BY THE BAY

A team of experts creates a waterside playground for family gatherings

BY JULIE SANDERS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY STEARNS

One February day, the clients whose home she’d been hired to remodel approached Annapolis architect Scarlett Breeding with a tall order: completely overhaul their waterfront property from the bottom up in time for a large family gathering over July Fourth, when they all expected to be floating in their new pool. “They had a fabulous waterfront,” says Breeding. “They wanted to create a big outdoor living space that they could use as a family compound.” The owners’ wish list included a new pool and pavilion, dock, outdoor kitchen, spas, water features, patios, retaining walls and more. In essence, they wanted a nine-month project completed in about half that time.

Breeding was up to the task. She quickly flipped the order of events, giving the property priority over the house. She then drew up plans to transform the rundown backyard, with its aged wooden bulkheads and in-ground liner pool, into a terraced, multi-level waterfront playground. She tapped Pyramid Builders as the contractor, while landscape architect Kevin Campion selected plantings and their placement and Walnut Hill Landscape Company took on the task of installing all the stonework and implementing the landscape plan. “The question was how fast we could put it together,” recalls Pyramid vice president Mark Sanders. “It was a full team effort with upwards of 60 people working day to day.” 

To make matters more complicated, waterfront restrictions dictated that the job be done in phases because not more than 5,000 square feet could be under construction at one time. “We worked from the water up to the house,” Sanders says. “We built retaining walls, then the pool, the patios and so on.”  

The finished space is an idyllic, multi-use retreat that capitalizes on sweeping water views. Slate patios and fieldstone retaining walls delineate zones for gathering, while a grassy play area has been set aside for kids and a sleek pool offers close-up views of the Chesapeake. An outdoor kitchen serves al fresco meals between the house and the pool.

Along with the stonework, Walnut Hill installed two spas with water features that feed into them. Plantings were used to differentiate gathering spaces. “We worked hand-in-hand with Kevin Campion on selecting plantings,” says Mike Prokopchak of Walnut Hill. They chose a lot of native grasses and perennials, including sweetbay magnolia, hydrangea, inkberry holly, hibiscus, Dallas Blues switchgrass along the water and a variety of cone flowers.

To everyone’s amazement, the family was indeed swimming by the Fourth of July. The project’s principal players all attest to the importance of teamwork in getting this monumental job done. “It took a really integrated team,” Breeding says. “The owners are so excited that they bought the property next door and have hired us to work together again!” 

Jay Stearns is principal of Landmarks Photography in Maryland.

ARCHITECTURE: SCARLETT BREEDING, AIA, Alt Breeding Schwarz Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: KEVIN CAMPION, Campion Landscape Architecture, Annapolis, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: STEVE MICEK, Pyramid Builders, Annapolis, MD. LANDSCAPING & STONE WORK: MIKE PROKOPCHAK, ASLA, Walnut Hill Landscape Company, Annapolis, Maryland. LIGHTING & IRRIGATION: Terra Nova Design, Crofton, Maryland. POOL: Sunset Pool Contractors, LLC, Tracys Landing, Maryland. 

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and landscape design ideas.  Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas, and outdoor spaces to life.

source: http://www.homeanddesign.com

DESIGNER DWELLING

ABOVE Extending out from the open plan living and kitchen area, the deck is a favourite part of this beautiful family home. A striking feature wall constructed from Corten Steel adds texture and depth to the backyard setting.

It was architectural designer Noel Jessop’s biggest challenge yet when he designed a unique home for his family.

Words Soraya Nicholas      Photography Amanda Aitken

After living in a home located to the rear of their property for some time, architectural designer and ADNZ member Noel Jessop, along with wife Kerina, was familiar with the style and feel of their immediate surroundings. He also had a good understanding of what would suit their section, and a greater appreciation for homes designed within tight space constraints. “I really liked the small platform the home we had been living in had been designed to, and because of the size of our building site, it was important the design I created was space conscious,” says Noel. He was conscious of preserving what he could of the existing plantings on the section, for the sake of his own outlook and his neighbours. “Now that the house is complete, I really like lying on the couch, looking back at the kitchen, and seeing the garden and trees through the kitchen windows. There’s a seamless connection between our neighbours' trees and the two large existing Italian alder trees on our property.”

