Raised on high

This grand home is in tune with its surroundings while the sprawling, open-plan upstairs living embraces the lakeside environment

The home is designed to maximise the views

With stone accents outside and timber floors inside,

Going up – climbing to the living spaces

An area rug signals the dining zone within

The classic pairing of wood and white is

A two-sided fire features in the upstairs living

Looking from the master bedroom across the upstairs

Master bedroom and ensuite. - Raised on high

Designed by Landmark Homes Taupo, Hawke's Bay

From the group home builder:

The owners approached Landmark Homes to assist with developing a magnificent site in Kinloch.

They presented Landmark with an already consented plan and it was clear they wanted to progress with building.

Between having plans consented and approaching Landmark Homes, the couple had purchased the adjoining section, which meant their land now bordered the native bush and the 950m² mol turned into 2230m² more or less.

The house that was going to be built needed to be sympathetic to its surroundings while capitalising on its views and proximity to the lake and the bush.

After meeting with the couple we discovered the design was off the mark with how they wanted to live and did not future proof their lives.

Keeping the initial concept and look – which all parties liked – we went about making a grand entry, providing multi-level independent living, installing a lift and shaping the home for them, their children and grandchildren in years to come.

The home was designed to maximise the views of the lake and mountain from an upstairs living and dining area plus two decks.

The owners also wanted the upstairs area to be the main part of the home with a media room and an extra bedroom for guests while downstairs was the 'fun self-contained area' for their children and grandchildren.

The home was to be constructed of natural materials in a neutral colour theme – this was carried both outside and in.

The piece de la resistance is the powder room upstairs that features fish wallpaper and a funky vanity – letting the owners' personalities shine through.

Functionality was a key feature for the home – the laundry needed to be utilised as a mud room, a window was deleted on the back of the entry wall so that art could be showcased inside, oversize showers were specified to accommodate the grown up children, access introduced to the deck downstairs from each bedroom and family room for independent living, a double-sided fireplace was added upstairs for both aesthetics and to heat each room.

Timber flooring and wool carpet were chosen to keep with the natural themed materials but also for their hardwearing properties.

Careful consideration was given to each window – to let enough natural light in to the home, but to also ensure privacy was achieved.

With the lake being a stones throw away, the oversize garage has an extra garage door added to make access from the rear of the home easy.

This provides great access to water sports equipment and an outdoor sink for cleaning the trout – the home needed to service the way the owners lived both indoors and out.

The vertical cedar cladding is complemented with Hyde Stone from the South Island as accent features.

Allowing for the cedar aging is a statement but also means the house blends in with the native bush, natural colours and landscape of Kinloch.

Prior to commencing the build, we provided the owners with a 3D printed model of the home so they could envisage how it would look on site and how each room would work with the overall design.

This allowed them to become familiar with the home before we started the build and gave them an opportunity to consider getting the flow and all aspects of the home proportioned correctly for them to use for their entire family all year round.