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Vibrant & Victorian

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If there was ever a home with a story to tell, it’s this one! Situated in Clarks Beach, Hayley and Chris Parsons love their 640 square metre Victorian beauty that sits on 9 hectares of rural coastal land overlooks water on both sides.

As a military family the Parsons family moved regularly between domestic and international posts. But settling back in New Zealand, they wanted a rural lifestyle to raise their four children and Clarks Beach in Franklin ticked all the boxes.

It overlooks the water and is very peaceful. It always feels like you’re on holiday when you come home which is restful when you work in very busy roles. It is a great community.

Humble beginnings

Huntly House started its life back in 1911 in Central Palmerston North. It was the first house in Palmerston North to have its own electricity supply at some stage before 1924.

It was moved to another part of Palmerston North in the 1980’s and the Parsons were lucky enough to meet the man who owned it at that time. Thankfully he had left some cut marks in the house to remind him of his work – Hayley and Chris used the exact same ones and have kept those cuts visible in their home for the same reason.

The house flowed through many lives. People are often fascinated to learn that at one point it had been used as a mechanics workshop and the cut out for the grease pit remains in the main lounge!

The BIG move

The Parsons family initially decided to build a new, modern, single level dwelling on the site. This would have been simpler, faster, and cheaper than relocating a 3 storey, 111-year-old house!

However, they were totally enamoured with Huntly House the first time they saw her and ideas of ‘what-if’ started to flow if they owned the home. As with most house purchases, they became emotionally invested in the process and did everything needed to ensure the purchase happened. But it wasn’t easy – they were number 6 on the buyers list so had to convince the vendor to sell the house to them!

The sale went through and the planning phase started for moving Huntly House 500km North to Clarks Beach.

Preparing the house to move took about 5 days which involved removing brick chimneys, removing, and securing parts of the roof, separating 3 floors, removing stair banisters, removing parts of ceiling, cutting, bracing and labelling every single piece of timber that was removed and was intended to be reused.

Transportation of the first two smallest pieces was overnight from Palmerston North to Clarks Beach.

Transportation of the larger 4 pieces took two nights. The first leg was Palmerston North to Tokoroa and then Tokoroa to Clarks Beach.

The house travelled mostly straight up State Highway 1, twisting, and turning through the Desert Road and around Lake Taupo. They encountered a large house travelling in the opposite direction around Lake Taupo so had to hastily pull to the side of the road to let the move pass!

Once all 6 pieces were on site and everyone had managed a few hours’ sleep, the work to piece everything back together on piles started the very next morning. This process took about 7 days and then the detailed reconstruction started soon after that.

The renovation got started however in December 2017 the family moved to London, so they had to project manage the renovation from the other side of the world which was a challenge. Luckily, they had a great relationship with the builders – Heineke Builders Ltd.

The shift definitely added complications (of a budgetary nature) as they couldn’t do a lot of the work themselves as originally planned.

The most exciting part about our home is seeing the vision come to life – and I don’t mean in terms of decorating choices. We always felt the home could be used as more than just our family home and likewise, our land too. In the last two years we have let the house out for music recording, short film production, yoga classes, workshops, conference space, residential workshops, birthdays, Airbnb, a sheep sale and weddings.

The stately exterior

The original timber weatherboards are painted in Resene Double Truffle and the eaves in Resene Half Sea Fog.

The roof and some of the wooden accents at the top of the house are Grey Friars and that was also the colour chosen for the Marley Stratus Design Series® Stormcloud® spouting and RP80® downpipes. The darker shade of grey definitely frames the house beautifully.

The paths around the house are Waikato fleck pebble, created from firebricks salvaged from the fireplaces at Rahiri House, Mt Albert which were offered to Hayley when they renovated.

Whilst a cottage garden would have been in keeping with the style of house, it could not stand up to the coastal environment therefore natives suitable for coastal and high wind conditions have been planted.