A large totara tree was also retained, with the deck built around it so as not to disturb its existence. Rather than see it as a restriction, Noel was happy to work around the tree, and it was the perfect place for daughter Carter’s swing to be hung from. It also softens the look of the exterior, which incorporates large amounts of glass, cedar and steel.

The relaxed yet designer appearance of the home suits both Noel's and Kerina’s style. They went into the process with a joint understanding of what they wanted to achieve.

“We had a clear idea of the materials and style we wanted and I didn’t deviate from this, as that’s when things can become cluttered and confusing,” explains Noel. “I spent a summer on the deck listening to music designing this house, there was no pressure and I could alter and adjust it in between surfs! I’d move a wall and then re-sketch it and show Kerina, although she got a little over it after a while. I think I’ve got about 20 sketches largely of the same design!”

The only thing that did make them stop and think was when they found out they were expecting their first child. “The only change from the original sketch was a month after we had finalised the layout. What was going to be the music/media space became our daughter’s room,” says Noel with a laugh. 

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source: http://www.homestyle.co.nz

70'S STYLE

ABOVE Large windows spanning each side of the house allow an abundance of light into the home.

Drawing on the 1970s as inspiration, a Hamilton couple were not afraid to be different when it came to their contemporary new residence. 

Words Soraya Nicholas     Photography Kelsi Duin & Amanda Aitken

When Ian and Maree Booth sold their home, they had no intention of building again. But after looking for something new, it soon became apparent that finding a house that appealed to them was not going to be an easy task. “We were actually looking at a house for sale when we saw this piece of land, and we soon decided to build,” says Maree.

After talking to Noel Jessop and Nick Crossfield at Noel Jessop Architecture, Ian and Maree were keen to use the firm again, as Noel had designed their previous home. And when they saw the concept Noel and Nick had devised for them, there was no turning back. Despite not showing the architects any photos of what they had in mind, Noel and Nick  understood everything the Booths had attempted to convey, right down to their 1970s inspiration.

While they were keen to be as open as possible to bold new design ideas, the Booths did have a few non-negotiable inclusions. “We really wanted to incorporate a sunken lounge, and the slats leading down to the room were important too,” explains Maree. The dark cedar on the exterior was also something the couple suggested, with Noel and Nick adding extra finesse by incorporating red brick. This theme was carried through into the interior, with a unique brick feature wall in the lounge.

The sunken lounge is without a doubt Maree’s favourite room, and architectural designer Noel agrees. “I’d actually like this space in my own home!” The master bedroom is another room the Booths love, as it has the same shag-pile carpet as the lounge, and they adore their large ensuite bathroom and walk-in-wardrobe.

Compared to many other new homes, Ian and Maree’s house is both bold and unique, due in part to the couple trusting Noel and Nick's creativity implicitly. “When you put the house into its current residential context, aesthetically it is very different to its surrounding neighbours,” explains Noel. “We viewed the house as a whole and looked to provide a very cohesive package, a structure that you either liked or you didn’t.”

Clearly it was a design that appealed to Ian and Maree immediately, with the couple raving about their new house. “The most important thing to keep in mind when you’re building is to go with what you want. Don’t let anyone sway you or change your mind, be bold if that’s what you want,” says Maree. It’s an attitude that has served them well, and allowed them the confidence to create a distinctive home that they are immensely proud of. •

To see more from this home pick up a copy of the lastest issue of homestyle. On sale now at supermarkets and book stores nationwide.

source: http://www.homestyle.co.nz

STRUCTURED SIMPLICITY

ABOVE  A combination of cladding materials was used on the house, including aluminium weatherboards for a contemporary twist on a classic look.

Moving from a one-acre rural property was tough, but a three level home in the city quickly convinced this family that it was time to pack their bags. 

Words Soraya Nicholas     Photography Kelsi Duin

David and Marie had been looking to move for some time from their one-acre property in Titirangi, ready to be closer to town, but finding the right home was not as easy as they had hoped. With three children, two dogs and two cats, they still needed space, and they were more interested in purchasing an already completed house than building from scratch.

When David visited a home for sale and reported back to Marie, they thought it could be right, but in the end they were not entirely convinced. Until their real estate agent showed them the front house in the small development, which the owner had intended to keep as a private dwelling rather than selling it on. “It felt 100% right,” says Marie. “We could picture our family there as soon as we walked through, and we basically told them we were interested. Twenty four hours later it was a done deal!” The home was almost finished, however David and Marie were able to make some minor changes to what was left to do, as well as completing the landscaping and fencing to keep their animals contained. “It really appealed to us because it was modern and low maintenance, and the three levels work even better than we’d imagined for our family,” explains Marie. Their eldest son, who attends university, has the entire ground floor to himself, which is “like a self-contained flat.” The middle level houses the master bedroom and the living and dining areas, and the top floor is for the couple’s other son and daughter to share.

