Inspiration central expansive Harwood Homes show home

Inspiration and dependability these are watchwords for any prospective homeowner. So when a respected design-and-build company creates a show home that combines appealing architecture with the latest products on the market, it is a rewarding place to experience.

The new Ridgeview show home offers all the inspiration you need when designing your own Harwood home, says director of Harwood Homes, Dave Harwood.

"With its classic aesthetic and sheer design versatility, the Ridgeview gathers together some of Harwood's finest features at one address."

The attractions of this high-end display home start right from the street. The clean lines of the Celcrete aerated concrete construction and sponged-plaster finish work well with the graceful lines of the Monier tile roofing.

"This expansive house is the sum of the trade skills involved plus enduring quality materials. The Monier Madison roof tiles create an easy balance between tradition and modernity," says Harwood. "These attractive tiles are almost indestructible they are impervious to frost and ice, provide thermal insulation and won't rust, warp or corrode."

Exterior joinery adds to the appeal and hints at the home's eco-friendly nature. All windows and doors are from long-time Harwood Homes supplier Epic Windows & Doors. In the Ridge-view show home, high-efficiency Planitherm argon-filled glass was chosen for its thermal insulating properties.

Also known as low-E glass, this product has a transparent metallic coating on one side of the inner pane of a double-glazed unit. The coating reflects the heat generated inside the house back into the room to help keep it warm. The powdercoated frames were specified in a subtle tone, in keeping with the refined style of this understated show residence, says Harwood.

"A woodgrain powdercoated garage door adds to the exterior appeal. This segmented door opens automatically as your car pulls into the drive."

The three-bedroom-plus-study family home presents an inviting aspect, with timber decking that extends out from the dining at the front of the Ridgeview and also leads to the front door. This creates a natural, welcoming ambience,setting the scene for what is to follow.

"As soon as visitors enter the foyer, they feel they are encountering something very special. When you complete a house with the greatest respect for the smallest detail down to the final turn of each screw then the end result is impressive," says Harwood.

The foyer links directly to the heart of the home, with a soft-close cavity sliding door opening to the family and dining room to the right, while the formal living room is straight ahead. An office space is to the left.

Large panoramic windows ensure the public spaces are light-filled and welcoming. The house has a 2.55m stud throughout for a sense of generous style, and the height is accentuated by a Hardigroove ceiling with exposed rafters in the roomy central living area.

The kitchen runs alongside the foyer and looks to the front of the home a position that is central to the living and dining spaces and which also allows the chef to keep an eye on comings-and-goings at the front door.

The up-to-the-minute bespoke kitchen was created by Mastercraft Kitchens Tauranga. The contemporary cabinetry is a mixture of high-gloss lacquer and both solid timber and timber veneer features.

"The crafted solid timber island features a Silestone Mountain Mist inset, with a waterfall end," says Harwood. "Other work surfaces are in Silestone Mountain Mist. Another feature of this key area is a Laminam ceramic splashback."

Building on the designer finishes, the Mastercraft kitchen is a picture of clean lines and crisp functionality. The handle-free cabinets push to open, utilising Hettich hardware. There is also a custom pull-out internal drawer pantry.

In the capacious scullery, Heritage Hardware Mondavio rebated handles add backstage style. This area provides maximum additional storage, with thick, lacquered floating shelves and a space-saving Revo 90 corner carousel.

The adjacent dining and family rooms and the sunroom beyond all look out to the central covered deck. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the sunroom flood natural light into nearby spaces, contributing to the airy appeal.

In addition, the sunroom and lounge feature Rinnai Symmetry 3611 fireplaces, supplied by Laser Plumbing Te Puke. These offer a 4-star rating efficiency, helping to lower energy bills. An advanced heat-transfer system ensures these fires can also effortlessly warm two additional adjacent rooms, meaning more energy savings.

The subtle colourway includes paints from Dulux. Principal colours are Mangaweka Double, used on the living room walls, and Murchison, seen on most other interior walls, all in Wash-and-Wear low sheen. The exteriors have been painted in Dulux Acrashield Matt, and soffits in Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen.