Marley is a household name for us. We have used Marley products on all our building projects and love that it’s made in New Zealand.

The Parsons did have the option to use pressed steel spouting, like what was already on the house, but as they’re in a coastal environment they decided on the longevity of the Marley product because it won’t rust or corrode – and the Stratus Design Series® had the Grey Friars® they wanted.

We knew we wanted to have a neutral colour palette that would complement the environment. We started with the roof and spouting in Grey Friars and the door colour, Resene Pohutakawa, and went from there.

We also knew we didn’t want to have white downpipes so selected Stratus RP80® in Grey Friars® to match the roof and decks and they are really happy with the contrast.

The Stormcloud® profile was chosen for its clean, strong lines.

The beautiful interior

Hayley and Chris have re-used as much of the original timber as possible. Every piece of architrave, beading, skirting board, and panelling that was removed in preparation for cutting the house, was labelled and their corresponding positions on the walls were also labelled.

Trying to put it all back together was like a massive wasgij but it was so worth it!

Huntly House now has 7 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 2 full kitchens, and a new kitchenette, scullery and laundry. The floorplan now means the house can be split into three independent sections.

They opted for quite a neutral colour scheme inside with walls in Resene Quarter Truffle and ceilings in Quarter seafog. The main feature is definitely the timber staircase, exposed beams and wooden flooring which are all finished in Resene Qristal Clear polyurethane matte varnish to bring out the natural richness in the wood.

The modern kitchen incorporates things like a flip top power and USB charger in the breakfast bar for convenience. The smooth white style with wooden accents looks crisp and clean.

The bathrooms have a traditional feel, one with the original clawfoot bath which they resurfaced, and the cabinet and even the copper cistern in the main bathroom are original too.

In hindsight we probably would have clawed back some areas of the budget to put full sound proofing in-between the floors – families are noisy! Our 4 children are now grown, but still come home to visit with their partners when they can. We love how the house can be used in so many ways and for more than one thing at a time.

It feels great that we have succeeded in recreating Huntly House for our home but also for the community and others that wish to enjoy her.

There’s no denying she looks the part in the landscape, and the Parsons know she will stand the test of time overlooking the coast for another 100 years!

We’re so pleased we went with Marley Stratus Design Series® because it looks great and we really do know it will last!

Whangaparaoa refresh

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When Ian Thrush from Parallel Architecture embarked on renovations to his family’s Whangaparaoa home, he certainly didn’t expect it to turn into an almost full re-build!

The original weatherboard home was built in 1950’s and sits on a half share of the 1,100 square metre cross lease site.

Over the years the old house had many additions and alterations that ended up causing a really disorganised floor plan” says Ian.

Originally, the intention was to achieve more storage space and update the bathroom. However, over time the scope changed and grew – as it does! Six years later, the 110 square metre footprint remains unchanged, however they have corrected the design flaws via a new layout and flow. All but two rooms were moved, and they now have a well-organised 3-bedroom family home.

The most challenging part of the build was living in the house while renovating. Not to mention having a baby over that time also! Ideally, we would have had an empty house to work on but that is not always possible, so you just do what’s needed to make it work!” Ian says.

Ian chose Marley Stratus Design Series® Typhoon® spouting and RP80® downpipes as they’re available in Grey Friars® to match the roof, and because the half-round profile has excellent rainfall capacity. It’s also particularly hard wearing in a coastal location, with great UV resistance and a 15-year guarantee.

Being in Whangaparaoa, the property is on tank water, therefore Ian also opted to install a Marley Curve® leaf diverters on the RP80® downpipes. The Curve® removes leaves and debris to protect tanks and stormwater systems. Curve® is very easy to install and low maintenance, capturing over 99% of water with a clean screen.

The family went for the Dynex PALLISIDE® traditional profile in slate to create a character home. The double light-grey boards look great with white box corners and window facings, to emulate the traditional timber look. The overall outcome is clean lines for a modern, yet characterful home.

