OUTSIDE THE SQUARE Amongst the undulating hills of rural New Plymouth, a small home with a big heart is found words soraya nicholas photography CRAIG BATES & ROB TUCKER Having spent years working as share milkers with accommodation provided, this is essentially a first home for Andrew and Anne Paterson and their daughter Stephanie. Because there is just the three of them, a decision was made early on to include only two bedrooms, and it’s a choice that works well for their lifestyle. Conscious of budget restraints, the Patersons set their minds to a small, contemporary home, and the finished outcome is superb. On the outskirts of New Plymouth, in a delightful rural area, the Patersons love their new surroundings. Operating an accommodation business in conjunction with family, they are on approximately 10 acres all up, with splendid river and mountain views. Being the last dwelling to be constructed on the site meant they were partially restricted, in terms of creating a home that complemented the others. Knowing what they wanted, Andrew and Anne set about looking for a designer, determined to have their plans drawn up independently, rather than going direct to a group housing company. They intended to shop around • The specs 64 | homestyle New Plymouth $200,000 - 300,000 137 Sq m 2 for the best builder once they had the design finalised, which is exactly what transpired. In their quest for a designer, Andrew and Anne were immediately taken by Amie Cowley, director of Toolbox Architecture, and asked her to conceptualise their home. Working closely with the Patersons, she fine-tuned their ideas, sticking precisely to budget limitations. “This was a great project to be involved with,” says Amie. “The clients were easy to work with, and the concept was an exciting style.” Essentially, the design is like two boxes, with a passageway in between. One box houses the living spaces, the other the two bedrooms; and the layout is ideal for a small family. When it came time for the Patersons to find a builder, they searched for the best, quickly selecting Fowler Homes Taranaki Ltd. Although they did have quotes prepared by two other reputable building companies, it was Fowler Homes who won by a mile. “So far, I haven’t had one client who hasn’t chosen to build with Fowler Homes. I complete a large volume of design work for them, and I completely trust their workmanship and integrity,” affirms Amie. According to Andrew and Anne, choosing Fowler Homes Taranaki is a decision they have never regretted. “We received a lot of attention, and their quote was extremely affordable.” 2 1 Described as two boxes linked via a passageway by the designer, the contemporary house is only two bedroom, but does not by any means feel small. The Patersons were conscious of sticking to budget, and having gone to other group housing companies first, knew the price was more than reasonable. Once they had signed on the dotted line, it took a quick six months for the home to be completed, from consent through to finish. Fowler Homes Taranaki directors Lauchlan Macmillan and Lance Palmer worked closely with the Patersons, ensuring they were kept informed throughout the project. In the words of the dynamic builders, “there was not one critical or important stage that Andrew and Anne were uninformed of”, and this consistent level of communication made for a straightforward, uncomplicated professional relationship. One of the main benefits of building with Fowler Homes Taranaki is the immediate access to a supply of skilled subcontractors. As a large-scale residential building company, they rarely have to outsource work, but when they do only the most experienced and trusted are ever chosen. For this home, a small selection of specialist companies were introduced to the project, and all involved completed their work with the highest level of integrity. Fitting the requirements perfectly in terms of a trusted, reputable supplier was Dimond. As the largest roofing, homestyle | 65 The kitchen faces out to the view, of rolling hills and the Waiwakio River, and has been stylishly appointed. Black lacquer is immediately striking, mirrored by a black granite bench. cladding and rain water supplies manufacturer in the country, Dimond have their finger on the pulse when it comes to creating roofing products for New Zealand’s unique climatic conditions. They also demonstrate their reputation by their active support in the community, as a founding sponsor of the NZ Habitats for Humanity programme, an initiative developed to raise the standards of housing in our communities. For the Patersons’ home, Dimond supplied their corrugate profile roof in Zincalume, with complementary fascia and gutter products. The Colorflo External fascia 165mm was used, alongside the Colorflo Box 110 gutter, both made from Zincalume. To ensure the best quality of finish, Dimond recommended Hitower Roofing and H20 Construction respectively, to install the roof and the fascias and guttering. The three monopitch roof planes create a striking finish. Dimond Corrugate as a roofing material is unbeatable by any standards. A lightweight product, it requires less support structure than other similar looking products, and because of this effectively reduces the carbon footprint of a home. This concept ties in with Dimond’s desire to develop more energy efficient and environmentally