Behind the interior paintwork, Gib® plasterboard wall linings from Winstone Wallboards add to the home's snug, solid feel and also help reduce noise levels between the open living spaces, says Harwood.

Tiles feature in key areas of the show home, and these were supplied by two other companies that Harwood Homes has a long association with Bay Tiles and Heritage Tiles.

"The kitchen floor tiles are Xilo Oak, a high-end porcelain plank tile. This hardwearing tile can be used in wet areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens, without fear of water damage, yet has the realistic look of timber," Harwood says.

The floor tiles in the rest of the house are Sixth Sense Olive, a semi-polished porcelain tile. The colour was chosen to tie in with copper and metallic highlights seen through the home.

The Ridgeview is designed to be comfortable year round and besides optimum solar penetration and the glow of the fires, wall-to-wall carpet ensures warmth and comfort underfoot.

A rich  Bremworth carpet, the Charmeuse, is a feature of the home, supplied by another long-time associate of Harwood Homes, Gerrand Floorings. The cut-pile carpet is made from 100% sustainable New Zealand wool. Warm, soft and durable, this plush carpet is made for lying down or playing on, says Bremworth marketing manager Desiree Keown.

"This carpet is not only wool on top, but also has a wool backing a world-first recycled wool material called Flashbac. Repurposing materials like this is an environmentally friendly process, diverting tonnes of waste that would otherwise end up as landfill.

"Wool's admirable properties as a carpet material include its ability to breathe, keeping your house warmer and drier in winter, cooler in summer. It's also the safest carpet fibre there is, because its inbuilt fire resistance makes it hard to ignite and slow to burn.

"A wide range of colour options is based on top-selling neutrals that work with any decor."

Mico Bathrooms brought a five-star feel to the home's bathrooms. The company supplied Michel César high-end bathroom furniture, including a contemporary Erika Pro vanity, specified for the Ridgeview in a walnut finish. Countertop basins from Mico's Tablo range set off the wood tones. Minimalist Maku tapware completes the picture.

The master ensuite features a dramatic Adesso Clearwater freestanding bath, formed from one piece of composite natural stone. And the main bathroom has a Kohler Ove Drop-in Bubble-Massage bath, also from Mico.

Lighting sets the evening ambience in any home. For the Ridgeview, energy-efficient LED Ledionopto IC rated downlights were supplied by Forman Building Systems. The IC rating means they can be safely covered by building insulation, avoiding heat loss," says Harwood.

The show home includes the créme de la créme of modern technologies. For example, it has a Beam Alliance Central Vacuum System. This space-age system is lightweight, has advanced sound suppression and provides superior suction, Harwood says.

"The high-efficiency motor uses 30% less energy than a traditional vacuum cleaner, and its self-cleaning filter adds more ease of use."

Control over the sun is vital both for interior comfort and energy control and this is evident on the covered front deck of the show home. This features a Louvretec motorised slimline ceiling-style opening roof, supplied and installed by Louvretec, Bay of Plenty.

"The beauty of the Ridgeview is you can select a home exactly like it, or choose this, that or the other feature to create your own personalised Harwood home," says Harwood. "Only some of the specialist finishes, products and materials have been mentioned here, but it gives an indication of our solidarity with our team of suppliers, the reliability of their products and the way these are endorsed with every purchase of a Harwood home.

"The private side of the home, with the bedrooms and bathrooms, is on the same side of the foyer as the office. When you want peace and quiet it is easily achieved."

In all, this open-plan yet versatile residence offers indoor-outdoor flow, an emphasis on style that won't date, and energy efficiency. It covers a total of 307m², including the deck area.

"There are four cornerstones that define and shape everything we do," says Harwood. "We build homes that endure and offer long-lasting value. We build homes on our land or yours, all around the Bay of Plenty. We can create a house in any style or design. And lastly, we build homes for a lifetime of living and enjoyment.

"We invite people to come and be inspired by the Ridgeview, at 24 Rexford Heights, The Lakes, Tauranga."

Story by: Trendsideas