Ian chose Dynex Soffit to replace the existing soffit as it looks great, is low maintenance, and as with PALLISIDE® weatherboards, never needs to be painted. It also adds to the classic style of the home.

Ian upgraded from single glazing to double glazing, which has been great. That combined with a wrapped and insulated home has made a world of difference to the family’s quality of life.

The interior of the home has a very neutral palette of Resene Quarter Thorndon Cream, Black White ceilings, and timber accents to bring a touch of nature in. The bathroom and laundry have a classic look with vertical tongue and groove boards on the lower half of the walls.

Sensor lights were installed in the hall and under the vanity, which is great at night for using the bathroom or checking on the kids. Nice soft light at shin level, rather than a ceiling light in your face!

The best aspect of our new home is that it is truly low maintenance. And we also love the indoor-outdoor flow” says Ian.

As both architectural designer and homeowner, Ian and his family are really happy with their newly refreshed home, and are pleased they chose the Marley Stratus Design Series® Typhoon® spouting and RP80® downpipes for the low maintenance, stylish finish they were after.

Pauanui escape

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When the Mullan family were looking to build a holiday home, they wanted to create a sanctuary to escape to, a place to unwind and relax and something completely different from their house in Auckland. Once they stepped inside the Lockwood show home in Kopu, they knew a Lockwood would be just perfect!

Thanks to Coastwood Homes, the build took only 6 months, including moving the existing house, and the Mullan family couldn’t be happier with the stunning result.

Before embarking on the build, the existing bach had to be removed. The biggest challenge on the site proved to be the ground.

The sand base was found to be incredibly challenging when trying to lay the piles so Israel and Katie from Coastwood Homes had to roll in a gigantic vacuum to clean out the pile holes and then 80 piles had to be laid.

Once this was done, the job went very smoothly. The Coastwood Homes team provided the Mullan’s daily updates and photos so they could see the home take shape.

The Mullan’s knew they wanted to keep the size of the home at around 140m² with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and had their hearts set on a sleek and modern black kitchen to contrast against the blonded timber of the interior.

A café-style kitchen and separate media room/lounge was a must, as well as laundry, separate toilet, and excellent storage space.

They spent time sketching and playing around with the interior layout then passed it to Israel to weave his magic, adding his flair and creativity to develop the design.

In the bathrooms, a tiled feature wall was key. Subway tiles were something they had considered, though they were open to ideas. The finished result of white textured tile is a twist on the classic look which looks stunning against the timber and black fittings.

Otherwise, we wanted a relaxed, pared back, beach inspired look and feel – we have tried to stay true to natural colours with our furnishings – blues, greens, browns, to bring the outdoors in.

The exterior was inspired by a Lockwood show home in Thames and features a quarter sawn pine exterior, on Lockwood’s solid wall system. It is painted in Dulux X10 in black.

Having had a lot of experience building homes on the coast, Coastwood Homes knew that salt spray can cause continual problems with soffits, steel spouting brackets and leaking joins. Their solution was to turn to local companies whose products are specifically made to stand up to New Zealand’s harsh conditions.

Coastwood Homes chose to partner with Marley for Stratus Design Series® Typhoon® spouting and RP80® downpipes in Black. With Dynex for their Dynex Soffit in white.

The low maintenance aspect of the Marley spouting was our initial appeal; it fits with the Lockwood brand of low maintenance products. The fact that it is also a New Zealand brand appeals a lot as well!

The fact that the spouting is available in black to match the roof and house colour made it an easy choice to go with Marley Typhoon® spouting. There is no need to paint anything to match and it is much more durable in a salty beach environment.

To contrast their Marley Stratus Design Series® Typhoon® Black spouting they used Dynex Soffit. Another long lasting, low maintenance New Zealand made product.

