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.
