Gavin and Emma Brown’s new family home overlooking Mount Pirongia is their second build, with more focus on the internal design features this time around.
Located 25 minutes south of Hamilton, this beautiful rural property features a mixture of macrocarpa and aged red brick cladding, which fits in perfectly with the land. The Waikato Build owner said the idea was to design the house around the outdoor living area, which has a barbecue recessed into the wall, catering for their love of cooking all year round.
The large 350 sqm home features four bedrooms and two bathrooms for their young active family, and the boardwalk entrance is just a taste of what’s to come inside.
The first thing you notice is the vast amount of wood, giving the house an immediate warmth as you walk in.
The macrocarpa has also been used for flooring, and a plywood ceiling with 4mm negative detail runs from the kitchen right through into the hallway and second lounge.
A trio of Ratten pendant lamp shades hangs dominantly above the kitchen bench, and the cabinetry has a real industrial look with its rust tinged colours. Gavin used a sponge to apply external plaster to the back of the fireplace – which matches the tone of the kitchen cabinetry perfectly.
The outdoor living area is the main talking point of the house with its Louvretech system enabling the family to have the right amount of light and air flow for any season. The aged red brick cladding has been used for some of the internal walls as well, and the barbecue doubles as a fireplace to heat their outdoor living space.
“This whole space has been set up for easy entertaining,” he said.
Hand made bench seats at the other end of the outdoor area provides the perfect nook, along with an egg-shaped hanging chair for relaxation after a busy day.
Emma’s love of indoor plants are evident in every corner of the home, including a clever inbuilt trough above the vanity in her ensuite. Gavin said the plant trough was plumbed into the waste below, enabling it to be watered without any mess.
Large earthy wall tiles are also contrasted nicely with a corrugated looking vanity splash back, through the use of small vertical tiles, giving the ensuite a real country cottage look. With three young children to run around after, the large front lawn means everything is close and visible, but the spa on the deck also means they get to relax and unwind while still supervising their family.