The Mullan’s also wanted to take a sustainable approach to their home. Marley and Dynex are both part of Meridian Energy’s Certified Renewable Energy programme aiming for 100% renewable electricity by 2025. Lockwood homes are built from renewable pine trees, so the whole home is both sustainable and renewable.

Since the build has been completed the Mullan family have enjoyed many weekends entertaining family and friends in their incredible holiday house. Covered outdoor spaces and decks connecting the front and back of the home provide the perfect place to relax.

We love sitting on the back deck under the enormous gable, completely protected from the elements but feeling completely immersed in the outdoors. We are totally rapt with every room in that house – there is nothing we would change.

 

Thanks to the awesome team at Lockwood for use of some of the photos for this article.

Design trends 2022

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In the midst of challenging pandemic times, we’re expecting a lot from our homes. We need multifunctional spaces that allow us to focus, get creative, entertain, and relax. Design trends for 2022 will continue to seek to create a peaceful retreat.

Seeing as we’re spending more and more time at home, improving our homes is appealing to all and achievable regardless of scale or budget.

A pop of retro

Capitalise on the declutter trend and raid local op shops and local buy/sell pages for treasures in need of a new life. There’s a strong movement away from mass-produced, fast fashion fads.

Hunt for unique items that splash character and colour in a room. Retro accessories in bold shapes and colours, as well as glass and quirky ceramics create visual appeal and make a great talking point.

Also look out for classic wood furniture with sleek lines. Furniture design from the mid-1900’s favoured simplicity and functionality – which is certainly back in vogue. Quality items that are useful and built to last a lifetime.

It might take a little patience, consistent hunting, and an open mind to spot pieces that work well with your home. The secret is to blend the old with the new and exercise a little restraint on what you add. Focus on quality and comfort – items that have already stood the test of time.

Natural elements and earthy colours

Maximise natural lighting and connect the indoors and out with plants, organic colours, textiles and natural materials.

Principles of biophilic design are based on our innate love of nature and a need to connect with it to bring tranquility into our lives. Snake plants, monstera, lilies and ferns are ever popular choices indoors. If you’re a novice, start out with the ones that are hardy and less fussy to care for.

Consciously sustainable

We’ve never been more aware of the impact our choices have on the planet. Along with most of the world, the New Zealand Government is actively planning ways to achieve its climate change goals, including net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Using renewable energy sources and recycling materials are both essential parts of this equation.

Marley Twist® compact rainwater diverter, is a good example – it’s made from 100% recyclable materials and is designed to help households reduce overall use of mains water. It is easily connected to an existing downpipe system, diverting rainwater to a storage facility such as a tank or barrel for watering the garden, washing the car or running water features. Depending on the rainfall, Twist® can capture up to 300 litres of water per hour and can be turned off to resume normal downpipe flow.

Likewise the Marley Curve® leaf and debris diverter is also made from 100% recyclable material; it’s a diverter that can be added onto downpipes to protect tanks and stormwater systems from leaves and debris. As well as improving the quality of water going into tanks, it reduces the amount of debris entering the stormwater system and ultimately reduces problems of blocked and overflowing sewers.

Both Curve® and Twist® are available in the full colour range from the Marley Stratus Design Series® to ensure they blend seamlessly into the downpipe system.

Sherwin Williams Colour of the Year – Evergreen Fog

Pegged as a versatile and calming hue which gives a subtle but sophisticated wash of organic colour, Evergreen Fog fits well with design trends for 2022 and will coordinate with many different design styles. It pairs well with neutrals and earthy tones – perhaps as an accent colour rather than for an entire room or house.

In a continuing trend, natural materials and colours also feature strongly in exterior design. The warmth of timber boards and slats offer a sharp geometric look whilst fitting in with their surroundings.

Versatile spaces

The importance of home office space has boomed, along with creating hybrid spaces which are multifunctional and work for the whole family.

Look for products that are not only beautiful but also offer great storage and versatility in their use.

Clever methods of room division can also help you make the most of your space.