friendly houses in communities throughout New Zealand. To complement the roof profile, aluminium joinery was selected for the home’s exterior. From Seymour Aluminium, the Vantage range was chosen, and powdercoated to colour Silver Pearl. Like other products placed on or inside the house, the aluminium joinery is hardwearing, 66 | homestyle French doors open wide to enhance the indoor/outdoor flow. strong and visually attractive. More specifically, the Vantage system is durable, weathertight in all conditions, and manufactured to the highest standards possible. In order to work precisely to the design of a home, Seymour Aluminium custom-make all joinery. For the Patersons, the glass was tinted grey, to help reduce the amount of UV light entering the home. French doors open wide to enhance indoor/outdoor flow, and this is an aspect Andrew and Anne certainly enjoyed over the warm summer months. With the exterior under control and the home well underway, Fowler Homes Taranaki turned to Laser Electrical New Plymouth to complete a comprehensive lighting plan. Preferring to work intimately with the Patersons, to achieve their needs within the home, Laser Electrical ensured the house was well serviced from an electrical standpoint. As part of the package, everything was taken care of, from the initial plan through to the supply and installation of power points, lights and other assorted electrical components. As an added extra to the plan, Andrew and Anne decided to have outdoor lighting installed, as recommended to them. This was crucial to maximise their sense of indoor/outdoor flow, for entertaining and for security. Laser Electrical is New Zealand’s leading electrical contractor. They constantly strive to meet and exceed customer expectations, and have earned their reputation through innovation, planning and the use of the best systems available. homestyle | 67 The shower features a frameless glass shower screen and the floor is neatly finished with river stones. 68 | homestyle Another specialist company introduced to the home as a work in progress was PGD Services, although their involvement started in the very early stages of construction. Their role focused on plumbing the house, in addition to providing a gas fitting and full drain-laying service. One of the primary reasons Fowler Homes Taranaki prefer to work with PGD Services, is the comprehensive range of work they undertake. As part of their job, they completed all of the pipe and gas work, in addition to installing the septic tank and effluent system, as well as the woodfire. Supplied by Fowler Homes, a K1 gas pipe work system and a K2 water pipe system was selected, which PGD Services believe has many advantages. The design enjoys reduced noise due to the wall thickness of the pipes, and heat retention is maximised. The design fittings are all made of solid brass, with stainless steel crimp rings, so they are less likely to ever break in the future. Once the groundwork had been completed and plumbing was ready to go, Andrew and Anne took a trip down to Mico Bathrooms New Plymouth. There they liaised with staff to create a look and style that suited them, at an affordable price. Because the show room houses brands and products from New Zealand and Europe, the Patersons had a large selection of items to choose from. In this case, they knew what they wanted, so the decision-making process at the time of purchase was rather straightforward. The first round of purchasing early on included a Rheem Integrity gas hot water system to heat the water for their house. Next time around, the Patersons selected Caroma Regent toilet suites, a Kohler bath and Trendy frosted edge mirrors. They also purchased a Miio seven-bar heated ladder to keep towels warm in winter, Paffoni Stick shower and basin mixers, and Sphinx hand basins. The only bathroom item not purchased from Mico Bathrooms was the stunning shower. Supplied by HomePlus Taranaki, the Oasis frameless glass shower screen is the ultimate in stylish sophistication. The simpleness in design is ideal for an elegantly designed bathroom, particularly in larger spaces; although with no frame, the glass does usually enhance space. Made to any size, in 6, 8 or 10mm safety glass, shower screens can be custom made to most shapes, including curved designs. To keep their house tidy and in order, the Patersons also turned to HomePlus Taranaki to supply ventilated wardrobe organisers. All custom made to suit, the organisers were selected in white, although satin silver is available. The ventilated wardrobe organisers are frequently used for bedroom wardrobes, storage cupboards and garage units. They allow clothes and other household items to breathe, and utilise all available space within a cupboard. HomePlusTaranaki have a comprehensive range of products available, from custom-made blinds and awnings through to gates, balustrades and of course showers. “At HomePlus, we understand that each New Zealand home is different. We celebrate these differences by custom making each of our products to fit your home and style requirements.” Reflecting on the building process overall, the Patersons could not be more enthusiastic about the team that created their new home. “Both Amie and Fowler Homes delivered exactly what we wanted,” affirms Andrew, and wife Anne and daughter Stephanie are inclined to agree. •