fact, virtually wherever you stand inside, all you can see is the warmth of timber when looking out
Built to endure the elements
Living just a stone’s throw from the beach, Marley Stratus Design Series® was an obvious choice for the spouting and downpipes.
Being beachfront we don’t have to worry about corrosion or rusting. We specify Stratus Design Series® in almost all the houses we build.
The Stormcloud® spouting profile was chosen for its clean, simple lines. The black colour discreetly ties in with the window framing and True Oak® Corrugate roofing.
Marley RP80® downpipes complete the system and offer the same 15 year guarantee as all products in the Stratus Design Series®. 
An escape for the kids
A self-contained area downstairs was designed with their three growing girls in mind. A comfortable place they can retreat to, so they can all have privacy as they get older.
No queues for the bathroom! The kid’s bathroom is built in three parts: the vanity in one room, toilet in the next and bath/shower in another. The vanity has three sets of drawers — one for each daughter.
Future-proofed
The Warwicks had the foresight to prepare for the future. The house has been pre-wired for solar panels to be installed on the roof at a later date. A dedicated circuit in the garage allows for a charging point for an electric vehicle.
A mixture of tropical and native plants, suitably fitting for the coastal location, will develop and grow over the years to come. Many years that the family will be loving their seaside lifestyle, we’re sure!
