Bold meets a natural feel

Design and build by Landmark Homes, North Shore Rodney

From the homebuilder:

What was requested

• Bold, simple and strong shapes
• Boxy, mono pitches
• Something different
• Need to stand out
• An earthy feel – in touch with nature
• Very good indoor-outdoor flow
• Always keep the budget in mind

Physical requirements

• Four bedrooms, two lounges and all the features a family home would normally have
• Around 250-260m²
• Other than these basic requirements, I had a free hand

Design development & functionality

• Showhomes require specific thought around how groups of people flow through a home and how the new home consultant in attendance will interact with them while still maintaining the feeling of a welcoming home – with this in mind, circulation space is critical to allow for multiple groups.
• Very prescriptive rules around the location of the garage door meant you either set the garage door back behind the front door or you turned into the garage, which I chose to do. This provided ample parking plus a very different look to most of the other houses in the subdivision.
• Inspiration for the front wall came from the walls now commonly seen on the motorway with plants growing up them. I chose to use James Hardie Titan panel, painted with Porters Paint, to create a rust effect finish. This gave the illusion of Corten steel, a wonderful backdrop to the planting.
• Conscious of the location of North, I created a courtyard at the front entry that allows peeks of morning sun into the house – and by keeping the house to the southwest, the north/northwest courtyard was maximised.

• Floor to ceiling glazing enhanced the drama and strengthened the illusion of volume to the living area.
• Additionally, the extensive use of elevated southern glazing above cabinetry ensured the kitchen, living, scullery and laundry were bathed in light without excessive overheating.
• The master bedroom on the lower floor gives it the feeling of a separate luxury suite, especially with the use of dark colours and freestanding bath in the ensuite which opens out onto its own private courtyard
• With the site being narrow and having the stairs right in the entry, the use of structural ply created interest and space where it wouldn’t usually be. 
• The ply stairs aligned well with the natural materials theme, and we paired the natural finish with black and green. A ply grip rail with concealed LED strip finished it beautifully

Design aesthetics

• Being on trend but different
• Standing out from the crowd
• Wanting to embrace nature and using natural feeling materials and colours

The result is a standout home which delivered numerous exciting ideas and generated exceptional feedback.

Designed by: Wendy King, Landmark Homes, North Shore Rodney

Story by: Trendsideas