So, although we may not know what is around the corner for us (or the world), we can certainly take control of our home spaces. We hope you feel inspired to breathe some freshness into your own sanctuary or perhaps take a few steps on your own sustainability journey.

Stunning in Stratford

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Talk about keeping it local and in the family! When Kym and Mike Henry decided to build a new home, they wanted to be close to work and they certainly achieved that –they’re now only 1km away from their business ITM Stratford. With the help of an architect their new home was lovingly designed by Kym and built by their son and nephew.

The build took 18 months start to finish and the outcome really is stunning with a modern-industrial style. Lots of concrete, blockwork, timber accents and even a clever shipping container door into the scullery. We really love the use of a window for the splashback which overlooks the front of the property.

One challenging part of the build was achieving the sunken lounge area the way Kym envisioned it. With balustrade and three stairs down to the area, it is reminiscent of the 1970’s trend but executed in a very stylish, modern way.

Tonally the home is smooth and neutral with different greys and timbers. Plus, splashes of colour have been added throughout which are inspired by nature. The concrete bath is a luxurious feature in the main bathroom. But even more luxurious is separate his and hers ensuites off the main bedroom – imagine how great that would be!

The home is light and bright thanks to the 17 skylights that have been incorporated. But there is one place that is very dark! For movie lovers like Kym and Mike the ultimate indulgence was definitely including the cinema for six… 🤩

The cladding is a mixture of Rockcote and block chosen because they are low-maintenance and fit with the overall style. Wood accents and native planting help the home fit in with the rural surroundings on the 1.25-acre block.

We chose Marley Stratus Design Series® Typhoon® spouting and RP80® downpipes in black because it framed the house perfectly for the modern-industrial look.

The stylish half-round Typhoon® profile has excellent capacity and flow characteristics. Using internal brackets gives a smooth, contemporary look. It’s available in five colours and white, although black is very much on trend at the moment.

Proudly made in New Zealand and fully UV resistant to handle our harsh summer sun, high UV levels and long, hot days. Marley Stratus Design Series® will stand the test of time and we offer a 15-year guarantee to back that up.

What a stunning place to live and enjoy for years to come! Well done to Kym and Mike, and the whole team that helped to complete their new home.

 

Home by the bay

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In an effortless combination of coastal chic and country charm, this gorgeous four-bedroom home sits surrounded by lush lawn and attractive landscaping within its huge 1597sqm north-east facing Coromandel section. No wonder it has won a gold award in the Auckland / Northland / Coromandel New Home $600,000 – $750,000 category in the 2021 House of the Year competition! Well done HAMR Homes.

Clad in vertical cedar shiplap weatherboard with good-looking stone features and a black corrugated Coloursteel roof, the house blends in beautifully with its coastal bush and farmland setting. Chosen for its clean lines and durability to the coastal environment the Marley Stratus Design Series® Typhoon® spouting and RP80® downpipes in Grey Friars® work perfectly with the warm tones. The choice of internal brackets mean the spouting has long runs with very clean lines. The half round Typhoon® profile is also great in high rainfall areas with a flow capacity of 87 litres/minute.

The entrance and outdoor living porticos are positioned perfectly to take in the view of Wharekaho Beach and Mercury Bay. From every window you’re able to take in the wonderful views of the surrounding farmland, wetlands, ocean, highway and local birds.

Every day is so different and the sunrises can be spectacular.

The kitchen and laundry incorporate crisp forms of laminate benchtops and melamine cabinets, with quality appliances and Methven tapware to give a top-class look.

The main suite is simply sublime with a sliding door leading to the outdoors, and large windows overlooking the bay view. In the ensuite, the black tiled shower features a mirror window, so the owners can enjoy an evening shower with the sense of being outside.

The house blends beautifully within its coastal farmland setting.

Built to achieve maximum results in a cost-effective way, the impeccable dwelling has delivered on everything the owners wanted for their coastal dream home.

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