The home was designed by Mark Rantin of MRA Design Ltd, with the experienced design company devising the plan to subdivide the original section. They incorporated a plan to keep an existing house, and build two new ones. “The design had to make the most effective use of a south-sloping small city site, to create a family home,” says MRA director Wendy Metcalfe. “The inspiration for the design comes from the challenge of selecting products of strength and durability, that had simple clean lines, and then using them to create a fresh, modern aesthetic.” The incorporation of three levels was important to the developer too, with the original idea being for the bottom level to be used as an office/living space.

Mark worked with the developer to select the best cladding for the project. One of the primary cladding materials used was Nu-Wall Mono 190 profile aluminium weatherboards, supplied by Nu-Wall Aluminium Cladding Limited. Finished in a Charcoal Matt powder-coated colour, the weatherboards are visually exciting, durable and completely low maintenance. The weatherboards interlock to ensure complete weather tightness, and the actual installation process is tested and appraised by BRANZ. For this home, the cladding was placed in both a horizontal and vertical fashion, to create a modern twist on the classic weatherboard style of home.

While MRA Ltd provided the design, it was John Chalk from John Chalk Builders in charge of the actual construction. The experienced builder worked hard to create the straight, square lines requested by the client, “with as little detail showing as possible when transitioning from one exterior cladding to another.” John also used a number of other unique techniques, building with steel framing and concrete-filled polystyrene blocks. An external stairwell was also incorporated, which had to be made to a certain size to allow for an exact number of weatherboards. One of the most challenging aspects of the construction was the time-consuming aspect of joining the different exterior cladding materials together. “The steel frame had to connect to the building wrap, then a cavity batten with a thermal break, and then that had to be connected to the aluminium cladding with the appropriate fixing,” says John.

To see more from this home pick up a copy of the lastest issue of homestyle. On sale now at supermarkets and book stores nationwide.

source: http://www.homestyle.co.nz

TIMBER WITH A TWIST

TIMBER WITH A TWIST

A contemporary home crafted from timber enjoys a relaxed, holiday ambience.

Words Soraya Nicholas      Photography Craig Roberston

Mindful of how stressful the building of a new house can be, Coastwood Homes Ltd – the Lockwood Coromandel Peninsula franchise – approached the development of their new show home with their customers in mind. “When there are so many things that could go wrong and so many decisions to make, some people might wonder why they should build,” explains Katie McDonald from Coastwood Homes. “This was something we were mindful of when we started the process of building our Otama show home, because we wanted to include design features and make decisions to show how fantastic a new Lockwood home could be.”

As soon as they decided to proceed, their “original scribble on paper” turned into an impressive new project. As a company, Lockwood has over 60 years' experience, and with a product they believe in so implicitly, they could not be happier with the final result and the look they have achieved. “The powder-coated aluminium exterior provides true low maintenance, and the cedar feature walls allowed us to add some colour and texture too,” says Katie. The solid Lockwood wall structure was used, which is a key feature of every house they build, to ensure it is strong enough to stand up to any weather condition and even natural disasters. This is the only similarity to the Lockwood Homes of old, which were characteristically dark inside and often creaky; they are all still built via a “locking” system rather than with nails.

To make the home contemporary in appearance, the internal timber was blonded, with the media room painted in a solid colour to establish a unique effect. The result is a light, breezy home that is reminiscent of a luxurious holiday retreat, ready for a family to walk through the door and move in.

“Home” is an important concept to many New Zealanders, and it is something that Coastwood Homes takes very seriously. “Your home, your way is our motto,” explains Katie. They believe that a home is where you create family, togetherness, memories and a future. It’s a reward for hard work, a refuge from the world, and a place to express yourself, and that’s what they like to achieve for every single person they build for.

For this special Lockwood home, Coastwood Homes has created a restful, stylish abode that they are understandably proud of, and they love the response they have enjoyed to date from visitors.

To see more from this home pick up a copy of the lastest issue of homestyle. On sale now at supermarkets and book stores nationwide.

source: http://www.homestyle.co.nz